ISO choresh recipe

Mrs Bissli

Tue, Nov 10 2009, 4:21 pm

There are lots of different varieties of khoresh, which is a generic term for meat stew. Here's the basic one with lamb thickend with ground walnut, enough to serve 4. You can prepare them beforehand, it can be frozen (I cook beforehand and skim off fat).

* 2 onions, finely chopped or grated
* 1kg cubed lamb, visible fats trimmed
* 1 large or 2 medium aubergines
* 4 tbsp tomato paste
* 4tbsp pomegranate molasses (if you don't have it, you can use 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1tbsp apricot or plum jam, you basically want something fruity and tart. You can use tamarind but it won't be the same.)
* 1/2 cup ground walnuts
* salt, pepper, cinnamon

Wash, peel strips of skin off aubergine, then cut into 2" cube. Sprinkle salt and leave for 15min. Drain brownish liquid and rinse off salt.
In a large pot, sautee meat till browned. Remove to a bowl. Sautee onion in the same pot till transparent. Add meat, aubergine, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, ground walnut and just enough water to cover (go easy as aubergine yield liquid). Season with salt and pepper, and add a BIG dash of cinnamon. Cook for at least 1hr over a low flame till the meat is soft.

There is another khoresh that uses fresh quince or dried prune. It's similar to the first one, except skip aubergines, pomegranate molasses and ground walnuts. Instead add 1 peeled, cored and chopped quince or a handful of prunes. If using fresh quince, add 2-3tbsp sugar or honey otherwise it will be too tart.

You can also make khoresh with frozen artichoke bottoms and peas (I tend to make this with chicken pieces with bones in), skip tomato paste, pomegranate molasses but add frozen artichoke bottoms cut in 1/2 or 1/4, juice of 1 lemon and chopped dill and parsley. Add frozen baby peas 15min before done.

Mrs Bissli

Tue, Nov 10 2009, 4:32 pm

For rice, you'll need 3cups of basmati rice. Rinse with cold water to wash off starch. Wash and change water at least 3 times. Drain in a colandar first, and soak the rice in 4cups plus a tablespoon of cold water for at least 25min. Bring rice and the water to brisk boil in a heavy saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Add 1 teasp salt and 1tbsp vegetable oil. Cook for 7min covered over a medium heat, then turn down the heat to the lowest possible setting (use blech if heat is too high), and continue steaming the rice for another 15-20min. Fluff the grain.

If you're making this for shabbat, put on a blech after the first 7-8min of cooking. I'll probably add a bit more oil and a few teasp of water to avoid rice drying out. I also place a foil between the pot and the lid to avoid steam escaping. The bottom will form browned/crunchy crust--the best part!

pobody's nerfect

Tue, Nov 10 2009, 6:18 pm

ugh. I'm as ashkenaz as white bread, and the year after seminary I lived at a persian family whose nightly supper was choresh and tadik... I liked the crispy rice but couldn't stand the stews!! I know it's an ethnic food and therefore an acquired taste.... and I never acquired it!!

but I'm sure yours will be excellent Smile