You may recall thatKhoreshis thequintessential pillar of Persian cooking a genre of food that encompasses an eclectic variety of tastes and flavors. More elaborate and sophisticated than a typical stew,khoreshis a slow-fusion combination of meat (or poultry or fish) cooked with fresh or dried fragrant herbs and vegetables, or fresh or dried fruits, grains, or legumes.
This recipe is for a type ofkhoreshknown asaloo esfenaj although some call it the other way around:esfenaj o aloo. It is made with lots ofesfenaj(spinach) and also plenty ofaloo(plums.) Typically, the type of plums used for thekhoresh aloo esefenajare dried yellow ones known asaloo bokhara, but prunes (dried black plums) are a common substitution, specially outside of Iran wherealoo bokharaare not easily found.
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KHORESH ALOO ESFENAJ AND PERSIAN STEAMED RICE[/caption]My mother reports that my grandmother used to often makekhoresh aloo esfenaj and it is one of my moms favorites. It is one of my favorites types ofkhoreshas well. Theres something undeniably luscious about the combination of cooked prunes, spinach and meat with that signature flavor profile of Iranian food of being harmoniously savoury, tart and sweet all at once.
As notoriously complicated as Persian rice is to make, Persian stews make up for it by being quite forgiving and easy going, and this deliciouskhoreshis no exception. In the spirit of keeping things short and sweet, lets click our heels and head straight over to the recipe.
- 1 pound stewing meat, cut into 1?-1 1/2? cubes( preferably lamb or veal, beef may also be used but Iranians in general do not cook with beef)
- 2 pounds (washed, stemmed, coarsely chopped) fresh spinach
- 8 ounces pitted prunes (rule of thumb: allow 4-5 prunes per person served)
- 1 large onion (finely sliced)
- a few pinches of turmeric
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice ( more or less according to tartness preference/taste)
- a tiny pinch of saffron
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6-8 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a roomy nonstick pot over medium high heat till sizzling hot. Add chopped onions. Saute till golden (approximately 10 minutes) while stirring occasionally. Add meat. Add turmeric, salt and pepper. Sautee for 5-6 minutes till the meat is no longer pink/red. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover pot with lid, reduce heat to medium low and simmer cook till meat is cooked. (Approximately 45 minutes for veal or lamb, up to an hour for beef.)
- While meat is cooking, saute chopped spinach in 3-4 tablespoons of sizzling hot oil in a nonstick skillet, stirring frequently, until the spinachs liquid is expelled and it reduces in bulk (approximately 5-6 minutes.) Season with salt and a pinch of turmeric. Set aside. Rinse and dry prunes. Saute prunes in a tablespoon of sizzling hot olive oil for no longer than a minute in a nonstick skillet. Set aside.
- Once meat is almost done, remove lid, turn up the heat till the stew is boiling. Add spinach, prunes and fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle with saffron and cinnamon. Stir once with a wooden spoon to mix. Reduce heat to medium low.Cover lid and simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes.
- Once done, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice to taste. Transfer stew to a deep serving bowl. Serve hot.
Khoresht eh aloo esefenaj is (like all the other types of Persian stew) is traditionally meant to be served with a bed of fluffy Persian rice. Alternatively, however; you may enjoy this Persian stew over a bed of quinoa, or, with flat bread.
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KHORESH & RICE (POLO KHORESH) A DELIGHTFUL COMBO![/caption]
By Fig And Quince
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