black pepper
Seeds of 1 pomegranate
1 cup thick Greek-style yogurt
MEATBALLS
½ yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground lamb
2 heaping tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 heaping tablespoons minced cilantro
2 heaping tablespoons minced spearmint
2 teaspoons sea salt
To make the soup, heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat and cook the onion for about 10 minutes, until it starts to brown. Add the garlic, split peas, turmeric, cumin, and stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about about 1½ hours, until the peas are tender and the soup is slightly thickened.
To make the meatballs, in a large bowl, combine the lamb with the onion, garlic, and herbs. Add the salt and mix. Wet your hands and form the lamb into walnut-size balls.
When the split peas are tender, add the pomegranate molasses to the soup. Drop in the meatballs and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, until they’re cooked through.
Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the pomegranate seeds. Top with yogurt and serve.
Vegetarian Option
Follow the recipe as directed, omitting the meatballs. Along with the split peas, add ½ cup lentils, ½ cup dried mung beans, ½ cup pearled barley, and 1 large beet, peeled and diced small. Use 12 cups stock or water. When the beans and barley are tender, add the pomegranate molasses and 1 bunch chopped cilantro.
oat and mushroom soup
soup-e jo
This warming, tomato-infused soup was first prepared for me by my friend Somayeh on a frosty February day. Its bilingual name, soup-e jo , and the heavy cream that usually enhances it suggest that it’s a European import to Iran, but a shot of turmeric and a healthy dose of lime juice make it unmistakably Persian. Although typically made with barley ( jo ), this recipe calls for oats. Toasting the oats in the oven cuts their cooking time in half and gives them a nutty flavor.
serves 4 to 6
1 cup steel-cut oats
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cups cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups grated carrots
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ cup tomato paste
Sea salt
5 cups vegetable stock or water
1 cup milk, any kind
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pulse the oats in a food processor for 30 seconds to break them down, then toast them on a dry baking sheet for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temperature and set aside.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, until they’ve released all of their water.
Add the oats to the saucepan along with the carrots, turmeric, tomato paste, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, until the oats are very tender.
Turn off the heat and stir in the milk. The soup should be thick and creamy. Add the lime juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve garnished with parsley.
savory amaranth and turkey porridge
halim-e shir
This hearty winter breakfast soup is the Persian equivalent of congee, the comforting Asian rice porridge that features toppings as varied as peanuts, chiles, and crisp fried garlic. In this recipe, the traditional cracked wheat is replaced by the nutty New World grain amaranth, which blends naturally with the turkey and cinnamon that lends the porridge its festive flavor. This savory dish is a tasty and unexpected way to use leftoverThanksgiving turkey, too. Soak the amaranth overnight for quicker cooking, and stir often to prevent this delicate grain from sticking.
serves 4 to 6
1½ cups amaranth
2 cups shredded cooked turkey
4 cups water
1 cup milk, any kind
3 tablespoons butter or unrefined coconut oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
3 tablespoons toasted
Seeds of 1 pomegranate
1 cup thick Greek-style yogurt
MEATBALLS
½ yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground lamb
2 heaping tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 heaping tablespoons minced cilantro
2 heaping tablespoons minced spearmint
2 teaspoons sea salt
To make the soup, heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat and cook the onion for about 10 minutes, until it starts to brown. Add the garlic, split peas, turmeric, cumin, and stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about about 1½ hours, until the peas are tender and the soup is slightly thickened.
To make the meatballs, in a large bowl, combine the lamb with the onion, garlic, and herbs. Add the salt and mix. Wet your hands and form the lamb into walnut-size balls.
When the split peas are tender, add the pomegranate molasses to the soup. Drop in the meatballs and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, until they’re cooked through.
Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the pomegranate seeds. Top with yogurt and serve.
Vegetarian Option
Follow the recipe as directed, omitting the meatballs. Along with the split peas, add ½ cup lentils, ½ cup dried mung beans, ½ cup pearled barley, and 1 large beet, peeled and diced small. Use 12 cups stock or water. When the beans and barley are tender, add the pomegranate molasses and 1 bunch chopped cilantro.
oat and mushroom soup
soup-e jo
This warming, tomato-infused soup was first prepared for me by my friend Somayeh on a frosty February day. Its bilingual name, soup-e jo , and the heavy cream that usually enhances it suggest that it’s a European import to Iran, but a shot of turmeric and a healthy dose of lime juice make it unmistakably Persian. Although typically made with barley ( jo ), this recipe calls for oats. Toasting the oats in the oven cuts their cooking time in half and gives them a nutty flavor.
serves 4 to 6
1 cup steel-cut oats
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cups cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups grated carrots
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ cup tomato paste
Sea salt
5 cups vegetable stock or water
1 cup milk, any kind
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pulse the oats in a food processor for 30 seconds to break them down, then toast them on a dry baking sheet for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temperature and set aside.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, until they’ve released all of their water.
Add the oats to the saucepan along with the carrots, turmeric, tomato paste, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, until the oats are very tender.
Turn off the heat and stir in the milk. The soup should be thick and creamy. Add the lime juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve garnished with parsley.
savory amaranth and turkey porridge
halim-e shir
This hearty winter breakfast soup is the Persian equivalent of congee, the comforting Asian rice porridge that features toppings as varied as peanuts, chiles, and crisp fried garlic. In this recipe, the traditional cracked wheat is replaced by the nutty New World grain amaranth, which blends naturally with the turkey and cinnamon that lends the porridge its festive flavor. This savory dish is a tasty and unexpected way to use leftoverThanksgiving turkey, too. Soak the amaranth overnight for quicker cooking, and stir often to prevent this delicate grain from sticking.
serves 4 to 6
1½ cups amaranth
2 cups shredded cooked turkey
4 cups water
1 cup milk, any kind
3 tablespoons butter or unrefined coconut oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
3 tablespoons toasted
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