Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew)

Ingredients

• 4 Tbs (55g) olive oil, divided
• 1 large (200g) onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp (2g) ground turmeric
• 1 1/2 lb (680g) beef chuck or lamb stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 cups (950g) water
• 4 (15g) dried limes (limoo amani)
• 2 bunches (200g) flat-leaf parsley
• 1 bunch (100g) cilantro
• 1 bunch (100g) green onions or chives
• 2 Tbs (4g) dried fenugreek leaves
• 1 can (15 oz / 240g drained) low-sodium kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 tsp (6g) salt
• 1/2 tsp (1g) black pepper
• 1/2 (25g) lemon, juiced (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 Tbs oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 8-10 minutes, until golden. Stir in the turmeric, add the meat, and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
2. Pierce each dried lime a few times with a fork or knife tip and soak in hot water for 10 minutes. Add the limes, the 4 cups of water, salt, and pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 1 hour.
3. While the meat simmers, wash and thoroughly dry the parsley, cilantro, and green onions, then chop them very finely.
4. Heat the remaining 2 Tbs oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped herbs and fry, stirring often, for 15-20 minutes, until they shrink down and turn a deep, dark green. Don’t let them burn. Add the fenugreek for the last 2 minutes only, since it burns quickly and turns bitter.
5. Add the fried herbs and kidney beans to the pot. Cover and simmer on low for 1 1/2 hours more, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender and a thin layer of oil rises to the top.
6. Press the limes against the side of the pot with a spoon to release their juice. Taste and add lemon juice or salt if needed. Remove the limes before serving if you like, since biting into one is very sour and a little bitter.

Notes

• Why it’s diabetes-friendly: The sauce is almost entirely herbs, and the kidney beans add fiber and plant protein that slow down how fast the carbs hit. Nutrition is for the stew alone.
• Instead of rice: Serve it over cauliflower rice, or have a small portion of regular rice after you’ve eaten some of the stew. Eating the protein first helps.
• Finding ingredients: Dried limes are sold in Middle Eastern groceries and online. Dried fenugreek leaves are sold as kasuri methi in Indian groceries. Many Persian markets also sell bags of pre-chopped and fried ghormeh sabzi herbs, which saves a lot of chopping.
• Like most khoresh, it’s better on the second day. Keeps 5 days in the fridge and freezes for 3 months.