Description
Gormeh Sabzi is an aromatic stew full of fresh herbs, lime, lamb, and finished with saffron and rose water. Hearty and packed with intense flavor, this stew is excellent for one-dish dinners. Gluten Free, Dairy Free.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup kidney beans, dried, or 1 cup cooked (optional)
- 2 lbs bone-in lamb shank or 1 ½ lbs leg of lamb
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cups (1 bunch including stems) Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 2 cups (1 bunch including stems) cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 cup green onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tbspn dried fenugreek leaves (do not substitute for seeds)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 3 cups hot water or broth of choice, divided
- 6 dried limon omani (dried Persian limes)
- ¼ Cup lime juice (juice from 1 lime)
- 1 Tbsp rose water
- ¼ tsp saffron threads, ground
- ½ tsp pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tsp Sea Salt
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
1. Soak Kidney Beans. If you know you’ll be making the dish in advance, soak the 1/4 cup kidney beans overnight in 1 ½ cups of water. If you’re planning on making the dish the same day, simply pour 1 ½ cups boiling water over the kidney beans, cover and set aside for 1 hour. Alternatively, you may use 1 cup pre-cooked kidney beans, strained and rinsed.
2. Preheat Oven. Preheat oven to 300°F.
3. Chop. You do not need a food processor for this recipe, but if you hate chopping, simply process the 2 cups parsley, 2 cups cilantro, and 1 cup green onion. Use all parts of the herbs, stem and all. I use a chef’s knife for chopping and it works great. In fact, I like the more rustic look it gives to the dish versus the uniformity of the processor versions. Just be sure to chop the stems as finely as possible since if they are left too long and can give an unpleasant texture.
4. Sauté Onions and Sear Lamb. Heat a large dry pot on medium for 2 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil and sauté 1 chopped onion until browned while searing the lamb on all sides. This takes about 2-3 minutes per side if using a 2 lb lamb shank, about 10 minutes. Remove the lamb from the pot and set aside.
5. Sauté Herbs Until Fragrant. Add the herbs (2 c parsley, 2 c cilantro, 1 c green onion, and 2 Tbsp fenugreek) to onion pot and sauté them for 10-20 minutes. You will know they are ready when your home is filled with the smell of fried herbs. It’s delicious. Another indicator is that the pan will be lacking in moisture and begin to brown the bottom of the pan.
6. Add seasoning. Once your herbs are fragrant and fairly dry, it’s time to add the 1 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp sea salt, and 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper. Stir and sauté an additional 2 minutes.
7. Drain and the Kidney beans. Drain your soaked kidney beans, rinse, and add to pan.
8. Add Seared Lamb. Add the seared lamb including any juices to the pot. Nestle the lamb into the center of the pot with the rest of the ingredients surrounding it.
9. Add liquid. Add 2 cups of water or broth of choice. Cover pot and simmer for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until the beans are soft. NOTE: If using pre-cooked kidney beans, add only 1 cup of water or broth. The beans are already soft therefore, do not simmer for 1 hour. The limon omani and lime juice may be added immediately if using pre-cooked beans.
10. Pierce Limon Omani. Place a dried lime on the cutting board and using a claw grip with your hand (see image in main post), hold the lime while sliding the knife under your hand to pierce, then rotate the lime 90 degrees and make a perpendicular cut. Be careful as they can slip from the pressure of your knife. If one is super wobbly, place it on a kitchen towel to keep it steady. Do this for all 6 dried limes.
11. Rehydrate Limon Omani. In a small pot, add the 6 pierced dried limes and cover with 1 cup of water or broth of choice. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to low. The water will only cover the limes about halfway so stir occasionally and be sure to cover. This takes 5-10 minutes but you can keep them in the pot covered until the main pot is ready. This softens them and starts the flavor extraction.
12. Add Limon Omani including the liquid, and Lime Juice. Do not proceed to this step until the kidney beans are soft (if using pre-cooked beans, this is not a concern). Add the 6 limon omani including the liquid, and 1/4 cup lime juice. If you add the liquid too early, the acidity will make the beans tough. Take a wooden spoon and apply some pressure on the dried limes to release their juices. Stir.
13. Transfer to oven. Cover pot and place in oven at 300°F for 2 ½ hours, flipping the lamb and stirring about halfway into the cook time.
14. Grind Saffron. Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind ¼ tsp saffron to a powder.
15. Add Saffron and Rose Water. Add the 1 Tbsp rose water to the ¼ tsp saffron powder to combine. Add this liquid to the pan. Cook uncovered on the stove for an additional 10-20 minutes or until it reaches your desired consistency.
Notes
You may need to add a little more lime juice at the end. The consistency should be a slightly watery stew. If it’s the consistency of soup, cook it uncovered longer. If it’s too thick and starting to dry, add a little water.
Most people do not eat the dried limes in this dish. I love them, but even my Persian husband avoids them. They are meant to flavor the stew. I say, try them before you avoid
Look in the main post for tips for finding uncommon ingredients such as the dried limes and rose water as well as videos on piercing the limes and grinding the saffron with the rose water.
I have a vegan version of this recipe which is a delicious meat-free alternative. Check it out.
As always, make this dish your own and tell me what you created in the comments section.
Keywords: gormeh sabzi, vegan gormeh sabzi, persian, stew, herbed stew, slow food
