Khoresht is a traditional Iranian stew made with meat, vegetables, and spices like saffron. It can take anywhere from an hour to a full day to prepare and is often served over white rice. The main ingredient can be anything, and each ingredient is cooked before being added to the stew liquid to develop a deeper taste and texture.
Khoresht is an Iranian word that literally means “to eat,” although it can be used in a culinary sense to mean foods that are cooked in a stew. There is actually no strict definition of what is included in khoresht, although it generally refers to traditional Iranian stews that reflect the cuisine of the area. Stews usually include meat, vegetables, and spices like saffron. Khoresht can take anywhere from an hour to a full day to prepare, depending on the ingredients and methods used to make it. When served, the stew is often poured over a plate of white rice known as polo.
While there are a great many different recipes for khoresht, many of the classic ones actually have a fairly substantial set of basic ingredients. These include onions, tomatoes or tomato paste, garlic and oil. A signature element in many Persian stews is dried lime. These are dehydrated limes that have been crushed into a powder and added to the dish like any other powdered spice, although fresh lime juice can also be used.
The main ingredient in khoresht can be just about anything, although some are more popular than others. The ghaimeh version uses split peas with lamb, while the bademjan consists of eggplant and sometimes meat. Baamieh is made from okra and beef and ghormeh sabzi uses lamb and beans. Other types use mushrooms, pomegranate seeds or veal and apricots. The combinations are as varied as the ingredients available.
Most khoresht starts with a frying pan covered in hot oil. The onions, garlic and all other aromatics are fried until they release their flavors into the oil. If meat is used, it is placed in the pan and browned. Any starchy components, such as potatoes, are added to the pan and cooked through. Lentils, split peas or beans are also added to cook for a moment if they are being used.
One factor that helps give Khoresht its distinctive rich flavor is that each of the ingredients is cooked before being added to the stew liquid. This allows each to develop a deeper taste and texture. This is also achieved through the use of spices such as mint, parsley and saffron, which impart unique flavours.
Once all the ingredients have heated up in a pan, water or another liquid is added and simmered for hours until some of the ingredients have melted into the stew. The thick stew can be served on its own in a bowl or topped with yogurt or hash browns. It is also commonly found spooned over white rice.
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