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Khoresh mast
Khoresh mast (خورش ماست): Isfahan's chilled saffron yogurt with shredded lamb
Khoresh mast is one of the strangest and most loved dishes of Isfahan: despite the name 'yogurt stew', it is served cold as a sweet side dish or dessert at weddings, funerals and Ramadan iftars. Lamb neck is cooked until it shreds into fine threads, then stirred into thick yogurt with egg yolk, sugar, saffron and orange-peel strips over a low heat until it sets into a golden, spoonable pudding that tastes of saffron and rosewater with a faint savoury depth. A common mistake is letting the yogurt boil; it splits into curds, so keep it below a simmer and stir constantly. Chef's tip: pound the cooked meat in a mortar until it is as fine as wool; you should feel the texture but not see pieces of meat.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the meat
For the yogurt
To decorate
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (5)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Simmer 9 oz lamb neck fillet with 1 small onion, ¼ tsp salt and 3 ¼ cups water, covered, for 1 hour 30 minutes until it falls apart at a touch and reaches well above 160°F. Discard the onion and cool the meat in its liquid.
90 minStep 2: Drain the meat and pound it in a mortar or pulse in a food processor, then pull it apart with two forks into the finest threads you can. Squeeze out any liquid.
15 minStep 3: Whisk 2 ¼ lb full-fat thick yogurt and 2 egg yolks smoothly in a heavy-based pan. Set over a low heat and stir constantly in one direction for 15 minutes until warm and just starting to steam; don't let it bubble.
15 minStep 4: Stir in the meat, 6 ½ oz sugar, ½ tsp ground saffron and 3 tbsp candied orange peel strips. Keep stirring over the lowest heat for 25–30 minutes until the mixture thickens to a heavy custard that holds a trail.
30 minStep 5: Take off the heat and stir in 2 tbsp rosewater. Pour into a serving bowl or small dishes and leave to cool, then chill for at least 3 hours until set.
5 minStep 6: Decorate with 2 tbsp slivered pistachios, 2 tbsp slivered almonds and a dusting of ½ tsp ground cinnamon in a pattern just before serving. Keeps 3 days in the fridge.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khoresh mast take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of small onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of full-fat thick yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
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