Ash-e Anar ("pomegranate soup")
I made this soup a couple times recently, and both times was a huge success. It's a special, fancy soup perfect for cold evening’s meal. And especially if you want to impress somebody at the end of this winter... The preparation can be rather time consuming, so give your self a few hours. Or, to save time you can use dried herbs and bigger meatballs.
Ingredients:
Herbs (stems clipped, and finely chopped) 500 grams:
àParsley, Cilantro/Coriander, Mint, Green Onion tips
2-3 tablespoons Basmati Rice
4-5 tablespoons Split Peas
2 cups Pomegranate Paste (find at Iranian or Arab grocery store)
4-5 large yellow onions
250 grams ground beef or lamb
Cooking Oil
2 tablespoons dried mint
Sea Salt & Black Pepper
Thinly slice 4 onions and fry in a little bit of oil in a large soup pot. Fry until thoroughly golden. Add 4-5 cups of water and split peas. Add salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes and then add the rice. Cook for another 20 minutes.
Meanwhile you better have started rolling-up meatballs and chopping the herbs:
Mix 1 large grated onion into the ground meat along with salt and pepper for taste. Roll into tiny meatballs, no bigger than a couple centimeters in diameter. Here the hard work pays off, because, unlike other parts of life, in this case smaller means better. The small meatballs somehow contribute to a more delicate, royal look and taste to this soup. (You could also replace the meat with chicken, or more beans if you are vegetarian)
real size
Same hard work pays off with fresh herbs. Lose all the stems and chop them finely. It can be fun and relaxing. Pour yourself a glass of wine and sit near a window. But try to be organized: Chop them all up separately and put on a plate for use later.
meatballs herbs and wine = magic
Once the rice and split peas have been cooking for 20-30 minute, drop in the meatballs. Add more water if necessary. After another 15-20 minutes add the herbs, put the heat on low and simmer. The soup can stay simmering for up to an hour, but that’s not necessary. The longer it cooks, the elements merge and the soup becomes creamy. Add the pomegranate paste towards the end of cooking. Blend it in well.
See if it needs more salt, pepper, or you can add a little stock for added flavor. If you like it more sour, you can also add some lemon juice at the end.
On the side, heat up some oil, then take it off the heat and lightly fry dried mint in the oil. (This ensures that you don’t burn it.)
Before serving, drizzle the fried mint over the soup. For a more dramatic effect, you can drop a few fresh pomegranate seeds on each soup serving.
Don’t forget to give your guests a spoon. Then sit back and watch, as everyone twitches around in orgiastic frenzy. Or as they say here “kaf mikonan” (“they will foam”) !
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7 comments:
I mentioned your anar soup tonight, talking to Siavush and some other Iranians in that restaurant in Edgware Road. That soup is a killer!
Are there pomegranate seeds in the soup?
I always though you add the meat to the saute onion first and then the others.
Also, by the paste do you mean Robe, which is like syrup in consistency?
Looks "Yammy:)" as in the kavir!
btw.. how did the camel meat taste like?
it's indeed yammy!
you do saute the onion first. but the meat goes in later, because rice and peas must cook longer. split peas first, then rice, then meat, with about 15-20 min between each. rice should start splitting at the ends when you're dropping in the meatballs. herbs next, and paste last. (by the end, you may not even see the rice anymore...it gives a nice consistency.) yes paste is "rob", but they say you can also use the juice (100% real), i never tried that.
try this soup, it's realllly good, and so rare, even among iranians. it's shirazi i forgot to mention, so tehranis are even more impressed :)
camel meat was amazing, very tender and juicy. we devoured it.
Looks wonderful, Will try it some times soon, Getting ready for a major trip to Iran in March so we are trying to loose a couple of pounds or at least not to gain any more before the trip! we are getting ready for a feast of food when we get there. so I'll try to make your soup after holidays, or even a few month after holidays:-)
Ps: Great blog, love reading it, feel very nostalgic as you can imagine:-)
XX Matin
It looks amazing!
Thank you for the recipe, I am not sure I could do it as you good as you! by the way, do you have a good recipe for ginger jam, its one of my favorites you will not find in Tehran.
mmm ginger jam? i never had that...will look into it!
was it like a chutney or a real jam?
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