Vegetarian Khoresht Gheymeh (Yellow Split Pea Stew)
Vegetarian khoresht gheymeh is a real crowd-pleaser and doesn’t necessarily scream vegetarian when you double the yellow split peas and top it with extra fries. Gheymeh is the second most popular dish on my site, the first being gheymeh bademjan.
Start the dish by heating your oil and frying the onions until slightly golden. Then, add the seasoning, tomato paste and garlic, and cook the mixture to a beautiful yellowish orange color.
Next, add yellow split peas, limoo amani, saffron and hot water and bring the stew to a gentle boil and cook until the split peas are tender.
While the stew is cooking, peel the potatoes and cut them into matchstick pieces. Then, fry the potatoes to a golden color, and drain on paper towels.
Your vegetarian stew is ready when the yellow split peas have cooked and the sauce has thickened.
If you want the split peas to stay intact, always use the slow cooking variety.
After tasting and adjusting the seasoning, transfer the stew to a serving platter and top with the golden fries.
Vegetarian Khoresht Gheymeh (Yellow Split Pea Stew)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ready in: 1 hour
Yields: 4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
1 large onion peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons regular olive oil plus ¼ cup for fries
3 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped (optional)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon black ground pepper
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
pinch of saffron (optional)
3 large or 5 small limoo amani pierced with fork
¾ cupyellow split peas, picked over, rinsed and drained
3 cups hot water
3 small potatoes peeled and cut into matchsticks
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a medium pan. Add chopped onions and fry over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes or until onions are slightly golden. Stir occasionally to prevent onions from burning.
Mix in chopped garlic, tomato paste, turmeric, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the tomato paste is fried and the oil color is yellowish orange.
Add yellow split peas, limoo amani, saffron and hot water, and bring to a gentle boil. Lower heat to medium low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until the split peas are cooked.
While the stew is cooking, peel the potatoes and cut them into matchstick pieces. Heat ¼ cup oil in a large frying pan and fry the potatoes over medium-high heat until golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer the fries to a platter lined with paper towel and sprinkle with salt to season.
In khoresht gheymeh, meat and yellow split-peas are cooked in a delicious sauce of caramelized onions, spices and tomato paste then topped with shoestring fries and served over fragrant basmati rice.
Khoresht Gheymeh for Two
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 hour 30 min
Ready in: 1 hour and 45 min
Yields: 2 Servings
INGREDIENTS
1 small onion chopped, about ¾ cup
3 tablespoons oil
½ pound beef (cross rib roast) cut into ½-inch cubes, about 2 cups chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric
pinch of saffron
3 limoo amani pierced with fork
2 cups water
¼ cup yellow split peas, picked over, rinsed and drained
1 cup water
¼ cup oil for frying the potatoes
1 medium potato peeled and cut into matchsticks
INSTRUCTIONS
In a non-stick medium-sized pan, fry the onions on medium-high heat until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add meat and increase the heat to high. Fry until all the juices are gone, about 5 minutes. Add turmeric, salt, pepper and tomato paste to the pan. Stir and fry until the tomato paste is fried in oil and changes the color of oil, about 5 minutes. This step develops a rich color and a flavorful sauce. Add 2 cups hot water and limoo amani. Cover and lower heat to medium low. Cook for 40 minutes (for step-by-step photos check my khoresht gheyem recipe).
While the meat is cooking, bring yellow split peas and 1 cup of water to a boil in a small pan. Lower heat to medium low and cook for 15 minutes or until the peas are tender. Drain and set aside.
When the meat is fork tender, add the yellow split peas and saffron, Cook for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Heat ¼ cup oil in a large frying pan. Fry the potatoes until golden. Serve the stew over a bed of aromatic basmati rice topped with fries.
Khoresht gheymeh is a delicious Persian stew made of diced meat, yellow split peas, saffron, tomato paste and sun dried lime. Khoresht gheymeh is garnished with shoestring fries and served over a bed of fragrant basmati rice. The sun dried lime, called limoo amani in Farsi, gives this dish its distinct citrusy and earthy flavor that is so authentic of Persian food.
If you stumbled upon this recipe searching for gheymeh polo recipe, continue reading. Gheymeh polo is basically rice layered with khoresht gheymeh minus the fries of course! To make gheymeh polo, follow the khoresht gheymeh recipe below, use half the amount of water the recipe calls for. Once the stew is ready, start making the rice by following my polo recipe. After straining the rice, layer it with khoresht gheymeh and finish simmering it. Make sure the stew doesn’t have more than 1/2 cup of sauce, otherwise your rice will turn out mushy.
Khoresht Gheymeh (Yellow Split Pea Stew)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 hour 45 min
Ready in: 2 hour
Yields: 6 Servings
INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons oil
1 large onion diced
1.5 pounds good quality cross rib roast, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 pinch saffron
½ cup fresh lime juice or 5 to 6 limoo amani pierced with a fork
3 cups water
¾ cup yellow split peas, picked over, rinsed and drained
2 cups water for yellow split peas
½ cup oil for frying the potatoes
2 large potatoes peeled and cut into matchsticks
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat 6 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick medium size pan over medium high heat. Add onions, fry for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add meat, increase heat to high. Fry until all juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste, salt, pepper and turmeric. Mix the ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes or until the color of oil turns to orange . Frying the tomato paste has a huge impact and lends complex, well-developed flavor to the sauce.
By letting tomato paste “brown” in the pan, and sautéing it with spices and other aromatic ingredients like cooked onions, you can boost the flavor of your tomato-based dishes in a big way.
Add 3 cups of water, cover and bring to boil. Lower heat to medium low and cook for 1 hour.
While the meat is cooking, cook the split peas with 2 cups of water in a medium size saucepan for 15 to 20 minutes or until the yellow split peas are al dente, softened with a bite to them.
Please note the yellow split peas used in this recipe are the “slow cook” type available at Middle Eastern markets or online. Regular split peas, found at most supermarkets, tend to cook faster and fall apart in Persian dishes. If using “regular” split peas adjust the cooking time.
When meat is half way cooked, add the yellow split peas, limoo amani and saffron. Cook for 30 minutes or until the meat is fork tender. After 10 to 15 minutes, gently press the limoo amani against the side of the pot with the back of a fork so that their juices release into the stew, but do not break them open because their seeds are very bitter if they fall into the stew.
Add Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Heat oil in a large frying pan, fry the potatoes until golden brown.
Place the khoresht gheymeh in a serving bowl, top with fries just before serving. Serve over rice.
Place the khoresht in a serving bowl, top with fries just before serving.
Cross rib roast also known as flat iron roast is the best cut for Persian dishes.
Set all the ingredients on the counter.
Heat 6 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick medium size pan over medium high heat. Add onions.
Fry onions for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Add meat, increase heat to high.
Fry until all juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.
Fry until all juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste, salt, pepper and turmeric. Mix the ingredients.
Fry for 5 minutes or until tomato paste changes the color of oil.
Add 3 cups of water, cover and bring to boil. Lower heat to medium low and cook for 1 hour.
Cook the split peas and 2 cups of water in a medium size saucepan for 15 to 20 minutes or until the split peas are tender. Drain and set aside.
Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add potatoes. fry the potatoes until golden brown.
Place the fries on paper towel to drain.
When meat is fork tender add the split peas and lemon juice. Cook for 30 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.
1.5 pounds good quality cross rib roast, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 pinch saffron
½ cup fresh lime juice or 5 to 6 limoo amani piereced with a fork
3 cups water
¾ cup yellow split peas, picked over, rinsed and drained
2 cups water for yellow split peas
½ cup oil for frying the potatoes
2 large potatoes peeled and cut into matchsticks
Instructions
Heat 6 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick medium size pan over medium high heat. Add onions, fry for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add meat, increase heat to high. Fry until all juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste, salt, pepper and turmeric. Mix ingredients. Fry for 5 minutes or until tomato paste changes the color of oil. Add 3 cups of water, cover and bring to boil. Lower heat to medium low and cook for 1 hour.
While the meat is cooking, cook the split peas and 2 cups of water in a medium size saucepan for 15 to 20 minutes or until the split peas are tender. Drain and set aside.
When meat is half way cooked, add the yellow split peas, limoo amani and saffron. Cook for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Heat oil in a large frying pan, fry the potatoes until golden brown.
Place the khoresht in a serving bowl, top with fries just before serving. Serve over rice.
By Mastering Persian Cooking
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calories
812
fat
30g
protein
57g
carbs
82g
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Mastering Persian Cooking https://masteringpersiancooking.com/