Tadeek: An Iranian-American's quest to conquer her grandmother's cooking.: Gormeh Sabzi and Polo (Persian Herb Stew with Basic Persian Rice)

Gormeh Sabzi (Herb Stew with Beef)

Ingredients
2 Bunches of Cilantro
2 Bunches of Parsley
2 Bunches of Green Onions
3 lbs Frozen Spinach (or about 18 cups fresh)
scant teaspoon Persian Fenugreek (fresh if you have it)
1 Medium onion (yellow is idea, but it doesnt really matter)
3-4 Lemons (or about 1/4-1/3 cup of lemon juice)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
2 teaspoons of tumeric
1 Medium onion (yellow is idea, but it doesnt really matter)
5 Dry Persian Lemons (Lemoo Torsh)
Powdered Dry Lemoms ( Lemoo Amani)
Water

Tools
Food Processor (optional)
Salad Spinnner (optional)
Stock Pot

Method

Cilantro and Parsley:
First, you want to "clean" the herbs. You don't need to remove all of the stems, just the really big ones from the cilantro. For this dish, you generally use the entire bunch of both herbs. Once you do "clean" this, soak the herbs in cold water for a bit, then spin dry (or pat with a towel) and add to a bowl.

Green Onion:

Remove the outer layer and cut a little bit above the white (reserve the whites for future uses, you do not use them for this dish).

Soak the green parts of the onion from the two bunches and spin dry.

Spinach:
We used frozen because it is just easier, take three pounds of thawed frozen spinach and press into a collander to get most of the water out.

Once you have done all of this, get a large pot on the stove on medium to high heat add 1/4 cup of olive oil (yes, I know, but it is grandmas recipe, afterall).

Throw the parsley and cilantro and onions into a food processor (you may need to do this in a few batches), adding water as need to thin out the mixture to get a smooth consistency.

Take all the greens, including the spinach, and add them to the pot with oil, stiring only occassionally for abotu 10-15 minutes.

Add scant teaspoon of persian fenugreek (be careful, too much can make it bitter and some people omit it all together).

Next, add the tumeric, about 6 cups of water, the dry lemons, 3 rounded tablespoons of dry lemon powder, and 1/3 or less cup of lemon juice and bring to a boil. Note: In my family we like things a little sour, so if you want something more savory cut down on the lemon juice. Also, sometimes we add a 1/8- 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne for a small kick, but not too much, this dish is NOT supposed to be spicy.

Meanwhile, heat a pot or skillet with olive oil. Next, cube about 1 and 1/2 to 1 and 3/4 lbs of chuck, pat the meat, and lightly season it with salt and pepper. Add the onion to the pot and saute until translucent. Add the meat in bunches not to over crowd the pot and brown on all sides.

As the meat browns, add it to the pot of greens.

Turn the pot down to medium and keep no a decent simmer for a couple hours (covered, but keeping the lid cracked).

Polo (rice)
You are not a true Iranian cook if you cant cook rice!

Tadeek: The crispy part of the bottom of the rice. Tadeek can be just rice itself, or a layer of lavash bread, or thinly cut potatoes. Each family has their favorite form of tadeek, my family prefers the basic crispy rice. One thing that is true about all families is that, once everyone sits down at the table, it's the first thing they fight over it!

Tadeek is the first thing at the table that brings everyone together.

Basic Persian Rice with Tadeek of Rice

Ingredients

Water (3 quarts)

Basmati Rice (5 cups)

Butter (few tablespoons)

Salt (a pinch)

Tools

Medium Saucepot

Collander

Dish/Tea Towel

Method

Soak and rinse the uncooked riced at least three times to clean it.
Add salt and water to the pot and bring to a boil.

Add the rice and boil for about 10-12 minutes

Pour the rice into the colander and rinse with water, then return the emplty pot to the stove on high heat, melth the butter so that you get a thick coating of butter on the bottom of the pot.

Add about a cup of the cooked rice to the butter, then add a little more.

Once you get an even layer of rice, add the rest of the rice and leave it on high for at least 5 minutes (you can do this with thin slices of potato or lavash bread instead if you like)!

Poke holes in the rice with the handle of a woodens spoon.

Then, cover the lid of the pot with a tea or kitchen towel, then cover the pot so that you get a tight seal. This prevents the rice from getting soggy or sticky, Persian rice should never be soggy!

After about 5 minutes or so, turn the rice to low (about 2) and let cook, covered and untouched, for about a half hour to forty-five minutes.