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Ingredients
Stew
- ½ cup Iranian lappeh, chana dal or slow-cooking yellow split peas rinsed
- ¼ cup olive or vegetable oil plus 1 tbsp for the peas
- 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 tsp ground turmeric- 1 lb lamb or beef stew meat cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tbsp tomato paste- 1 cinnamon stick 3 inches
- saffron threads a large pinch
sugar a pinch, optional- 4 dried limes or 3 to 4 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
- fresh lime or lemon juice to finish, as needed
water for soaking and simmering
Crispy potatoes
- 1 large Yukon Gold potato peeled, cut into matchsticks and soaked in cold water
2 cups vegetable oil for frying- ½ tsp ground turmeric optional
kosher salt to taste- basmati rice for serving
Instructions
- Soak the peas in 3 cups cold water for 1 hour. Separately, bring a kettle of water to a boil and keep it hot.
- Heat 1/4 cup oil over medium in a Dutch oven. Cook the onion until golden, stirring more often as it browns. Season lightly, add turmeric and stir until fragrant. Add the meat and brown it, then season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the tomato paste over medium-low for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cinnamon stick and enough hot water to cover the meat. Cover and simmer on low for about 1 hour.
- Grind the saffron, using a pinch of sugar if needed, and steep it in 2 tablespoons hot water. Pierce the dried limes and soak them in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain.
- Drain the split peas. Stir them in the remaining tablespoon of oil for 3 minutes, then add 4 cups hot water and a teaspoon of salt. Partly cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until just tender, then drain.
- Stir the peas, dried limes and half the saffron water into the stew. Cover and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes. Press the limes lightly against the side of the pot to release their flavor.
- Remove the cinnamon. Add the remaining saffron water and fresh citrus juice to taste. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes more and adjust the thickness with hot water if needed.
- Dry the potato matchsticks well. Fry in hot oil in a high-sided pan until golden and crisp, about 7 to 9 minutes, adding turmeric partway through if using. Drain and season with salt.
Notes
Parcooking the peas separately lets you check that they are tender enough to finish in the stew while holding their shape.
Adapted from Naz Deravian, NYT Cooking.
