Ghormeh Sabzi + Tadigh = The Only Reason I Talk To Persians

You know it’s true. What are Persians good for? With their “Chetori’s” and “Va Vey Lah’s” theres really no other reason to be friends with them except the amazing food they produce. Oh and for the Shah’s of Sunset. Obviez. Either way, try this recipe out for Ghormeh Sabzi and Tadigh, which is basically a stew of mixed greens and beef over a bed of crusty rice.  This is my version of the dish, slightly different from the traditional Persian recipe. But hey, I’m not Persian so it’s ok, right? Right?! Special thanks to my friends Monica Darvish and Mahsa Abdolhosseini for their help. =)

For the Ghormeh Sabzi you will need:

1 medium-large spanish onion, chopped

1lb beef, cut into ~1/2-1″ cubes

2 bunches flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1/3 cup fresh mint, finely chopped

1 bunch scallions, finely chopped

1 9oz bag of prewashed spinach, finely chopped

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

2 lemons, juiced and zested

1 can kidney beans, rinsed & drained

2 tbsp olive oil

S&P to taste

2 cups water

To a large pot, add the oil and chopped onion with a little salt and pepper. Once the onion begins to sweat add the cubed meat, and cook unti the meat browns and any moisture given off by the beef evaporates, about 5-10 min. Add the greens and stir for 1-2 min, and then add the water, ginger, & garlic. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. After about 30 min add the lemon zest and 1/2 the juice. cook for another 30 min, and then add the kidney beans and the rest of the lemon juice. If its dring out too much add more water as you see fit. Also taste it and season to taste.

I cooked this in 1 hour because i was in a time crunch and it came out deliciously. Normally this should be cooked for a couple of hours at least, and the longer it cooks the more tender the meat will be.

Tadigh:

1 cup basmati rice

1 small spanish onion, chopped

1 3/4 cup water

olive oil

To a small pot add 2 tbsp olive oil, then the onion and rice. Cook together until the rice becomes toasted and lightly brown. Then add the water, cover, and cook for 20 min. Remove the lid, stir the rice, and add another 3-4 tbsp of oil and fry to get the crust aka “tadigh.”

Serve together.