Ash Reshteh (Persian noodle and herb soup)

Name: Ash Reshteh (Persian noodle and herb soup)
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 100 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight; 100 g dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight; 100 g green or brown lentils; 2.5 litres of water; 2 large onions, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp turmeric; 150 g parsley, chopped; 150 g fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped; 150 g spring onions, chopped; 200 g fresh spinach, chopped; 50 g fresh dill, chopped (or 2 tbsp dried); 150 g Persian reshteh noodles (or thin spaghetti, broken); 1½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper; To garnish: 100 ml kashk (or thick yogurt with a squeeze of lemon); To garnish: 1 onion, thinly sliced and fried until browned; To garnish: 2 tbsp dried mint fried briefly in 2 tbsp oil with a pinch of turmeric

InternationalIranian150 minServes 6

Ash reshteh is a thick Iranian soup of green herbs and pulses (chickpeas, kidney beans and lentils) with “reshteh” noodle strands, garnished with kashk, fried onion and dried mint fried in oil. In Iranian culture it is linked to the new year, Nowruz, and to winter feasts. It is said that the noodle strands symbolise the intertwining paths of life and that eating them brings good fortune, and it is also told that it is cooked when someone is about to set off on a journey.

Origin of the dish: Iran

Ingredients for Ash Reshteh

100 gdried chickpeas, soaked overnight
100 gdried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
100 ggreen or brown lentils
2.5 litresof water
2large onions, finely chopped
4garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbspvegetable oil
1 tspturmeric
150 gparsley, chopped
150 gfresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
150 gspring onions, chopped
200 gfresh spinach, chopped
50 gfresh dill, chopped (or 2 tbsp dried)
150 gPersian reshteh noodles (or thin spaghetti, broken)
1½ tspsalt and ½ tsp black pepper
To garnish100 ml kashk (or thick yogurt with a squeeze of lemon)
To garnish1 onion, thinly sliced and fried until browned
To garnish2 tbsp dried mint fried briefly in 2 tbsp oil with a pinch of turmeric

Method

Soak the chickpeas and kidney beans overnight and drain.
Heat the oil in a large pot and cook half of the chopped onion until soft, then add the garlic and turmeric and stir for a minute.
Add the chickpeas, beans and water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook for 1 hour.
Add the lentils and cook for 20 minutes, then add the parsley, coriander, spring onions, spinach, dill, salt and pepper and cook for 20 to 30 minutes until the herbs are cooked down and the pulses are tender.
Add the noodles (or broken spaghetti) and stir constantly for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked, adding hot water if the soup gets too thick.
Fry the remaining onion in oil until golden brown. In a small pan fry the dried mint in 2 tbsp oil with a pinch of turmeric for only 20 seconds until fragrant.
Serve the soup hot in deep bowls, drizzled with the kashk (or yogurt), the fried onion and the mint oil.

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