4 Tbsp cooking oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
400 g (13½ oz) lamb or beef, cut into
small chunks
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 Tbsp tomato paste
150 g (51/3 oz) dried kidney beans, soaked
in water overnight and drained
1 large potato, peeled and cut
into chunks
Salt to taste
3 whole dried limes, or 1 Tbsp ground
dried lime, or juice from 2 limes
Herbs
200 g (7 oz) Chinese celery
200 g (7 oz) Chinese chives
Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a pot and fry onion over medium-low heat until
translucent and lightly browned.
Add meat and turmeric. Fry until meat changes colour, then add tomato
paste and stir to mix well.
Add pre-soaked beans and 2 litres (64 fl oz / 8 cups) water, then simmer
for 1 hour or until meat is tender.
Meanwhile, wash and drain herbs well, then finely chop them together.
Heat remaining oil in a pan and fry herbs until collapsed, darkened and
aromatic. Remove from heat and set aside.
When meat and beans are tender, add all remaining ingredients, including
fried herbs.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until gravy is thickened.
Strain gravy from solid ingredients and keep warm, then mash solid
ingredients into a thick paste.
Serve paste warm with gravy and flat bread on the side.
Iranians typically eat the paste wrapped in flat bread. The gravy,
which would be divided into individual portions, is consumed somewhat
like soup and with more bread, torn into little pieces, to soak up the
flavourful gravy.
Wash kidney beans well. Remove
any spoilt ones or debris, then
soak them in water overnight.
After straining gravy from meat
and beans, transfer them to a
container suitable for mashing
and keep gravy warm.
Unlike the western potato
masher, the Iranian version looks
much like a plunger with a solid
base (see pg 12), which makes
mashing a breeze.
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