Tehran · 3 h · Vegetarian · Soup · For beginners
Ash-e reshteh
In German: Kräuter-Nudel-Eintopf mit Kashk · In English: Herb and noodle soup with kashk
For 6 servings · US units
Thick herb soup with noodles, beans and lentils, finished with kashk and mint oil
Ash-e reshteh is a thick, green soup made with a generous amount of fresh herbs, chickpeas, beans, lentils and the thin reshteh noodles that give it its name. It is the garnish that completes it: tangy kashk, crisp fried onions, golden garlic and dark mint oil. It is a warming bowl for winter evenings, often made for guests, and for many it belongs to Nowruz.
Ingredients
- 2¾ lbfresh, chopped; mainly spinach, leek (tareh), parsley, corianderPersian herb blend for thick soups (ash), usually parsley, coriander, dill, spring onion or chive greens and often spinach, sold fresh-chopped or dried.Substitute: The blend is easy to assemble yourself from fresh parsley, coriander, dill, chives or spring onion greens and some spinach, finely chopped in roughly equal parts. The result is brighter and fresher than the dried product. As a rough rule, use about three to four times the volume of fresh herbs in place of the dried mix.Read more
- 5¼ ozchickpeasdried, soaked overnight and precooked
- 5¼ ozdried, soaked overnight and precookedCaution: Dried pinto beans must be soaked and boiled hard for at least ten minutes, because raw or undercooked they contain lectins that cause illness.Medium-sized beige beans speckled with reddish brown, which turn an even pinkish brown when cooked and become creamy.Substitute: Borlotti beans come closest in flavour and texture, and red kidney beans also work, though they stay firmer and colour the dish darker.Read more
- 4⅔ ozlentilsbrown lentils, no soaking needed
- 1⅓ lbash noodles, broken in halves or thirds before addingThin, flat wheat noodles from Persian cooking, sold dried and usually already salted.Substitute: Thin linguine or narrow fettuccine come close in shape and bite. They are less salty and release less starch, so the soup ends up thinner; salt a little more and cook them directly in the broth so more starch stays in it.Read more
- 4onionsliced, fried golden; partly for the soup, partly for garnish
- 8 clovesgarlicfinely chopped or sliced, fried golden in oil
- 3 tbspMintbriefly in hot oil as mint oil for garnish
- 3⅛ cupsliquid, thinned with a little water; partly stirred in, partly for garnishA Persian dairy product made from soured, reduced yogurt or whey, sold as a thick liquid in jars or as dried pieces. Strongly sour, salty and savoury, like an aged cheese.Substitute: There is no true equivalent. Strained Greek yogurt or sour cream mixed with a little salt, lemon juice and finely grated feta or Parmesan roughly matches the sourness and saltiness, but not the fermented depth and savoury bite of kashk, so the dish will taste milder and fresher.Read more
- 6 tbspoilfor frying onions, garlic and mint
- 1 tspturmerictoasted with the onions
- 2 tbspflourwhisked into cold water, for thickening
- 10½ cupswaterboiling, for the soup
- saltseason only at the end
- black pepperground
- a pinch, stirred into the kashk for garnish (optional)Dried stigmas of a crocus that turn food golden yellow and give it a bittersweet, floral aroma.Substitute: There is no real substitute, because the aroma is unique. Turmeric or safflower give only the colour, not the flavour; it is better to use a little less saffron than to replace it.Read more
Method
- The day before, soak the chickpeas and pinto beans separately in plenty of water, then cook them separately the next day until tender. The lentils need no soaking.
- Slice the onions into strips and fry them slowly in the vegetable oil until golden brown. Set some aside for the garnish. Add part of the garlic and the turmeric to the remaining onions, with a little black pepper if you like, and toast everything briefly, just until fragrant.
- Pour the boiling water into a large pot and add the onion mixture, the cooked chickpeas and pinto beans and the raw lentils. Let everything simmer gently for about 30 minutes.
- Add the chopped ash herb mix and simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the herbs are completely soft and the soup has turned a deep green.
- Whisk the wheat flour into a little cold water until smooth, then pour it into the soup, stirring constantly so that it thickens evenly.
- Break the reshteh noodles in halves or thirds and add them to the soup a little at a time, stirring often so they don't clump together. Cook the noodles for 20 to 30 minutes, adding a splash of hot water if the soup becomes too thick.
- For the garnish, fry the onions you set aside in plenty of oil until crisp and lift them out, then fry the remaining garlic in the same oil until golden and lift it out as well. Add the dried mint to the hot oil and turn off the heat at once so it doesn't burn.
- Thin the kashk with a little water and stir part of it into the soup. Only now season with salt and pepper, as the kashk brings its own saltiness. If you like, stir a pinch of saffron into the kashk you are keeping for the garnish.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with the remaining kashk, the mint oil, the fried onions and the golden garlic.
Tips and variations
In some regions of Iran, kidney beans are used instead of pinto beans; you can also combine the two, or add white beans as well. Fenugreek or dill in the herb mix brings its own character, chard can stand in for the spinach, and ground coriander seed works well with the onions. Instead of thickening with flour, you can cover the pot at the end, turn off the heat and let the soup rest for 30 minutes. Some cooks simmer the herbs for an hour first and only then add the beans and lentils; others keep the garlic for the garnish alone. With meat extract in the broth, the soup is no longer vegetarian. When serving, add the garnish at the table so the onions and garlic stay crisp.
Allergens
Contains: Cereals containing gluten, Milk (including lactose)
Not every ingredient in this recipe has been checked, so nothing is promised as free from.
These notes follow from this recipe's ingredient list. Ready-made products and brands may contain further allergens — please check the packaging yourself.
Something not right?
This recipe was put together from independent sources and checked before publishing. Even so, a mistake can slip through — an amount that does not add up, a step that does not work as written. If you spot something, write to us: we will look into it and put it right.
