This Persian sauce is exquisite, with delicate spicing and dried lime as the dominant flavor. Serve it with plain rice prepared in the Persian manner (page 338) or the quick and easy boiled and steamed rice (page 339).
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a large pan, fry the onion in the oil until soft. Add the meat and sauté, turning to brown it all over. Add the water and bring to the boil.
Step 2
Remove the scum and add turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper. Pierce a few little holes in the dried limes with a pointed knife and put them in.
Step 3
Simmer for 1 hour, then add the drained split peas and cook 1/2–1 hour more, or until the meat and split peas are very tender, adding salt towards the end and more water, if needed, to keep the meat covered.
Variation
Step 4
The rice and sauce are also served topped with fried diced potatoes. These are added in the pan, at the end of cooking, to sit on the surface of the stew and soak up some of the sauce.
