Khoresh-e Gheymeh is a hearty Persian meat stew that is a traditional favorite. It is prepared by cooking small-cut boneless stew meat and yellow split peas in a tart tomato sauce with spices. The stew is topped with crispy potato fries which creates the unique taste. Try it with saffron rice or flatbreads for a traditional Persian meal.
Persian Stew With Potato Fries
Khoresh-e Gheymeh, a classic Persian dish, is a stew made by slow-cooking meat, tomatoes, spices, and various other ingredients. In Persian, "khoresh" means stew, while "gheymeh" refers to the way meat is cut into small pieces.
The characteristic attributes of this stew is the sour taste and the topping of crispy potato fries, which creates an interesting texture. Lamb or beef is typically used in the recipe and is simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce that has a slight tartness to it. Traditionally, the stew is soured with dried limes but lemon or lime juice can also be used as substitutes.
Khoresh-e gheymeh is popular at Persian gatherings, along with fesenjan and ghormeh sabzi. This dish can also be made vegan by omitting the meat. Another variation is to add eggplant to the stew, known as khoresh-e gheymeh bademjan.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Meat: Traditional choices are lamb or beef. But you can use veal, goat or boneless chicken thighs or breast cut into 1-inch pieces. Cooking time for chicken is much shorter (check doneness) and reduce the amount of water used for cooking. Check vegetarian or vegan options under "variations".
- Yellow Split Peas: The lentils used in this recipe are similar to split yellow peas but hold their shape better once cooked. Known as lapeh dir pas in Iran, you can find them at Persian grocery stores. You could also try using chana dal (split chickpeas) from Indian stores.
- Tomato and tomato paste: I use one large tomato which gives the stew some texture. And add tomato paste for consistency and flavor. If you dont want to use fresh tomato, substitute with 4 tablespoons tomato paste.
- Onions: Large yellow onions work well. Peel, quarter and slice thinly.
- Dried Limes (Limu Omani): Traditionally dried limes are used to add tartness to this dish. Known as limu omani in Persian, these have a fermented citrusy flavor, which adds an inimitable and unique flavor to Persian stews. Be sure to rinse and pierce the limes using a fork. Substitute with lime, lemon juice, or dried lime powder.
- Seasonings: Advieh (Persian spice blend), turmeric, ground black pepper and salt. For advieh, I use the one for khoresh. Substitute with a mild middle-eastern or eastern Mediterranean mixed spice blend.
- Saffron: Use only the best quality product, preferably Persian saffron, which has an intense color and flavor.
- Water: Amount varies with cooking pot condensation.
- Potato fries: Starchy russet potatoes are ideal for making these matchstick potato fries in oven or air fryer. I've made them with yellow potatoes as well.
Step by Step Visual Overview
Here is an overview of how to make Gheymeh. Full printable recipe with measurements is at the end of post.
- Saute sliced onions until translucent. Add the meat and brown on all sides until golden brown.
- Add seasonings and saute. Then add water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until meat is partially cooked.
- Meanwhile, boil yellow split peas until almost cooked, but still firm and holding its shape. Cut potatoes in matchstick style and toss with oil and seasonings. Then bake or air fry until crisp.
- To the simmering stew, add tomato, tomato sauce, dried limes and saffron water. Stir to combine and continue to simmer until meat is almost done and tender. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
- Add the cooked split peas and simmer until the meat and lentils are tender.
- Top the stew with potato fries just before serving. Serve it hot with Persian saffron rice and tahdig.
Top Tips
- Slow cooking the stew yields the best results. It allows the meat to achieve the perfect texture, while the sauce reaches the right consistency.
- Use a wide cooking pot like a cast iron casserole dish. A very deep dish is not suitable for cooking this stew.
- If using lime or lemon juice, add that one tablespoon at a time and adjust as per taste.
- Prepare the matchstick potatoes fresh and close to the serving time, so that they stay crisp. Add them just before serving, so that they dont absorb the moisture from the stew and become soggy. You want the crispy texture while eating.
- Be sure to cut them into thin sticks. A mandolin slicer can be helpful as they do it here.
How To Serve Gheymeh
- With Persian saffron rice and tahdig (crispy crust). This is the most common and traditional way to enjoy this Persian stew.
- Add some flatbreads such as barbari.
- Salads such as mast-o-musir (yogurt with shallots).
- Accompaniments such as torshi (Persian pickles) and sabzi-khordan (fresh vegetables and herbs).
- Without the potato fries, you can serve it with baghali polo (dill rice).
Variations
- How to make gheymeh without meat: Just skip the meat and follow the recipe. You can increase the amount yellow split peas if you prefer and/or add roasted eggplant, like we do with khoresh bademjan.
- Other Variations: You can replace the meat with other protein of your choice. This would not be traditional but you can customize to your taste. You could add sautéed meaty mushrooms to the stew (shiitake, chanterelle etc).
More Persian Stews
- Okra Stew with Lamb
- Braised Lamb Shanks (Persian Style)
- Khoresh Karafs (Persian Celery Stew)
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Gheymeh (Meat Stew With Potato Fries)
Ingredients
- ½ to ⅔ cup yellow split peas see note
- 6 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil, more as needed, divided
- 2 large onions peeled, quartered and sliced thinly
- 1¼ pounds boneless lamb or beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ¾ teaspoon advieh
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt plus extra
- 2 cups water more as needed
- 1 lb yellow potatoes peeled and cut matchstick style
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder optional
- 1 large tomato quartered
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 dried limes rinsed and pierced, or 2 tablespoons lime juice, see note
- ½ teaspoon saffron ground and dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water, optional
Instructions
Prep
- Rinse the yellow splits peas until water runs clear, then soak in water.
Stew
- In a medium dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil at medium-high, until shimmering. Add the sliced onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Push the sautéed onions to the edge of the pot. Drizzle more olive oil if needed. Arrange the lamb meat pieces in a single layer and raise the heat to high. Quickly brown the meat on all sides at high heat, about 2 minutes. Tip: It is important to brown the meat only on the surface and don't cook the inside.
- Add ¾ teaspoon turmeric, advieh, black pepper and salt. Stir and saute until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Then add the water, raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover with a lid, lower the heat and simmer, until meat is 50 percent done, stirring in between, about 45 minutes (time will vary).
Prepare Split Peas and Potato Fries
- While the stew is simmering, prepare the split peas and matchstick potato fries. Preheat the oven to 450 ºF.
- In a saucepan, take the soaked and drained split peas. Add water and ¼ teaspoon salt. Raise the heat and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until the split peas are soft but still retain shape and are firm and not mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add two pinches of turmeric to the lentils at the end of cooking time to absorb the color. Then drain the water.
- Slice the potatoes into ⅛-inch slices. Stack the slices and then cut them into ⅛-inch thick sticks (matchstick style). Transfer the matchstick potatoes to a parchment paper (safe at 450 ºF) lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with a pinch of turmeric, pinch of salt, garlic powder and drizzle ¼ cup olive oil. Toss everything together until the potatoes are well coated with oil.
- Spread and arrange the fries in a single layer, with generous spacing between them, for even cooking and crispness. Place in the center of oven and bake until crisp and golden brown, about 25 to 35 minutes (time may vary with oven), tossing the fries a couple times in between.
Khoresh
- To the simmering stew, add quartered tomatoes, tomato paste, dried limes, saffron water (if using) and stir well. Cover and continue to cook until the meat is almost cooked, about another 30 to 45 minutes. The sauce will thicken and some oil will trickle to the surface. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add the drained split peas and simmer another 15 minutes.
- Just before serving khoresh-e gheymeh, top it with the potato fries. This stew is typically served with Persian saffron rice.
Notes
- Meat: Other choices are veal, goat or boneless chicken. Cooking time for chicken is much shorter (check doneness) and reduce the water added. Skip the meat for a vegan version and increase the split peas and/or add roasted eggplant.
- Yellow Split Peas: The variety of lentils used for this stew are known as "lapeh dir paz" in Iran and available at Persian grocery stores. Substitute with chana dal (split chickpeas) from Indian stores. If using other yellow split peas, then adjust cooking time.
- Tomato: Instead of fresh tomato, you can use an extra tablespoon of tomato paste, for a total of 4 tablespoons (or ¼ cup).
- Dried Limes (limu-omani): Pierce the limes in a couple of places before adding them to the stew. You can also remove the bitter seeds and grind them into dried lime powder.
- Advieh: Use the one for khoresh. Substitute with a mild middle-eastern or eastern Mediterranean mixed spice blend.
- Storage and Leftovers: Refrigerate the khoresh for 4 to 5 days. Freeze the stew for up to 2 months. Reheat in microwave or on stove top, adding water as needed. The potato fries should be made fresh.
Nutrition
Nutrition Notes
This hearty stew combines protein-rich lamb with tomatoes and yellow split peas. It is gluten free, high protein, dairy free, nut free, egg free, soy free and grain free. Lamb is an excellent source of high-quality protein and vitamin B-12, as well as niacin, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, and iron.
The split chickpeas (lapeh or chana dal) are also a good source of protein and carbohydrates, and their protein quality is considered better than that of other pulses. These split chickpeas provide B vitamins, beta-carotene, some minerals, and important plant sterols.
It's best to consume red meats in moderation, as a high intake may increase the risk of certain chronic diseases. Opt for grass-fed lamb, as it tends to be leaner and a better source of beneficial nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid.
The stew does require a fair amount of oil for its preparation. To make it lighter, you can skim off any excess fat from the top. A moderate amount of fat in a meal helps promote satiety, improves the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients, and regulates the rapid rise of blood sugar.
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