Iranian Soup(Aash) Recipes
Aabgoosht
4 Servings
500 grams lamb or beef
1 cup of chicken peas (Nokhod)
1 cup of dried white beans
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium potatos, peeled
2 medium tomatos
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric & black pepper
Directions:
Wash the meat and put it in a medium size pot, half filled with water, add the peas and beans, the onion, salt, turmeric and pepper and let it cook for 1-2 hours on medium-low heat.
Add the potatos and the tomatos (they get too soft too soon if you add them at the beginning), and let it cook on low heat until all the ingredients are soft.
Take the pot out, separate the juice from the ingredients and pour the ingredients in a bowl and using a potato masher (goosht-koob) or something similar, finely mash the whole mixture. Taste a small portion and add more salt/pepper if needed. When the mixture has a smooth texture, it can be served.
The juice (Aab) is also served in separate bowls. The idea is to mix it with small pieces of Iranian bread (or pita bread or any kind of Middle Eastern breads).
Aash-e Aab Limoo
4 Servings
200 grams basmati or long-grain rice
1 kg herbs (parsley, mint, coriander, spring-onion ends)
500 grams ground lamb or beef
3 spoons split peas
3-4 spoons fresh lime juice
2-3 spoons sugar
2 spoons marjoram
one spoon dry mint
4 large onions
cooking oil
salt & black pepper
Directions:
Peel and slice two onions and fry in oil until slightly golden. Add 4-5 glasses of hot water, split-peas, salt and pepper and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Wash rice and add to the aash. Cook for another 15-20 minutes.
Peel and grate two onions. Add to meat with salt and pepper and mix well. Shape into small balls and add to the aash. Wash herbs, chop finely, add to the aash, and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Add in lime juice, sugar, and marjoram (if fresh marjoram is used, it should be finely chopped). Mix well and cook for a few more minutes.
Fry mint in oil for a few minutes (if fresh mint is used, it should be finely chopped before frying). Add mint on top of the aash and serve.
Aash-e Aaloo
4 Servings
100 grams basmati or long-grain rice
500 grams herbs (parsley, mint, coriander, spring-onion ends)
250 grams ground lamb or beef
300 grams pitted prunes
4 large onions
cooking oil
salt & black pepper
Directions:
Soak prunes in warm water for two hours. Peel and slice two onions and fry in oil until slightly golden. Make ground meat into 2 cm balls and fry with onions until colour changes. Add 3-4 glasses of water, and bring to a boil.
Finely chop herbs. Wash rice once with warm water. Add herbs, rice, prunes (including the water it was soaked in), salt and black pepper to meat balls. Mix well and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
Aash-e Anaar
4 Servings
200 grams long-grain (or Basmati) rice
1 kg herbs (parsley, mint, coriander, spring-onion ends)
500 grams ground lamb or beef
3 tablespoons split peas
1 cup pomegranate paste
2 tablespoons marjoram
1 tablespoon dried mint
4 large onions
6 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Peel and slice two onions and fry in 4 tablespoons of cooking oil until slightly golden. Add 4-5 glasses of hot water, split-peas, salt and pepper and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Wash rice and add to the aash. Cook for another 15-20 minutes.
Peel and grate two onions. Add to meat with salt and pepper and mix well. Shape into small balls and add to the aash. Wash herbs, chop finely, add to the aash, and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Add in pomegranate paste and marjoram (if fresh marjoram is used, it should be finely chopped). Mix well and cook for a few more minutes.
Fry mint in 2 tablespoons of cooking oil for a few minutes (if fresh mint is used, it should be finely chopped before frying). Add mint on top of the aash and serve.
Aash-e Gandom
4 servings
100 grams wheat
700 grams spinach
50 grams chick peas
50 grams black-eye beans
50 grams lentils
50 grams split peas
2 large onions
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Soak peas, beans, lentils and wheat in water for 4-5 hours. Peel and chop onions and fry in oil until slightly golden. Add hot water, peas, beans, lentils, wheat, turmeric, salt and pepper, and cook over low heat for about one hour, stirring frequently.
Wash and chop spinach and add to the aash. Cook for another 10-15 minutes. Fry one spoonful of flour in oil for a few minutes and add to the aash. Stir and cook for a few more minutes.
Aash-e Gojeh Farangi
4 servings
200 grams basmati or long-grain rice
1 kg herbs (parsley, mint, coriander, spring-onion ends)
500 grams ground lamb or beef
3 tablespoons split peas
5 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons marjoram
1 tablespoon mint
4 large onions
cooking oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Peel and slice two onions and fry in oil until slightly golden. Add 4-5 glasses of hot water, split-peas, salt and pepper and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Wash rice and add to the aash. Cook for another 15-20 minutes.
Peel and grate two onions. Add to meat with salt and pepper and mix well. Shape into small balls and add to the aash. Wash herbs, chop finely, add to the aash, and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Add in tomato paste and marjoram (if fresh marjoram is used, it should be finely chopped). Mix well and cook for a few more minutes.
Fry mint in oil for a few minutes (if fresh mint is used, it should be finely chopped before frying). Add mint on top of the aash and serve.
Aash-e Reshteh ~An Iranian Classic~
4 Servings
400 grams reshteh (reshteh is similar to spaghetti in shape and should be obtained in Iran or from an Iranian store)
1 kg herbs (parsley, spinach, dill, coriander, and spring-onion ends, in equal amounts)
150 grams chick-peas
150 grams black-eye beans
150 grams lentils
4 spoons dried mint (or 200 grams of fresh mint)
4 medium onions
two glasses kashk (kashk is thick whey and should be obtained in Iran or from an Iranian store)
2 spoons flour cooking oil
salt & black pepper
Directions:
Soak chick-peas, black-eye beans, and lentils in warm water for about two hours. Peel and thinly slice onions. Fry in oil until slightly golden. Save half of the fried onions for later use. Add chick-peas, black-eye beans, lentils, salt, and pepper to onions. Add 2-3 glasses of hot water and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes. If necessary, additional hot water should be added while cooking.
Wash and finely chop the herbs. Add to the mix, and continue cooking over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Dissolve flour in a glass of cold water, add in, and mix well. Add reshteh and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Strands of reshteh should remain intact and uncut. Remove the mix from heat, and pour kashk evenly over it. Add fried onions on top.
Fry dried mint in oil for a few minutes. (If fresh mint is used, wash and finely chop it, then fry in oil.) Also add fried mint on top of Aash-e Reshteh and serve.
Aash-e Shalgham
4 Servings
500 grams turnip
100 grams long grain or basmati rice
200 grams ground lamb or beef
2 large onions
50 grams split peas
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
100 grams fresh or 2 teaspoons dried mint
cooking oil
salt & black pepper
Directions:
Mix ground meat with grated onions, salt and black pepper. Shape into small balls, and fry in oil until colour changes. Add 4-5 glasses of hot water and split peas and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Wash turnip and rice. Peel turnip and cut into a few pieces. Add both to aash. Also add turmeric, salt and black pepper. Mix well and cook over low heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If using fresh mint, wash and chop finely. Fry mint in oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes and pour over aash when serving.
Aash-e Sholeh Qalamkar
4 servings
500 gr. lamb or beef
500 gr. parsley, spinach, dill, coriander, spring-onion ends
100 gr. long-grain or basmati rice
100 gr. peas
100 gr. beans
100 gr. lentils
3 large onions
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cooking oil
Directions:
Soak peas, beans and lentils in water for 4-5 hours. Peel and chop onions and fry in oil until golden.
Cut meat into small pieces and fry with onions until it changes color.
Add peas, beans, lentils, turmeric, salt, pepper and hot water, and cook over low heat for about one hour. Wash rice and add to the Aash. Cook for another 20-30 minutes.
Wash parsley, dill, coriander, spinach, spring-onion ends and chop finely. Add to Aash and cook for another 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add more hot water during cooking if necessary.