AI-generated image
Khoresh-e kangar
Cardoon and lamb stew
خورش کنگر (khoresh-e kangar): Alborz spring stew of cardoon stems, lamb and herbs
Kangar, a wild thistle, is gathered in the Alborz foothills above Tehran in April and May, and khoresh-e kangar is the stew people make with it in those few weeks; outside Iran, cardoons or artichoke stems stand in well. The peeled stems are fried, then simmered with lamb, mint, parsley and lemon until tender, giving a green, faintly bitter stew that tastes like artichoke. Serve it with chelow. The common mistake is skipping the peeling and the soak: the stringy outer skin stays tough and the cut stems blacken. Chef's tip: soak the cut stems in water with lemon juice for 30 minutes, which keeps them pale and pulls out much of the bitterness.
- Total time
- 140 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb lamb shouldercut into 3 cm cubes
- 2 onionsfinely sliced
- 5 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 cups water
- 1 ⅛ lb kangar, cardoon stems or artichoke stemsstrings peeled off, cut into 5 cm pieces
- 2 tbsp lemon juicefor the soaking water
- 2 ⅛ oz flat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped
- 1 oz fresh mintfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juiceto finish
- 1 ½ tsp salt
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (5)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Drop 1 ⅛ lb kangar, cardoon stems or artichoke stems into a bowl of cold water mixed with 2 tbsp lemon juice as you cut it and leave for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
30 minStep 2: Heat 2 tablespoons of 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat and fry 2 onions until golden.
12 minStep 3: Add 1 ⅛ lb lamb shoulder, 1 tsp ground turmeric and ½ tsp black pepper and brown the meat all over.
6 minStep 4: Add 3 cups water and 1 ½ tsp salt, bring to the boil, skim, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
45 minStep 5: Heat the rest of 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the stems until lightly golden. Add 2 ⅛ oz flat-leaf parsley and 1 oz fresh mint for the last 3 minutes, frying until they darken.
10 minStep 6: Add the stems and herbs to the pot, cover and simmer gently until the stems are tender all the way through and the lamb falls apart.
35 minStep 7: Stir in 2 tbsp lemon juice, taste for salt and serve hot with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- Protein
- 29 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khoresh-e kangar take?
- About 140 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 100 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).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Sayur lodehVegetables in coconut milk
Sayur lodeh is everyday cooking in Central Java, made in big pots in Solo and Semarang kitchens and ladled over rice, with lontong rice cakes at Lebaran, or alongside opor and sambal goreng on festive tables. It's soupy rather than thick: a fragrant broth of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass and lime leaf that carries chunks of aubergine, long beans, chayote and sweetcorn, plus tempeh and tofu to make it a meal. The flavour is mellow and slightly sweet, so the heat comes from sambal on the side. Chef's tip: keep the pot at a gentle simmer once the coconut milk goes in and stir now and then — a rolling boil splits the coconut milk into oily curds.
Indonesian
Chana masala
A North Indian staple that comes together from the store cupboard. Toasted cumin, slow-softened onion and a good spoonful of garam masala give tinned chickpeas real depth. Serve with rice, naan or a stack of warm rotis.
Indian
Bagara bainganBaby aubergines in peanut sesame sauce
Bagara baingan is a Hyderabadi wedding dish of small aubergines cooked whole in a dark, tangy gravy of roasted peanuts, sesame, dried coconut and tamarind. Unlike a Gujarati stuffed brinjal, the aubergines here are only quartered at the base and fried until silky, then left to soak up a thin-but-rich sauce that is finished with a tempering, the 'baghar' that gives the dish its name. It's sour, nutty and gently spiced, and is served with biryani, bagara rice or plain rice. Chef's tip: choose small, glossy purple aubergines that feel heavy for their size; soft, light ones are full of seeds and turn mushy before the gravy has a chance to cling.