Khoresh Karafs (Persian Celery Stew)
Persian celery stew also known as khoresht karafs is a delicious Iranian stew made with celery stalks and herbs. This easy Persian stew can be made vegetarian as well.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil divided
- 8 celery stalks chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 cup fresh mint finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 large yellow onion finely diced
- 1 lb lamb stew meat cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 5 cups water
- 1 lemon juice of
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the celery and saute for 5-7 minutes until they're glossy. Add in the mint and parsley and saute until herbs start getting dark and release their aroma, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and set aside.
- In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Saute onion until golden, about 10 minutes.
- Add in lamb meat stew with turmeric, salt and black pepper. Saute until lamb is brown.
- Add in sauteed celery and herbs to the lamb and onion mixture.
- Cook for about a minute. Add in the water and bring to simmer.
- Cover and cook for about 50-70 minutes until the lamb is fully cooked and tender.
- Add in the lemon juice and let it cook for 5 more minutes.
- Serve warm with Persian style white rice or saffron rice.
Notes
- Too much mint makes the stew bitter, so don't overuse it.
- To make this stew vegetarian, use kidney beans or pinto beans instead of lamb. Add the beans after the lamb is cooked and 10-15 minutes before turning the heat off.
Nutrition
Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 463mg | Potassium: 422mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1612IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg