Ali Rashidinejad, from Iran, shows how to make ash reshteh, a thick bean, spinach and noodle soup.
Like many adult Muslims around the world at present, he is observing the holy month of Ramadan and fasting during the day and sharing food at night. Ash reshteh is a favourite dish in this period as it contains all the essential nutrients - protein, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and water - that the body needs after a day without food or water. It is also a simple dish that doesn't need special equipment.
During Ramadan, the fast is broken after sundown with dates, then after prayers a shared meal usually includes a warm, smooth, comforting dish such as Ash reshteh as a starter or as a main with bread, and may be followed by curries and rice and dessert.
Ash reshteh is a thick soup made with beans, chickpeas and lentils, vegetables and other flavourings. Reshteh are Persian noodles, which are flat, similar to fettucine but slightly less wide. According to Mr Rashidinejad, they symbolise good fortune and success in the path ahead.
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
⅓ cup chickpeas
⅓ cup red beans
⅓ cup white beans
½ cup lentils
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2-3 large onions, sliced thinly
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp turmeric
2 Tbsp dried mint
salt and black pepper
200g minced beef or lamb (omit if you want a vegetarian version)
3 cups fresh parsley or coriander (about 1½ bunches), chopped
2 cups fresh mint (about 1 bunch), chopped
20 stalks of fresh chives or spring onions, or leeks, chopped
1 carrot, grated
2 bunches spinach (or equivalent frozen), chopped
150g reshte (Persian noodles)
2-3 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp flour
1-2 Tbsp black cumin seed (nigella or kalonji)
To serve
kashk (a tart, savoury whey-like dairy product - see tips above) naan, pita or other flat bread
Method
Soak the chickpeas, red beans, white beans and lentils in plenty of water for 6-8 hours, then drain.
Put 8-10 cups of water in a big pot and bring to the boil. Add the chickpeas, red and white beans and lentils, cover and allow to cook for about 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions and garlic until golden.
Stir in the turmeric and then the dried mint. Add plenty of black pepper. When the onions are cooked and golden, set aside about half the onion mixture to garnish the soup when serving.
Then add the minced meat to the remaining onions and continue to cook and stir. Season with salt to taste.
When the beans are half-cooked, add the spinach and chopped herbs (sabzi) and vegetables. Then add the onion and meat mixture. Stir well, cover and continue to simmer until the beans are cooked (about 60-80 minutes in total).
When the beans are cooked, break up the noodles and add them. Add more hot water if needed.
Add vinegar and check the seasoning.
Put the flour in a small bowl and add enough hot liquid from the soup to mix to a thin paste with a fork. Stir the mix into the soup and allow to cook a little longer to thicken.
You can leave the soup on a low heat to deepen the flavours, but take care it doesn't stick on the bottom of the pot.
This soup is best left for a few hours before serving for the flavours to integrate. To serve, decorate with the reserved onion and kashk. Serve with extra kashk on the side and naan, pita or other flat bread.
Tips
• Kashk is made by whizzing tart, unsweetened plain yoghurt with water and salt, which forms a popular drink in the Middle East called doogh. To make kashk, doogh is boiled for 2-3 hours until lumpy, then drained in a cheesecloth.
It is usually dried for future use or can be frozen.
You could substitute sour cream and add extra vinegar to the soup for the sourness.
• It is customary to shape the minced meat into tiny balls, but you can use plain minced meat.
• If you don't have fresh parsley, mint and spring onions, you can use dried.
Soak them in a little water to moisten, then drain before adding to the soup.
• You could use tinned beans, chickpeas and lentils, but the flavour is not as good.
• Food is really important. For most people in the world food is love - you are what you eat and if you make good and healthy food for your family you will feel good too, Mr Rashidinejad says.
- Thanks to Afife Harris and Centre City New World.
