This hearty cool-weather Persian Beef Soup with Pomegranate will become an instant family favourite.
Persian Beef Soup with Pomegranate Recipe
Serves 8
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
1kg chuck steak, cut
into 3cm pieces
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander stems
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp Aleppo pepper (optional)
1 tsp ground turmeric
⅓ cup tomato paste
5 cups beef stock
2 cups pomegranate juice
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
3 vine ripened tomatoes (500g), chopped
1 beetroot (250g), peeled and coarsely grated
1 tbsp honey
Large pinch saffron threads
1 cinnamon stick
⅓ cup red lentils
⅓ cup long grain rice
Persian labna, coriander leaves and pomegranate seeds, to garnish
Method:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy based stockpot over a high heat. Sear steak in batches. Set aside. Reduce heat. Add remaining oil, then onion, coriander, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, for5 minutes or until tender.
Stir in pepper, turmeric and tomato paste. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add stock, juice, molasses, tomato, beetroot, honey, saffron and cinnamon stick. Return steak to pot.
Cover and simmer, gently for 1½ hours, or until steak is very tender. Add lentils and rice to soup. Cook for further 20 minutes.
Serve soup in bowls. Garnish with labna, coriander and pomegranate.
