Chorosh Sabsi, or Persian Herb Stew with Dehydrated Limes, is pure comfort food. There are several types of meat you can use for this dish including bison, veal or lean beef. You can also make this dish vegetarian you are a vegetarian, by replacing the meat for seitan or you can exclude it all together and double the kidney beans. Sour grapes can be challenging to find, so feel free to omit if you cannot find.
Keep in mind that Shirazis (Persian Jews originating from the city of Shiraz) do not add red kidney beans, while Tehranis (Persian Jews originating from the city of Tehran) do add kidney beans. I personally add them for a splash of color and texture. You can order dehydrated limes online from specialty spice stores Kalustyans like or even Amazon.
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Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 pounds stew meat (lean beef, veal or bison)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 bunches fresh parsley
- 2 bunches fresh cilantro
- 1 leek, washed well and chopped
- ½ bunch fresh mint
- ½ cup fresh spinach (optional)
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- ½ cup lime or lemon juice (approximately the juice of 3 limes/lemons)
- 3 cups water
- 5 whole dehydrated limes (lemon omani), pierced
- 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
- ¼ cup gureh (sour grapes) (optional)
Directions
- In a 6-quart saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until the onion starts to become translucent (about 1 minute). Add the meat; cover and cook until meat no longer looks red, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper.
- Grind fresh herbs in a food processor.
- Add the ground fresh herbs, celery, lime juice, water, dehydrated limes, kidney beans, and sour grapes if using to the saucepan.
- Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1½ hours or until meat is tender.
- Serve hot over Basmati rice.
