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Khoresh-e aloo esfenaj
Lamb, spinach and plum stew
خورش آلو اسفناج (khoresh-e aloo esfenaj): lamb, spinach, golden plums and split peas
In Tehran and along the Caspian, khoresh-e aloo esfenaj is a cold-weather dish, made when winter spinach is sweet and dried golden plums (aloo zard) hang in the bazaar. Lamb, yellow split peas and a mountain of wilted spinach cook down into a dark green stew that is sour first, then sweet, with soft plums melting through it. Serve it with plenty of chelow. People often add the plums at the start, but they dissolve and the stew turns muddy; they go in for the last half hour. Chef's tip: fry the spinach in a dry pan until all its water is gone before it meets the sauce, so the stew stays rich rather than watery.
- Total time
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb lamb shoulder or neck filletcut into 3 cm pieces
- 2 onionsfinely sliced
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 ⅞ oz yellow split peasrinsed and soaked for 1 hour
- 3 ¾ cups water
- 1 ½ lb fresh spinachwashed and roughly chopped
- 5 ½ oz dried golden plums (aloo zard) or prunesstones in
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 ½ tsp salt
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat half of 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat and fry 2 onions until golden.
12 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb lamb shoulder or neck fillet, 1 tsp ground turmeric and ½ tsp black pepper and turn until browned all over.
6 minStep 3: Pour in 3 ¾ cups water, add 1 ½ tsp salt, bring to the boil and skim, then cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes.
45 minStep 4: Drain 2 ⅞ oz yellow split peas, add them to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes more, until the peas are soft but still whole.
30 minStep 5: Meanwhile wilt 1 ½ lb fresh spinach in a large dry pan over a medium-high heat, stirring, until all its liquid has evaporated. Add the rest of 2 tbsp sunflower oil and fry for 3 minutes more, until it darkens and smells nutty.
10 minStep 6: Stir the spinach and 5 ½ oz dried golden plums (aloo zard) or prunes into the stew. Simmer, covered, until the plums are plump and soft and the lamb falls apart under a spoon.
30 minStep 7: Stir in 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp sugar and taste: it should be clearly sour with a sweet finish. Simmer uncovered for a few minutes until thick, then serve with rice.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khoresh-e aloo esfenaj take?
- About 130 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 110 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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