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Khoresh-e lubia sabz
Green bean and beef stew
خورش لوبیا سبز (khoresh-e lubia sabz): green beans and beef braised with tomato and cinnamon
Green bean khoresh is the stew Iranian children ask for, cooked in homes from Mashhad to Shiraz through the summer when beans are cheap; Tehran cooks often add a pinch of cinnamon that makes the tomato sauce taste rounder. Beef or lamb simmers until soft, the beans are fried briefly and then cooked in the sauce until tender but still green. Serve it with chelow and a spoon of tahdig on the side. The mistake to avoid is cutting the beans too fine, which turns the stew into mush; 3 cm pieces keep their bite. Chef's tip: fry the beans in a little oil for 5 minutes before they go into the pot, so they keep their colour and taste nutty.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb stewing beef or lamb shouldercut into 2.5 cm cubes
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 ripe tomatoeschopped
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 ⅛ lb green beanstopped and cut into 3 cm pieces
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp saffron threads (optional)ground and steeped in 2 tbsp hot water
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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 stewing beef or lamb shoulder with 1 tsp ground turmeric, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon and ½ tsp black pepper and stir until the meat is browned on all sides.
6 minStep 3: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes until it darkens.
3 minStep 4: Add 3 ripe tomatoes, 2 ½ cups water and 1 ½ tsp salt, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently until the meat is nearly tender.
50 minStep 5: In a frying pan, heat the rest of 2 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium-high heat and fry 1 ⅛ lb green beans for 5 minutes, until bright green with a few brown spots.
5 minStep 6: Add the beans to the pot with ¼ tsp saffron threads, cover and simmer until the beans are tender and the meat breaks easily with a spoon. Uncover for the last 10 minutes if the sauce is thin; it should be thick, not soupy.
25 minStep 7: Taste for salt and serve hot with steamed rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khoresh-e lubia sabz take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 80 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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