Nov 16
This is a simple form of Khoreshte Esfenaj. Many people use Tareh (or green onions if no Tareh is available) and/or Aloo (prune) in the Khoresht as well (known as Khoreshte Aloo Esfenaj). You can make the Khoresht (stew) with chicken or lamb meat.
Khoreshte Esfenaj ba Morgh
Ingredients (4-6 servings):
500 grams chopped spinach — I decided to use frozen chopped spinach
2 chicken breasts cut into pieces –you can opt to choose chicken thighs or lamb meat
1 small onion chopped up
oil
salt/pepper
turmeric
lemon juice
aloo (optional) — I added 3-4 prunes (aloo khoshk)
approximately 2 cups water
Khoresht Esfenaj
Directions:
In a pot fry the chopped onions in oil until they turn a light golden color and become tender. Add in the chicken and stir. Add salt, pepper, and turmeric. Stir the chicken around for a few minutes then add the spinach to the pot. Whether you are using fresh or frozen spinach after you add the spinach to the pot you can stir around/fry the spinach a bit or just go ahead and add the water. After adding the water, add the lemon juice and prunes then cover the pot and allow the Khoreshte Esfenaj to cook for 1 - 1 1/2 hours on medium heat…cooking time depends on how much water you want the Khoresht to have as well.
Serve with rice.
Tagged with: Aloo • Chicken • Lamb • Spinach
Oct 30
This is a simple Kookoo Sabzi recipe…there are a few different ingredients that can be added to vary the Kookoo Sabzi. Kookoo is considered a souffle and Kookoo Sabzi is a vegetable souffle with various green vegetables mixed in with eggs (and a few other things) and then cooked.
Kookoo Sabzi
Ingredients:
2 packages (baste) Parsley
2 packages Cilantro
1/2 package spinach
2 packages green onions –only use the ends where it is green in place of Tareh
1 - 2 tablespoons dill (dry or fresh)
Garlic — finely diced or grated
4 eggs
Turmeric
Salt/pepper — dont add too much salt because it can become bitter
a pinch of Baking powder
oil
Directions:
After cleaning and rinsing the sabzi (vegetables) you want to chop them up…can use a food processor to simplify the task. Note: I typically let the vegetables soak in water for at least 30 minutes before rinsing them to make sure all the dirt is removed. In a bowl add the chopped vegetables, garlic, turmeric, a little salt, pepper, baking powder, and then the eggs. Mix all ingredients well.
Kookoo Sabzi
In a frying pan (that has a lid) pour in a good amount of oil. Put on the stove on a medium- high heat and once the oil is heated add the mixed ingredients and flatten out in the pan. After a few minutes bring the temperature to medium and place the lid on the frying pan. After about 15 minutes you want to cut up the Kookoo Sabzi into 4 or more pieces and then flip it over for the other side to fry as well. You should notice a darker green color to the side that is fried…if needed you can allow it to fry a bit longer before flipping it over. When you flip it over you will cover the frying pan with the lid again and allow it to cook another 15 - 20 minutes.
You can serve the Kookoo Sabzi with bread or with Sabzi Polo. In fact many times I have eaten Sabzi Polo ba Mahi and Kookoo Sabzi. Very tasty 
Tagged with: Cilantro • Dill • Eggs • Green Onions • Parsley • Sabzi • Spinach
Sep 15
This is a stew that goes with rice (polo) and is mainly made up of many green vegetables.
Ingredients:
Ghormeh Sabzi
1 package green onions (chop off the green parts in place of tareh)
2 packages parsley
1 package cilantro
A few leaves of Spinach (Optional)
(Use more greens if you are making a larger pot, this amount should be good for 4 people)
1 medium onion - finely chopped up
salt/ pepper
turmeric
1 (or more) limoo amani (dried lime)
limoo amani powder (in place of dried lime, or with it)
Lemon Juice
1 cup dry kidney beans or 1 can kidney beans
stew meat (desired amount - I try to use half a pound) - Can also use lamb instead of beef
Shanbalileh (Fenugreek Leaves)
Directions:
Saute the chopped up onions in oil until slightly changing color. I typically cut my stew meat into smaller pieces (not too small though as is done for Gheymeh). Once the onions are ready I add the meat and stir, then I add my salt, pepper, and turmeric powder.
I usually have already prepared my greens and chopped them up a bit in my food processor. Sometimes to save time I have already prepared packages and placed them in the freezer for the day I decide to cook something with them. Fresh is obviously always better. So I now add my chopped up greens and saute them a bit with the meat. Many Persian Recipes require vast amounts of oil, in fact most people also saute the greens in oil then add it to the pot. I try to make my Persian dishes a little healthier by not drenching everything in oil. Its up to you if you want to cook the greens a bit in oil in a frying pan then add it in, or just do as I did and add it to the meat.
After a minute or two of the greens being mixed with the meat I add 2 to 3 cups of water. I also add the limoo amani and a little bit of the powder. I then added the kidney beans (that I pre-soaked for a few hours) and some lemon juice. Now one thing that provided that wonderful aroma for Ghormeh Sabzi is Shanbalileh!! You don’t need to add much, maybe a teaspoon or a little more than that.
I leave the pot on Med. heat the entire time, but towards the end I will take down the temperature a bit. I let it get to a point where the greens are cooked, and the stew is not too watery.
Serve with rice and maybe some salad Shirazi and/or Yogurt (maast).
Tagged with: Beef • Cilantro • Green Onions • Kidney Beans • Parsley • Sabzi • Shanbalileh • Spinach
