Celery stew (Khoresh Karafs) is another healthy and delicious Iranian dish. It's a combination of meat, evenly sliced celery, finely chopped parsley, a little bit of mint (preferably fresh), fresh squeezed lime juice and the right amount of seasoning. In my opinion, what makes Iranian food tasty, especially for most of the casseroles and stews (khoreshes), is the slow cooking process and the taking time to let the food simmer in order to bring out the flavors and as we say in Iran, (ja biofteh). Khoresh-e karafs like ghormeh sabzi and fesenjoon will be fully cooked in 1 1/2 to 2 hours. However, it is better to cook them on the lowest heat setting for an additional hour at least. Most of us Iranians agree that the next day khoresh leftovers usually taste better. So, you may want to plan ahead for your next meal and cook them in advance.

 

Ingredients:

Serves 4-6

 

1 pound meat (beef or lamb), washed and cut into cubes

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 head of celery, washed, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 bunches of Parsley, washed and finely chopped  or 2 cups dried parsley

1 bunch of mint, washed and finely chopped or 2-3 tablespoons dried mint

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Salt and pepper to taste

5-6 tablespoons vegetable oil divided in two parts (for frying onions and celery separately)

Water

 

Method:

 

In a large saucepan heat some oil. When hot, add onion and saute until transparent, add add turmeric and garlic, stir and saute for an additional 5-6 minutes. 

Place meat in the saucepan and brown on all sides. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Then add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook.

In a large frying pan saute the cut-up pieces of celery until they become soft and turn slightly brown on the outer edges, add chopped parsley and mint and saute a little more.

Add all the vegetables to the meat mixture; sprinkle some salt on the celery, check to see if there is enough water in the pot, add more water if needed, cover and cook on low heat for an hour and a half. 

Pour the lime juice over the stew towards the end of cooking and adjust the seasoning.

Ladle the stew into a  serving dish. Serve with rice and salad.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Recipe and photo by: Azita