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Khoresh Karafs (Persian Celery and Herb Stew)

Tender beef slowly simmered with celery, parsley, and mint, finished with lemon. A bright, tangy stew made almost entirely from non-starchy vegetables.

Prep: 25 min Cook: 2 hr Total: 2 hr 25 min Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbs (40g) 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
  • 3 cups (710g) water
  • 1 bunch (500g) celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 bunches (120g) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (30g) fresh mint, finely chopped, or 2 Tbs dried mint
  • 1/4 tsp (0.2g) saffron threads, ground and steeped in 2 Tbs hot water
  • 1-2 (45-90g) lemons, juiced
  • 1 tsp (6g) salt
  • 1/2 tsp (1g) black pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat 2 Tbs oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, until golden.
  2. Stir in the turmeric, then add the meat. Cook for 5 minutes, turning, until browned on all sides.
  3. Add the water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 1 hour.
  4. While the meat simmers, heat the remaining 1 Tbs oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the celery for 8-10 minutes, until it starts to soften and brown at the edges. Add the parsley and mint and cook for another 5 minutes, until the herbs darken and smell fragrant.
  5. Add the celery, herbs, and saffron water to the pot. Cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes more, until the meat is very tender and the celery is soft.
  6. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon, simmer 10 minutes, then taste. Add more lemon and salt as needed. It should taste distinctly tangy.

Notes

  • Why it’s diabetes-friendly: Apart from the meat, it’s almost all celery and herbs, so a full bowl stays around 8g of carbs. The broth is thin and tangy, without the flour or sugar many stews use for body.
  • Instead of rice: Khoresh is normally served over rice. It’s just as good over cauliflower rice, with a slice of Kuku Sabzi, or simply in a bowl like soup.
  • Sour grapes: For a more traditional sourness, use 2-3 Tbs of verjuice (ab-ghooreh) or a handful of unripe sour grapes in place of some of the lemon. Both are sold in Middle Eastern groceries.
  • It tastes even better the next day. Keeps 5 days in the fridge and freezes well.