Vegetarian Persian Ghormeh Sabzi
Ingredients
- 6 bunches parsley
- 6 bunches green onion/leek
- 2 cans kidney beans
- 6 dried limes (Limun ommani; available at Persian/Mediterranean food market)
- 1/2 cup rehydrated dried fenugreek leaves
- olive oil
- vegetable stock (about a cup or two)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Wash and chop fine the parsley and green onion. (A food processor is the best if you have one available). Add olive oil to a large cooking pot, enough to cover the bottom with about 1/2 inch (1 cm) of oil. On medium-high heat, "fry" the wet parsley, green onion/leek and fenugreek. The mixture should be done when it turns from bright green to a dark green (maybe about 10-15 minutes). Turn stove to low heat, and add the vegetable stock. Add the kidney beans and the dried limes (but first poke little holes in them; they are small, brown and hard, and they won't impart the stew with a delicious, lemony flavor unless you punch a hole in them). Add about a teaspoon each of salt and pepper (but you can put in more or less depending on your taste. Simmer for about 2-3 hours. Assuming you keep on adding liquid to the stew (water), you really can't cook it too much. Cook down to a minimum of water, but be careful not to burn. The stew should not be watery, and should somewhat resemble the consistency of creamed spinach. Let it cool and store in refrigerator at least one day. For some reason, ghormeh sabzi does NOT taste good the first day and tastes better each time you reheat it. Ask any Persian person this and they will tell you it is the truth! Serve warm over Basmati rice with saffron.
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