Shared by Nilou and Chantal Ghalchi
Shared by Nilou and Chantal Ghalchi
Ash-e Anar (Persian Pomegranate Soup with Herbs and Meatballs)
Yield: 8 servingsTime: PT1H0M
Ash-e Anar (Persian Pomegranate Soup with Herbs and Meatballs)
Yield: 8 servingsTime: PT1H0MFamily Journey
TehranLos AngelesPort Washington, NY
Great Neck, NYBrooklyn
In Persian cooking, ash refers to a thick, hearty kind of soup which is typically grain, bean or noodle based, explains celebrated Iranian cookbook author Najmieh Batmanglij in her canonical work “Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies.” At the Ghalchi’s home on Long Island, ash-e anar reigns supreme. Made with voluminous amounts of finely chopped herbs, thickened with rice and studded with meatballs and chunks of beet, it’s a deeply comforting dish that’s a wintertime staple. “We like everything sour,” says Nilou Ghalchi — and sour it is: pomegranate juice and tamarind paste add delectable pucker, but feel free to reduce the tamarind.
Read more about Nilou Ghalchi’s family story in "Rebuilding a Lost Persian World in a Sun-Filled Long Island Kitchen" and get her recipes for karafs khoresht (Persian beef, celery and herb stew) and Persian Halva with Saffron and Rosewater.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- ½ cup extra long basmati rice
- 32 oz. pomegranate juice
- 32. oz water
- 1 small beet, peeled and chopped
- ¾ lb ground beef
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, very finely chopped
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, very finely chopped
- 1 bunch fresh chives, very finely chopped
- ½ bunch fresh mint, very finely chopped
- 10 oz. frozen, chopped spinach
- 2 ½ tablespoons dried dill
- 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the rice 3 times in cool water, until the water runs clear. Set aside. Add the pomegranate juice, water, and beet to a large pot over high heat. Add the rinsed rice and bring to a boil. Keep at a low boil for around 10 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, form the ground beef into small, tablespoon sized meatballs. Gently add them into the pot as the stew boils. Add the herbs, spinach and dried dill and mix to combine.
Step 3
Let the stew bubble over medium heat, around 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to low. Add the tamarind paste and stir to combine; the stew will turn dark. Season with the salt and pepper.
Step 4
Cover and cook on a light simmer for another 35-40 minutes, until the stew has thickened and the rice is cooked through. Serve hot.
