Ashe Reshte Recipes

Steps:

• For the soup: Place the chickpeas and pinto beans in separate medium bowls, cover with cold water by 2 inches and soak at room temperature for 8 hours.
• When the chickpeas and beans are ready, drain them and transfer to separate 2-quart saucepans, cover with cold water by 3 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour, then drain. If the water comes below the beans before they're completely cooked, add more water to cover.
• When the chickpeas and beans are almost ready, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to get golden and soften, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the turmeric and 2 teaspoons salt and stir to combine.
• Add the cooked chickpeas and beans and 6 cups water and bring to a simmer. Stir in the lentils, spinach, parsley and cilantro, then simmer, covered, until the lentils are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and the dried mint to a small skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mint starts shimmering and sizzling, about 5 minutes.
• When the lentils are ready, add the mint mixture and reshteh to the pot. Stir together and bring to a simmer, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are soft, but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes. The soup should be thick, similar to chili (see Cook's Note). If it's too thick, add 1/2 cup water and simmer 5 minutes more.
• If the finished soup looks watery, mix 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour with 1/3 cup water, then stir it in and simmer until the soup thickens, 5 to 10 minutes.
• For serving: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the turmeric and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes more. Set the onions aside.
• Heat another 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Set the garlic aside.
• Combine the dried mint and remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric in a small skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the mint becomes shimmery, toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set the mint aside.
• Ladle the ash reshteh into a large tureen or individual bowls and top as you like with Kashk and the reserved onions, garlic and mint.
• Scoop the yogurt into a large pot and add 2 cups water. Whisk until the water is fully incorporated and there are no lumps. Place the pot over medium heat and stir constantly until the yogurt comes to a boil, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the yogurt is pretty thick and has lightly splattering bubbles, about 1 1/2 hours. The yogurt will separate and most of the water should be evaporated. Raise the heat to medium-high and stir constantly until the mixture is quite thick and lumpy and the color is light beige, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
• Pour the kashk into a nut-milk bag and squeeze out and discard as much liquid as possible; you want to end up with dry pulp. Place the kashk in a blender, add 1/2 cup water and blend on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add an additional 1 tablespoon water if needed to create a smooth consistency similar to mayonnaise. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and blend to incorporate. The kashk should taste somewhat salty and sour. Add more salt, if needed.
• The kashk will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 5 days. Stir before using.
• You can also freeze the kashk for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then stir before using.

Steps:

• The night before you plan to cook, place chickpeas and white beans in a medium bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt and 2 cups water. Refrigerate overnight.
• The night before or just before cooking, prepare the herbs and greens: Wash spinach, cilantro and parsley, then use a salad spinner to dry very well. Run a knife through the spinach to cut leaves into large pieces. Trim the woody ends from cilantro, parsley and dill so that only leaves and tender stems remain. Roughly chop cilantro, parsley, dill, chives and mint leaves into pieces no larger than a quarter. If preparing ahead of time, wrap chopped greens and herbs in plastic bags and refrigerate overnight.
• To cook, set a large (at least 10-quart) Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat and add 4 tablespoons oil. When the oil shimmers, add the chopped onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring regularly, until the onion is tender and golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Drain the beans and add to onion along with the lentils, turmeric and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat the beans with oil and spices. Add the chopped spinach and herbs, along with stock or water, and stir to combine. Partly cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer the soup for 1 hour, stirring regularly to prevent the greens from sticking and burning. If the soup remains very thick even after the greens have wilted, add another 1 to 2 cups water, as needed to thin it.
• Place 1 1/2 cups kashk in a medium bowl. Add a ladle or two of hot soup and whisk to dissolve, then add the mixture to the pot. The kashk will change the color of the soup from bright to milky green. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil, then break the noodles in half and add to the pot. Stir gently to mix in the noodles and keep them from sticking together, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until noodles are soft and chewy and the beans are completely tender, about 30 minutes.
• In the meantime, prepare the garnishes: Set a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil shimmers, add sliced onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring regularly, until golden brown and caramelized, 16 to 18 minutes. Spread cooked onion onto a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil; let cool. Wipe out pan and return to medium heat. Add remaining 1/3 cup oil and warm gently over low heat, then stir in dried mint and remove from heat. Set mint oil aside and allow to steep for at least 5 minutes.
• Place remaining 1/2 cup kashk in a small bowl and thin out with a few tablespoons of water until it's the texture of thin yogurt. Set aside.
• The soup should be as thick as a hearty chili. If it's any thicker, thin it with water, 1/2 cup at a time. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt as needed, accounting for the fact that both the noodles and the kashk are well salted.
• To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls. Drizzle with reserved kashk and mint oil, then top with a sprinkling of golden onions.

Steps:

• In a dutch oven, saute' onions in 3 Tbs oil until golden; stir in turmeric through pepper. Place drained chickpeas, kidney and navy beans in the pot with the onions and add 2 1/2 qts water. Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low and let simmer 40 minutes.
• Add lentils and bouillon, cover again and let simmer 40 more minutes.
• Add spinach through dillweed and cook 20 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
• As soon as spinach and herbs are added to the soup, begin the meat garnish: In a medium saucepan, saute beef through garlic in 1 Tbs oil until beef is browned and onion is soft. Add 1/2 cup water and the split peas, cover and cook 20 minutes over low heat.
• Taste the soup (not the meat garnish), adjust the seasonings and add more water if too thick. Add noodles. Stir a bit of the soup liquid into the flour or cornstarch to dissolve, then stir solution back into the soup. Cook 10-12 minutes until noodles are done.
• Dissolve the saffron in 1 Tbs hot water and combine with tomato paste and 1/4 tsp salt; stir into the meat garnish (not the soup). Cover and simmer 10 minutes more.
• Stir some of the soup (not the meat garnish) into the 1/2 cup sour cream, then stir this mixture back into the soup (not the garnish). Stir in vinegar and cook a minute to heat through.
• Pour soup into 4 large soup bowls. Add a quarter of the meat garnish to each bowl but do not stir in; on top of each, float a 1/2-Tbsp dollop of sour cream; sprinkle with mint and serve.