It is a desirable and unforgettable experience to taste and enjoy the sour flavor of dried lime, the unique odor of vegetables, and delicious meat in combination with Persian rice. This is one of the most delicious and mouthwatering foods that you can ever taste in your life and you will never forget its unique taste. This amazing meat and vegetable stew is very popular among Iranian people and it is also known as Ghormeh Sabzi. It is a food that cannot be described in words, you must just eat it and enjoy its unique taste.
Ghormeh Sabzi is a very nutritious food and contains D, C, B and vitamins, Calcium and magnesium. Ghormeh Sabzi can improve your appetite and reinforce the immune system. It absorbs B12 from parsley, which can improve the nervous system. Parsley contains essential oil, which can prevent tumor progression. It is also rich in iron, which can be useful to inhibit anemia. It is also a fairly high-calorie dish.
In order to prepare a very delicious Ghormeh Sabzi, you must be completely familiar with the recipe. You can easily prepare this delicious and popular Iranian traditional food by following a set of instructions which are required to cook this food. The right and exact combination of these ingredients will provide you with one of the most delectable foods you can taste in your life.
What are the basic ingredients of Ghormeh Sabzi?
1.Beans
There are many different kinds of beans including red beans, Roman beans, and red kidney beans that you can use to cook Ghormeh Sabzi although red beans are mainly preferable. You must first put beans in water to become completely wet for 2-3 hours and leave them dry before using. It is also possible to soak the beans the night before in order to prepare the Ghormeh Sabzi in a short time. It can also help the digestive system to easily digest it.
2.Vegetables
Fresh herbs and vegetables are one of the most essential ingredients of Ghormeh Sabzi. Besides onion which is an inseparable ingredient of Iranian cuisine, other common vegetables which are used in cooking Ghormeh Sabzi are parsley, chives, spinach, and Shanbalileh. The odor and taste that these vegetables add to this food are really unbelievable.
3.Meat
Meat has also an irreplaceable place in cooking all Iranian Khoreshts. The delectable and fine cubes of meat add a lot of taste and aroma to Ghormeh Sabzi. If the taste of the food is more important than health issues, you can also use some lamb bones which can give the Ghormeh Sabzi a stronger taste and fragrance. It is also possible to make use of beef rather than lamb to reduce the amount of fat and make it healthier. If you are a vegetarian and not interested in meat, you can make use of walnuts or mushrooms instead of meat.
4.Dried limes
Ghormeh Sabzi must be sour and acidic. In order to add a sour taste to this delicious food, you should make use of Limo Amani or dried lime which has a very wonderful flavor. Iranians add Limo Amani as a whole to the food and let the delicious and peerless taste of it transforms Ghormeh Sabzi gradually into one of the most delectable Iranian dishes. In addition to its amazing taste, dried lime can amazingly improve overall health. It is also possible to make use of lemon, or verjuice instead of Limo Amani.
5.Rice
Like most Iranian foods, Ghormeh Sabzi must be eaten with a plate of rice. It is a very delicate skill to cook Iranian rice! There are many different kinds of rice and each one of them has its own specific cooking instructions. You must carefully follow all of these instructions in order to cook a very delicious and soft rice which you can serve it along with the Koresh.
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The different stages to cook a delicious Ghormeh Sabzi
Stage1
If you have not put the beans in the water to become completely wet the previous night, it is a suitable time to soak them in water for at least 3 hours. Then you can wash and dry your vegetables, cut them into pieces delicately and fry your vegetables quickly with oil.
Stage2
You must select an appropriate pot and fry your onion, cubes of meat, and oil on medium heat. You should add salt and pepper and 4-5 cups of water to the meat, then it should boil for roughly ten minutes to have half-cooked meat.
Stage 3
You should wash the soaked beans and add them to the half-cooked meat, it should boil for extra 20 minutes. Then you can add the vegetables to the pot and let it boil for 3 or 4 hours. Finally, you should add one or two dried limes to the pot in the last hour. You should be careful not to add the dried lime in the initial stages since it may get crushed.
This is one of the methods of preparing Ghormeh Sabzi as this dish becomes a more delicious combination if cooked slowly and with lower heat.
How to cook a Ghormeh Sabzi for vegetarians?
Although meat is one of the most important ingredients for cooking Ghormeh Sabzi. To cook a Vegetarian or Vegan Ghormeh Sabzi you must make use of Walnuts instead of meat. The process of cooking and preparation is the same but whole walnuts take the place of meat. It is also possible to make use of various types of mushrooms rather than meat. It is also a good idea to cook the mushrooms first and then add them in the last step in order to not get too soft.