Ash-e reshte

Votes: 1

Time: 11 hours 20 minutes
Complexity: easily
Servings: 4 - 6

Nutritional value per serving:

Calories 589, total fat 28 G., saturated fats 5 G., proteins 23 G., carbohydrates 64 G., fiber 9 G., cholesterol 40 mg, sodium 860 mg, sugar 12 G.

This classic Persian herb and noodle soup is traditionally served on the 13th day of the New Year, a time when Iranians typically enjoy picnics with friends and family. But beyond holidays, this hearty, warming dish is a lifesaver when it's chilly outside. This thick soup with spinach, cilantro, and parsley is filled with chickpeas, pinto beans, and lentils (the beans are usually cooked in advance). Ash-e reshteh is typically served with qurut (sour yogurt), but it takes a while to prepare, so plan ahead. Moreover, qurut can be frozen. You can use store-bought qurut instead of homemade, or simply add salted sour cream. If you can't find reshteh noodles, substitute linguine.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

Soup

0.5 cups dry chickpeas, sorted and rinsed
0.5 cups dry pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
5 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon turmeric
0.5 cups green lentils, sorted and rinsed
340 g chopped spinach
1 cup fresh parsley, leaves and tender stems chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems chopped
2 tablespoons dried mint
170 g Iranian reshte noodles
1 tbsp. premium flour (if the soup needs to be thickened)
Special equipment: a bag for making cottage cheese (if you are making kurut)

For serving

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon turmeric
8 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup dried mint
Kurut, see recipe below, or salted sour cream

Kurut

900 g of whole milk yogurt

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

We recommend

Recipes with similar ingredients: chickpeas, pinto beans, lentils, spinach, mint, cilantro, yogurt, turmeric

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

Place the chickpeas and pinto beans in separate medium bowls, cover with cold water to a depth of 2 inches, and soak for 8 hours. Once the chickpeas and beans have plumped up, drain and transfer to separate 2-quart (2-liter) saucepans, cover with cold water to a depth of 3 inches, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat and simmer until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour, then drain. If the water drops below the level of the beans before they're fully cooked, add more.

When the chickpeas and beans are almost done, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to darken and soften, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add 0.5 teaspoon of turmeric and 2 teaspoons of salt and stir to coat evenly.
Add cooked chickpeas, beans, and 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add lentils, spinach, parsley, and cilantro, then simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric, and the dried mint to a small skillet. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mint begins to sizzle, about 5 minutes.
When the lentils are done, add the mint mixture and strain it into the pan. Stir and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender but not mushy, 15-20 minutes. The soup should be thick, similar to chili (see note). If it's too thick, add 1/2 cup water and simmer for another 5 minutes.
If the finished soup looks watery, mix 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour with 1/3 cup water, then stir into the soup and simmer until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
Innings:

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add 0.5 teaspoon of turmeric and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 2 minutes. Set the onion aside.

In another small skillet, heat another 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Set the garlic aside.

Combine the dried mint, the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric in a small skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the mint begins to sizzle and become fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set the mint aside.
Pour the soup into a large tureen or ladle into bowls. Garnish with kurut, fried onions, garlic, and mint, if desired.
Kurut:

Place the yogurt in a large saucepan and add 2 cups of water. Stir until smooth. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until the yogurt comes to a boil, 15-20 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the yogurt is quite thick and begins to bubble slightly, about 1.5 hours. The yogurt will separate and most of the water will have evaporated. Increase heat to medium and stir constantly until the mixture is quite thick and lumpy and the color is light beige, 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
Pour the mixture into a curd bag and squeeze out as much liquid as possible; the bag should be left with dry curd. Place the mixture in a blender, add 0.5 cups of water, and blend on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. If necessary, add another 1 tablespoon of water to achieve a smooth, mayonnaise-like consistency. Add 3/4 teaspoon of salt and mix. The kurut should taste slightly salty and sour. Add more salt if necessary.
Exit: about 2 tbsp.
Culinary advice

Kurut can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Stir before using. You can also freeze kurut for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator. Stir before using.

Author of the recipe - Shadi Hasanzadenemati is a food writer, photographer, and recipe developer.

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