Ash-e-reshteh
Classed as a soup of sorts by Persians, this is rich and packed full of herbs and pulses, along with noodles called reshteh, meaning ‘strands’. These can be tricky to find, so I tend to use spaghetti. Kashk (or whey) is the traditional accompaniment, but if you can’t find it, use labneh or Greek yogurt.
SERVES 6-8
⚫ Olive oil
⚫ 2 large onions, finely chopped
⚫ 3tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
⚫ 1tsp ground turmeric
⚫ 100g coriander, chopped
⚫ 100g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
⚫ 250g baby spinach leaves
⚫ 2tbsp plain flour
⚫ 400g can chickpeas
⚫ 400g can green lentils
⚫ 400g can kidney beans
⚫ 400g can borlotti or cannellini beans
⚫ 100g spaghetti TO SERVE
⚫ 2tbsp dried mint
⚫ 2tbsp olive oil
⚫ Shop-bought crispy fried onions
⚫ Kashk (whey), labneh or Greek yogurt, optional
1 Heat a very large pan over mediumhigh heat and, once hot, drizzle in some oil, add the onions and stir-fry until translucent and beginning to turn golden around the edges. Stir in the fenugreek and turmeric with the coriander and parsley and cook until the fresh herbs are completely wilted, without any browning (they need to lose their vibrant green colour and look like well-cooked spinach). Add the spinach leaves and a generous amount of salt and cook for 10-15min until the spinach is well cooked and has reduced.
2 Add the flour and stir thoroughly to avoid clumping, then add a very generous amount of salt and pepper and all the pulses and their brine. Pour in enough boiling water to cover the contents of the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 45min, stirring very carefully now and then (so as not to break down the pulses) and keeping an eye on the liquid volume to ensure that it doesn’t dry out or stick on the bottom. If it looks like the water is evaporating too quickly, reduce the heat or cover the pan with a lid to preserve the liquid, but bear in mind that you want it to be thick and hearty rather than watery.
3 Check seasoning and adjust accordingly, then add the spaghetti, stir gently and cook for 10min. Stir again and cook for another 30min.
4 Meanwhile, place a small pan over medium heat, add the dried mint and olive oil and heat the mint for a few min, without letting it burn. Remove pan from heat.
5 To serve, sprinkle over the crispy fried onions and add a spoonful of whey, labneh or yogurt if you wish. Finally, drizzle the mint oil over the top. This needs no accompaniment.