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khoresht-karafs

If you’ve had Persian food you’ve likely had ghormeh sabzi–this is its underrated cousin that I think could be even better when done right. This is my parent's recipe, and heads up–this has tomato paste which is totally not traditional. They say it helps with color and depth of flavor, and I'm not apologizing for this because their version of this dish is by far the best I've had. Khoresht karafs is super similar to ghormeh sabzi except 2 key differences. 1) Herbs used: Khoresht karafs uses just parsley and mint, whereas ghormeh sabzi uses parsley, cilantro, leeks, and fenugreek. I personally LOVE the use of mint in khoresht karafs. 2) Celery instead of kidney beans. I love the aroma that celery brings to this dish. It also results in a lighter stew. Other than that, khoresht karafs and ghormeh sabzi remain basically identical in preparation. One major tip: make sure to fry the sabzi ("herbs" in farsi) until they're almost black (NOT burnt). This is essential to the final color of our dish. I'd recommend making this with rice the Persian way–one of my favorite bites in the world is layering some khoresht (stew) onto tahdig. Lastly, I LOVE to eat any Persian stew with some raw onions on the side. It really helps to brighten things up and create the perfect bite. The real pros will scoop the khoresht up with a slice of raw onion as if it's a chip and dip.

Ingredients