Abgoosht (Beans and Beef Soup)

Tags

Beans and beef soup, Persian food recipes, Persian recipes

This popular and traditional Person stew is super easy to make and requires minimum preparation. However, it needs to cook for hours until the meat is so tender that it falls off the bone. But it’s definitely worth the wait.

Abgoosht (Beans and Beef Soup)

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time:  3 hour 20 min
Ready in: 3 hour 30 min
Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ pounds short ribs or well-marbled beef with fat and bone
10 cups water
1 large onion
2 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
4 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup garbanzo or chickpeas
¾ cup white beans
2 large potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
¼ cup lemon juice or 4 dried Persian limes

INSTRUCTIONS

Soak the garbanzo/chickpeas and white beans in a bowl of water the night before. To soak the beans overnight, place them in a large bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water covering the beans by 4 inches. Before using drain and rinse the beans. If you don’t have time to soak them overnight, put the beans in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches. Do not cover. Bring water to a simmer over medium high heat. Simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse.

Place the meat, water, whole onion, salt, pepper  and turmeric in a large pot. Bring to boil, skimming off any froth that rises to the surface. Cover and cook for 2 hours on medium low heat.

Add the tomato paste, garbanzo/chickpeas and white beans (and dried Persian lime, if using). Cook for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Discard the whole onion, add potatoes and lemon juice and simmer for 20 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Abgoosht (Beans and Potato Soup)

Soaking beans cuts cooking time significantly and gives the beans the moisture content they need to cook quickly and evenly without splitting open.

Bones and some fat add more flavors.

Place the meat, whole onion, salt, pepper, turmeric and water in a large pot.

Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Proteins congeal and form foam that rises to the surface. Eventually, the foam will break up into microscopic particles and disperse into your stock, leaving it grayish and cloudy.

Cover, cook for 2 hours on medium low heat.

Add the garbanzo/chickpeas, white beans and tomato paste (and dried Persian limes, if using). Cook for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Discard the whole onion, add potatoes and lemon juice, simmer for 20 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.