Feb 28
Need a Aash that warms you up and tastes good? Well how about Aash-e Mast! Obviously it will take some time to make, but its so worth it! If you have company coming over this may be something to serve (along with other things).
Aash e Mast
Ingredients (8-10 people):
1 cup rice (200 grams)
1000 grams Sabzi for the aash –which consists of :Tareh (chives), Parsley, Cilantro, Mint) Note: in place of chives you can use the ends of green onions
1/2 cup yellow split peas (lapeh)
4 tablespoons chopped onions
500 grams ground beef
1000 grams of plain yogurt (mast)
1 small onion –grated for the ground beef
oil
salt and pepper
turmeric
Directions:
In a large pot pour a little bit of oil to fry the 4 tablespoons of chopped onions. If you choose you may add some turmeric to the onions. After the onions become a golden color and the yellow split peas (lapeh) and fry a bit. Note: you may want to wash the lapeh before adding to the pot. Then add 5-6 cups of water and add salt and pepper and allow the yellow split peas to cook a bit (place lid on pot during this time). Wash and rinse the rice and add to the aash, place lid on pot, and allow the rice to completely cook.
While the contents of the pot are cooking grate the onion and add to the ground beef. Add salt, pepper, and turmeric to the ground beef and grated onion and mix and mash all the ingredients. Form small round balls from the mixture and add to the aash.
Then if you havent already cleaned and chopped up the sabzi you will need to do so. After all the sabzi is cleaned, washed, and chopped up (you may want to use a food processor to speed up the chopping) you will add the sabzi to the aash.
The aash will need to cook for a couple hours to fully cook and set. I believe my aash cooked for at least 5 to 6 hours on medium-low heat before it was ready to be served. Once you are ready to remove the aash to serve then add the mast (yogurt) and stir the aash around until it heats up a little, then pour into serving bowl.
This aash is perfect for any meal and any event. Enjoy 
Feb 25
A friend of mine had come over a while back and brought over a salad with tuna and beans on it. Its a perfect addition to any salad and very filling! I am always running out of ideas for what to put on a salad and this was quite tasty, so I wanted to share for anyone else who is always trying to give their salad a bit of variety 
Bean and Tuna Salad
Ingredients (2-4 people):
1 package Lettuce
1 tomato
1 can tuna
1 can of beans (black, pinto, red, navy, etc…) — your choice of beans but black beans are pretty tasty
lemon juice
olive oil
salt and pepper
Directions:
Chop up the lettuce and add to a bowl. Chop up the tomato and add on top of lettuce. Drain the tuna and add to the salad. Drain and wash the beans and add to the salad as well.
In a different bowl mix the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and then pour the dressing over the salad. If you desire a different type of dressing you can mix yogurt, mayo, a tad bit of ketchup, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and pour that over your salad. However, the dressing with mayo is probably not the healthy choice…but its pretty good.
Tagged with: Tuna
Feb 24
I think as far as dami dishes go Dami-e Baghala is one of my favorites. I don’t know if its because of the turmeric flavor the rice gets, or the fact that the rice gets so soft. I typically buy frozen or dry lima beans to make dishes that need baghali in them, but you can buy fresh baghali if you feel like it.
Dami-e Baghali
Ingredients (4-6 people):
3 cups rice
1 small/medium onion –finely chopped up
1 - 1.5 teaspoon turmeric (zardchoobeh)
250 - 300 grams dry or frozen lima beans –I buy baby lima beans
salt
1/4 - 1/2 oil
water
50-70 grams raisins (optional)
Directions:
Heat up about oil in a large pot and add the onions to fry. Stove top burner should be on medium temperature. Fry the onions until they become a golden color then add the turmeric and stir. Add 2 to 3 cups of water then wash the lima beans (if necessary) then add to the pot once the water. After adding the baghali to the pot add some salt and then cover the pot with a lid and allow the beans to cook for awhile.
After about 20 minutes wash the rice and then add to the pot along with 3 - 3.5 cups of water. Stir all the contents together and take the burner down to a medium-low temperature. Allow the contents to cook and the water to evaporate. If you wish to add raisins, wash the raisins, then add then to the center of the rice (open the center of the rice and add the raisins). After most of the water is evaporated put a towel over the lid and put it over the pot and allow the rice to prepare and “dam bekeshe” for approximately 1 hour.
Note: The more water you add the stickier the rice will be as well. So if you want the rice to be a bit stickier you may want to add more water.
Yogurt is my garnish of choice with Dami-e Baghala…and sunny side up eggs go well with the dish. If you really want some meat you can possibly make some chicken or meat to add for garnish.
Tagged with: Lima Beans • Rice
