khoresht Gheimeh

Gheimeh is one of the best Persian foods that has many fans. There are some tips and tricks in cooking gheymeh, which if you follow them, your food will be very tasty and delicious. The recipe of this food requires observing points and details that will increase the quality of the stew. In the process of cooking this stew, it’s very common that the split peas stay raw or sometimes it’s over-cooked.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons oil
1 large onion diced
680 g good quality meat, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
pinch of saffron
½ cup fresh lime juice or 5 to 6 dried lime (limoo amani in Persian) pierced with a fork
3 cups water
¾ cup yellow split peas, picked over, rinsed and drained
2 cups water for yellow split peas
½ cup oil for frying the potatoes
2 large potatoes peeled and cut into matchsticks

khoresht Gheimeh

Instructions

Step 1

Heat 6 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick medium size pan over medium high heat. Add onions, fry for about 5 minutes. Keep cooking and moving the onions around to keep the colour even or until golden brown. Add meat to the pan, increase heat to high. Wait for caramelisation to occur on the surface of the meat so that it comes loose from the frying surface all by itself. Fry until all juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Add tomato paste, salt, pepper and turmeric. Mix the ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes or until the color of oil turns to orange . Frying the tomato paste deepens its flavour.

Step 3

Add 3 cups of water, cover and bring to boil. Lower heat to medium low and cook for 1 hour.

Step 4

While the meat is cooking, cook the split peas with 2 cups of water in a medium size saucepan for 15 to 20 minutes or until the yellow split peas are softened with a bite to them.

Step 5

When meat is half way cooked, add the yellow split peas, dried lime (limoo amani) and saffron. Cook for 30 minutes or until the meat is fork tender.

Step 6

Add Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Step 7

Heat oil in a large frying pan, fry the potatoes until golden brown.

Step 8

Place a portion of khoresht gheymeh in a serving bowl, top with fries just before serving. Serve with Persian rice.