Iran: vegan ghormeh sabzi

Our very first stop on this vegan world tour is none other than Iran. I have worked with multiple Iranian colleagues over the years, both in Sweden and in Canada. Through them, I have started to learn a bit about their cuisine and been exposed to interesting ingredients and, maybe most importantly, to their amazing fragrances.

Iranian cuisine

Iran lies in the Fertile Crescent where so many of our main foods, like wheat, barley, chickpeas, peas and lentils, were first domesticated ​[1]​. It’s varied climate, from central deserts and southern beaches to snow-capped mountain ranges in the north gives Iran plenty of opportunity for diverse agriculture. Through the country’s ancient history, the people in the region have invaded neighbours and been invaded in turn, spreading their culture and cuisine and receiving a large influx as well. Their location along the old trade routes between the West – Middle East and Far East have further helped mix the cuisine. In the Persian food vocabulary you will likely find many familiar words, not in the least from India and Pakistan, such as samosa, kofta, pulao/pilaf and kebab.

Iranian or Persian cuisine uses a lot of herbs, nuts and fruits, such as dill, parsley, cilantro, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, pomegranate, raisins, lime and barberries ​[2]–[6]​. Vegetables are plentiful and include tomatoes, eggplant, onion, potatoes and spinach. Rice is a cornerstone of the cuisine and is served in a variety of way, such as mixed with dried dill and fava beans or the beautiful jewelled rice stained yellow with saffron and adorned with green pistachios and bright red pomegranate seeds. A large range of flat breads constitute another important carbohydrate source.

For our visit to the Persian kitchen, I have chosen to prepare ghormeh sabzi (fried vegetables) and serve it with tahdig (crispy rice) and shirazi (cucumber/tomato salad). I also tried pickling some garlic (torshi seer) but 5 weeks in vinegar was not enough. I will have to return to the garlic in another few weeks to check on it.

Ghormeh sabzi

Ghormeh sabzi is a wonderfully fragrant stew of kidney beans and fried herbs whose aroma fills the entire lunchroom if someone brings it to work. This vegan version omits the traditional stewing meat ​[7]–[9]​ and increases the amount of kidney beans. Most vegan versions just omit meat ​[10]–[12]​ but some suggest substituting the lamb for walnuts ​[13]​ or mushrooms ​[14]​. I think bittersweet walnuts might go well with the bitterness of the black limes but I have my doubts about mushrooms in this dish.

Cook this dish on a weekend day and serve it with tahdig or some other Persian rice dish of your choosing. Create some fresh contrast with a simple shirazi salad – just chop and mix tomato, cucumber, red onion, mint and season with olive oil and lime juice.

Interesting ingredients

The recipe for ghormeh sabzi calls for two ingredients I have yet to use in other dishes: fresh fenugreek leaves and black lime. These are two key ingredients that make the entire dish. The fresh fenugreek creates a beautiful aroma and a very distinct, slightly bitter flavour. If you can’t find it, you can substitute for some other green thing (like spinach) to make the physical bulk of the dish and increase the amount of dried fenugreek leaves at the end of the cooking period.

The black limes are limes which have been dried in the sun, changing their colour. They contribute a very strong citrus peel flavour and slight bitterness to the dish. In the past, I have subbed them for lime zest. It works (use ~2 limes and some of their juice) but it is not quite the same. Alternatively, you can try to find another dried bitter citrus fruit such as bitter oranges. You usually don’t eat the limes but I found it very tasty to cut of and eat small pieces for that extra bitter kick. As an unexpected bonus, the limes get filled with extra tasty ghormeh sabzi.

Conclusion

Though this was not the first time I made this dish, it was by far the best version. Here I spent the time to cook the kidney beans from scratch and send my wife to the spice store to pick up black limes. This dish is something we will continue to make when we have the time.

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Ghormeh sabzi

Ghormeh sabsi (fried herbs) is a fragrant Persian herb stew with fenugreek, dried limes and kidney beans. This vegan version omits the traditional lamb.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Middle Eastern, Persian

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Soak time 8 hours hours

Total Time 10 hours hours

Servings 6

Author Henrik Persson | veganphysicist.com

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup kidney beans (dried) soaked 8+ h
• 1 bunch fenugreek
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 4 scallions
• 4 black limes sundried limes
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp fenugreek
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt

Instructions

• Wash and chop the herbs and scallions. I only use the leaves and thins tems. Save the larger stems for making stock. Chop by hand, don't pure in a blender/food processor. Takes time but is worth it.
• Heat oil in a larg pot. Fry the herbs fand scallions for 10+ min. Should wilt, loose a lot of water and become fragrant.

  Set aside in a bowl.
• In same pot, brown the onion on medium heat.
• Poke holes in the limes using a skewer or tooth pick. See note below.
• Add garlic, tumeric, (strained) beans, limes and salt to the pot. Cover with water (I boil water in a kettle and add it hot).
• Add the herbs. Stir.
• Let simmer for 90+ min, until the beans are done.
• Adjust taste with fenugreek powder.

Notes

Making holes in limes: Many recipes call for poking holes in the limes but since they are added so early in this recipe, I don’t think it is necessary (and it was hard to do witha toothpick). (Though I have not tried including them without holes.)

For a shortcut, you can use canned kidney beans but boiling your own in the stew imparts the herb flavour on the beans. Besides, letting the stew boil this long helps devleop its flavour.