Ash Reshteh - Persian Bean Soup

  Greetings! I am so excited to once again be joining what was my absolute favorite group blogging group, Eat the World. I think it's been years, and I'm so excited to be back. This time, we are traveling to the far eastern country of Iran. I'm doing that with the delicious soup, Ash-e Reshteh. A vibrant mix of delicious broth, vibrant greens and herbs, and three types of beans. All topped with more onions, a mint oil, and a kashk, a local dairy product somewhat similar to yogurt but saltier and tangier. 

   This soup is traditionally eaten for the springtime holiday, Nowruz. The name "Nowruz" means new day, and is celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, and some surrounding areas. The soup is full of long tangly noodles and represents untangling the complexities life presents us with. In terms of flavor through, in this dish, complex is good. 

    A couple of notes before you get started. Kashk is the dairy called for in this recipe. It can usually be found at any middle eastern market. If that isn't an option for you, plain yogurt with a few additions can be a great substitute. The pasta also is unique, but linguini or udon can also be substitutes. For turmeric, dry is a really easy option and is easy to find in almost any supermarket. I happened to have some of those frozen pods in my freezer, and I like the taste of fresh better than dry for turmeric. By a lot, so I went with that. Use whichever you have around or prefer. 

Check out what everyone else is making this month for our Eat the World Challenge

• Ash Reshteh by Pandemonium Noshery
• Keto Khoresh Bamieh With Beef Mince by Sneha's Recipe
• Khoresht Gheymeh Nesar by Culinary Cam
• Sālād-é-Shirāzi by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Sohan-e Qom (Saffron Brittle) by Amy's Cooking Adventures

Ash Reshteh Recipe

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can garbanzo beans, drained

1 can lentils, drained

1 large onion, sliced

1 tsp. garlic paste

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

5 oz. spinach

1 bunch parsley

1/4 bunch cilantro

1 bunch green onions

6 c. vegetable broth

1 frozen turmeric pod OR 1/4 tsp. dried

4 oz. linguini 

1 tsp. dried mint

1 c. yogurt

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. vinegar

In a food processor, add the spinach, parsley, cilantro, and green onions. Process until it is all fairly broken down. Set aside. 

In a large soup pot heat the butter and oil with half of the onions. Cook until the onions are brown and caramelized. Add the garlic paste and the turmeric and cook and cook for 30 seconds, just until the garlic is fragrant. 

Add the beans and cook and stir, mostly just long enough to coat. Add the greens and continue cooking. Cook, stirring, for at least 10 minutes, to cook the greens down. 

Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer for 15 minutes. Add the pasta, and cook, simmering, until the pasta is tender. 

Serve topped with onions, mint oil, and a drizzle of yogurt. 

While the soup is simmering, heat some extra oil and butter in a pan and add the remaining onions. Cook until they are browned and remove them from the pan, leaving the oil behind. Add the dried mint to the oil and cook, stirring, for a minute. Remove from the pan and add to a small bowl. 

Stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar and a very generous pinch of salt and set aside.