RECIPE: _Ash-e Reshteh_

[Guest guest]

This is an Iranian recipe, but something very similar is

served in Afghanistan. The author suggests making the soup

a day ahead, but in that case, I wouldn't cook in the noodles

till just before serving.

 

I have vegetarianized and chilefied it. The original contained

beef stock and the garnish featured diced beef, but there were

no chiles listed. . .and while I've eaten plenty of good meatless

food from this region, I've never had any main dish that wasn't

at least warm, and often rip-your-head-off fiery. Go ahead, ask

me about the hottest meal I ever had in my life. So I tinkered.

 

_Ash-e Reshteh_ (Iranian Noodle Soup), vegetarian version

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

1/4 cup red kidney beans [or small red beans], soaked

1/4 cup navy beans, soaked [or Great Northerns]

1/4 cup chickpeas, soaked

3 onions, finely sliced

2 cups spinach, fresh or frozen, chopped

1 fresh beet [or parsnip, carrot or redskin potato],

peeled and chopped in 1/2 " pieces

1/2 lb flat egg noodles

3 Tbsp cooking oil

2 tsp salt

Cayenne or chopped fresh cayennes or serranos,

to taste

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp turmeric

10 cups water

1/2 cup lentils

1 rich veggie stock, or a good roasted-pepper stock

1/2 cup chives or scallions, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup dill weed, chopped

1/2 cup parsley, coarsely chopped

1 Tbsp flour

1 cup buttermilk, yogurt, Soygurt or sour cream

-OR- 1/4 cup wine vinegar

 

_Gheimeh_ garnish:

1/4 lb. extra-firm tofu, drained and cut in 1/2 " cubes

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tbsp oil

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp yellow split peas

1 tsp tomato paste

1/4 tsp saffron [or turmeric], dissolved in

1 Tbsp hot water

1/2 tsp salt

 

Mint garnish:

1 onion, finely sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 Tbsp oil

1 tsp dried mint flakes

(2-3 tsp. fresh is even better)

 

Soup instructions:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a large pot, brown onions in oil. Add salt, 1/4 tsp.

of the pepper, and turmeric. Pour in water and add kidney

beans. navy beans and chickpeas. Cover and simmer 45 minutes.

Add lentils and broth. Cook 35 minutes.

 

Add scallions, dill, parsley, spinach, and beet [or other root

veggie]. Stir occasionally and cook 20 minutes or until

done. Correct seasoning (add the rest of the

pepper if needed) and add more water if too thick.

 

Add noodles and flour and cook until noodles are

done--about 10 minutes.

 

If using sour cream, set aside a heaping Tbsp for garnish.

Stir 2 Tbsp of soup into buttermilk or remaining sour cream.

Stir this mixture slowly into soup.

 

Reheat just before serving, adding more water [or stock]

if it's too thick.

 

Gheimeh:

~~~~~~~~

About 1/2 hour before serving, prepare _gheimeh_

garnish. Brown tofu, onion, and garlic in oil, adding

garlic late so it doesn't overcook.

 

Stir in water and split peas. Cover and cook

20 minutes over low heat. Add tomato paste, saffron,

and salt. Simmer covered for 10 minutes.

 

Mint:

~~~~

While the other garnish is simmering, prepare mint garnish.

Brown onion and garlic in oil. Remove from heat.

Crush mint flakes in hand and stir into onion.

 

Pour soup into tureen, top with both garnishes (and reserved

sour cream, if any) by floating them on top.

Source: _Food of Life_ by Najmieh Batmanglij, adapted by me

 

Rain

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