Iran Press/ Iran News: The soup, served during the festivities leading up to Nowruz, the Persian New Year, wouldn’t be the same without the soup noodles called reshteh, which are saltier and starchier than Italian noodles — though you could substitute linguine in a pinch.
Kashk, a form of drained yogurt or whey, is saltier and more sour than Greek yogurt or sour cream. More like feta than yogurt, liquid kashk gives ash its distinct, satisfying flavor. If you can’t find liquid kashk, buy it powdered and hydrate it with warm water to ensure sour cream consistency. Look for both items at a Middle Eastern grocery.
Yield: serves 6-8
Ingredients
1⁄2 cup canola oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1⁄2 cup each dried kidney and cannellini beans, chickpeas, soaked overnight, drained
1 1⁄2 tbsp. ground turmeric
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 cups chopped spinach
1 cup chopped parsley
1⁄2 cup brown lentils
1 bunch chives, finely chopped
2 cups reshteh or dried linguini
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. dried mint
1⁄4 cup powdered whey (optional; see recipe, mixed with 4 tbs. water)
Instructions
Heat 1⁄4 cup oil in an 8-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, and cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Transfer half the onions to a bowl; set aside for garnish. Add all beans, turmeric, and salt and pepper to onions in pan; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add 12 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until beans are barely tender, about 50 minutes. Add spinach, parsley, lentils, and chives; cook for 20 minutes. Add noodles, and cook until noodles and beans are tender, about 12 minutes more.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook until lightly browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Return skillet to heat and add mint; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls; top with reserved caramelized onions and garlic chips, then drizzle with the mint oil and whey.
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Read More:
Here is the recipe for delicious Iranian food, ‘Tahcheen-e Morgh.’
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