Khoresh Rivas – Rhubarb Stew

 

Khoresh is a genre of Persian food that is not merely a staple but also a quintessential pillar of Persian cooking. Widely translated as “stew”, Khoresh is certainly stew-like or stew-ish, but it is more elaborate, deliberate, and dare I say dignified than stew. Let’s put it this way: if Bill Clinton were khoresh, then his brother (Roger Clinton) would be stew! Same family, close relation, many things in common, but… big difference.

There are so very many different types of khoresh that initially Maman and I were flummoxed fixing on which one to choose as Fig & Quince‘s inaugural khoresh post.

Then we recalled that rhubarb is in season and it is so pretty …

 

… and that despite its antagonistic-sounding name of “rue” and “barb”, rhubarb is an appealing vegetable (or fruit, if you ask the U.S. Customs Court) full of tart-flavored lure…

 

…and that a “Khoresh rivas” or rhubarb stew is not good. It is amazing. Pieces of succulent rhubarb and tender meat in an aromatic herb-infused pool of tart and savory flavors. Delicious, sophisticated, inviting.

So … that’s we fixed on making:

Khoresh is always served with rice but due to technical difficulties, we lost the mouthwatering rice-and-khoresh pictures, so we’ll have to implore you to use your imagination and conjure this: a bed of fluffy rice, steaming fragrant with saffron and a hint of butter. Lean in close and take a good inhale. Why not, it’s nice! Now take a generous ladle or two of the rhubarb stew and pour over the rice. Make sure you get a good bit of juice and a few good pieces of rhubarb and meat. Now mix your rice and khoresh, and take a spoonful to eat. Pause mid-way in anticipation of that first (always best) taste. Linger over this mental image and enjoy.

This (tormenting) exercise reminds me of a saying in Farsi which goes: “vasf ol aish, nesf ol aish” which roughly translates to “talk of a pleasure is half of the pleasure.” I don’t know if I agree with the sentiment, and here’s the recipe so that you can savor all (instead of half) the pleasure of the incomparable Persian rhubarb stew.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 pound stewing meat (lamb, beef, or veal) washed and cut into 1-2 inch cubes
  • 1 medium or large onion (chopped or sliced)
  • 4 stalks of rhubarb
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon dried mint (or 3 sprigs of fresh mint, finely chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon grated garlic (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground saffron, dissolved in hot water (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
  • salt and cooking oil

Direction

  1. Heat 1 or more tablespoons of oil in a skillet and saute parsley and fresh mint over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. If you are using dried mint, first saute parsley and add the dried mint for the final minute. Set your parsley and mint mixture aside for now.
  2. Wash rhubarb stalks. Dry. Peel off the thin-germy-film of the outer-skin of stalks and remove strings. Cut stalks into 1 to 2 inch pieces. (A 1 inch piece is typical but Maman prefers it for aesthetic reasons and also because the larger-size prevents the rhubarb, which despite appearances is a rather delicate vegetable, from falling apart when it is cooked.) Set aside for now.
  3. In a big pot, heat oil till it sizzles. Add onions, sprinkle with salt (prevents onion from emitting liquid and getting soggy) and saute (avoid over-stirring) over medium heat until nicely golden and translucent. Add turmeric and pepper. Stir to mix.
  4. Add meat to the onion and saute over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until each piece of meat is browned on all sides. (Tip: if necessary, add more oil or 1-2 tablespoons of hot water to avoid burning it.) If you are using the grated ginger and garlic (optional but nice) add those half-way through this step of browning the meat.
  5. Add 2 1/2 cups of water to the pot, salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tenderly cooked. (Usually takes one hour, give or take, depending on the type of meat used.) Halfway through cooking the meat, add the parsley and mint mixture prepared earlier. Now is also the time to add the dissolved saffron – if you are availing yourself of this festive option. Stir gently to mix with the meat, cover, and continue to cook until the meat is done.
  6. Once the meat is cooked, add rhubarb, gently mix, and adjust seasoning. Partially cover pot with the lid ajar, and cook for another 15 minutes or until the rhubarb is done. (Rhubarb is delicate, as mentioned above, which is why it’s added at the last, stage of the game. Avoid over-cooking it so that it won’t fall apart.)
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste. If you so desire, and only if you must, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar, just enough to balance but not drown the tart flavor.

Serving

Pour into deep serving bowl and serve hot with rice. (If absolutely unavoidable, khoresh can be enjoyed with bread instead of rice. They even do this in Iran sometimes. OK, rarely, but it is not unheard of!)

Typically, each person gets 2 ladles to pour over and mix with their rice. Second helpings are inevitable and encouraged.

Make it, and enjoy it, and noosheh jaan!

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Comments (34)

  • johnnysenough hepburn 12 years ago Reply

    Never knew that about adding salt to onions. Good to know. I cooked rhubarb a while back with duck legs and it was sooo good. This sounds equally delicious. Will have to wait to try this another time. Hoping to cook your apricots as a warm salad tomorrow and stuffed Portabello mushrooms. Will let you know how it goes!

    johnnysenough hepburn 12 years ago Reply

    Portobello – whoops!

    azita 12 years ago Reply

    An old trick of my mother who picked it up from that old reliable cookbook of hers!

  • Beth 12 years ago Reply

    So cool! I’ve never used rhubarb in anything other than sweet applications, so I’m quite interested to try this. I bet it’s phenomenal with lamb. Thanks for the inspiration!

    azita 12 years ago Reply

    Beth, this is a classic Persian stew and it’s really delicious. If you like a bit (or more) of tart flavor with your savory. If you do make it let me know how it goes? Would love to hear!

  • Fae's Twist & Tango 12 years ago Reply

    My Maman loved this dish. Yummy!

  • Razak Malekan 12 years ago Reply

    I will try this recipe for sure.

    azita 12 years ago Reply

    Razak – if you do, let me know how it turns out!

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  • foodicity 11 years ago Reply

    thanks for finding my blog so I could discover yours – this looks FANTASTIC. Will make it soon, for sure!

    Fig & Quince 11 years ago Reply

    My mother made this batch so I feel free to say that is was unbelievably delicious! Wait till you see for yourself! 🙂

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  • tableofcolors 11 years ago Reply

    What an interesting dish! I’ve never had anything like this!

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  • Taffy (@TaffyDacks) 11 years ago Reply

    I got all excited to make this, and my grocery was out of rhubarb. I used this recipe as a starting point, though, and used beet stalks instead. It certainly won’t be as good as rhubarb, but it will be hearty.

    Fig & Quince 11 years ago Reply

    Interesting! I am curious to know how it turned out with beet stalks. Rhubarbs come out juicy and a have a meat-like texture.

    Thank you for letting me know TaffyDacks! & Noosh ‘eh jan!

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  • kitty 7 years ago Reply

    yum definitely want to try this when Rhubarb season arrives here in California!

    Fig & Quince 7 years ago Reply

    Hi there, please do! You won’t regret the effort. Also please do share pix with me once you make it, OK? Noosh’e jan in advance! 🙂

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