Abgoosht (Persian Lamb & Chickpea Stew — Dizi)
Hearty Persian lamb-and-chickpea stew that’s eaten like a full meal — broth as a soup and the tender solids mashed and spooned with bread. Slow-simmering builds deep, sour-and-savory flavor from dried limes and tomato paste.
AI image3 hr 30 min
start to finish
30 min
hands on
Project
difficulty
4
servings
Ingredients
Roughly, per serving
850 kcal45g protein55g carbs45g fat
An estimate, not a lab analysis.
Method
Soak the dried chickpeas in a large bowl of cold water to cover by several inches; leave at least 8 hours or overnight.
If short on time, use 2 cans (15 oz/425 g each) drained — reduce simmering time (see tips).
Heat the oil in a heavy 5–6 qt (5–6 L) pot over medium heat and add the halved onion; brown the cut sides and cook until soft and starting to caramelize.
Sprinkle the turmeric over the onion, add the lamb pieces, and brown the meat on all sides to develop color (about 6–8 minutes).
Drain the soaked chickpeas and add them to the pot with the tomato paste, pierced dried limes, and water or broth; stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil.
Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot partially, and cook until the lamb is very tender and the chickpeas start to fall apart.
Skim any foam from the surface during the first 20–30 minutes for a clearer broth.
Add the quartered potatoes and continue simmering uncovered until the potatoes are completely tender and the flavors have melded.
Remove the pot from heat; using tongs, fish out bones and any large gristly pieces and set aside (you can pick the meat off the bones for mash).
Ladle about 2 cups of the hot broth into a separate bowl (this is the soup portion to sip).
Scoop the remaining solids (meat, chickpeas, onions, potatoes) into a wide bowl or shallow dish and mash thoroughly with a potato masher or a wooden pestle until a coarse, uniform paste forms.
Traditional service is to mash by hand or with a pestle; the texture should be rustic, not completely smooth.
Either return the mashed solids to the pot and stir gently into the remaining broth, or serve separately: place mashed solids in shallow bowls and pour reserved hot broth over or serve the broth alongside.
Serve with warm flatbread for tearing and dipping into the mash and broth.
Worth knowing
- Dried lime substitute: if you can't find limoo amani, use 1 Tbsp lemon juice plus 1 tsp lemon zest added in step 4; add more to taste at the end.
- Pressure-cooker shortcut: brown onions and meat in the pot on sauté, add soaked beans and other ingredients, then cook 40–50 minutes at high pressure (natural release). Add potatoes and cook a further 8–10 minutes if needed.
- If you use canned chickpeas (2 x 15-oz cans drained), add them with the potatoes and reduce the long simmer to 60–75 minutes total — you only need enough time for meat to become tender.
- Leftovers keep well: refrigerate mashed solids and broth separately for up to 3 days; reheat broth, then combine for serving.
Make it yours
Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.
Gluten-freeDairy-freeMeal prepOne pan
More Persian cooking
An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Persian cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be gluten-free and dairy-free as listed.