Khoresh-e Kadoo

Ingredients

• 4zucchinimedium, peeled fully or in stripes, halved lengthwise or cut into large pieces and pan-fried
• 14⅛ ozlambstewing meat, cubed; alternatively beef or chicken thighs
• 2onionfinely diced, fried until golden
• 2 tbsptomato pastebriefly fried with the meat
• 2tomatoeshalved or quartered, added with the zucchini
• 1 tspturmericground, briefly toasted with the onions
• 2 tbsplemon juiceadded at the end; alternatively verjuice (unripe grape juice)
• 3 tbspoilneutral, for frying onions, meat and zucchini
• 3⅛ cupswaterhot, for braising; top up as needed
• 1 pinchsaffronground, bloomed in a little hot water, added near the end
• saltadd once the meat has softened
• black pepperground
• 3½ ozYellow split peasrinsed or soaked, simmered with the meat until tender (optional)
• 2 clovesgarlicgrated, sautéed with the onions (optional)

Method

1. Brown the onionsFinely dice the onions and cook them in part of the vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium heat until golden. If you are using garlic, grate it finely and add it to the onions for the last few minutes.
2. Toast the spicesAdd the turmeric and ground black pepper and stir for a moment, just until the spices smell toasted.
3. Sear the lamb and tomato pasteAdd the cubed lamb and brown it on all sides until it has changed colour. Push the tomato paste to the edge of the pot, let it fry there for 1–2 minutes, then stir it through the meat.
4. Braise the meatPour in the hot water, cover the pot and braise the meat over low heat for about 60 minutes, until almost tender; beef needs about 90 minutes, chicken thighs 30–40 minutes. If using yellow split peas, rinse or soak them and cook them along with the meat. Season with salt only once the meat begins to soften, and top up with hot water as needed.
5. Pan-fry the zucchiniWhile the meat braises, peel the zucchini fully or in stripes, then halve them lengthwise or cut them into large pieces. Fry them in the remaining oil in a frying pan until golden on both sides, without cooking them through.
6. Simmer the vegetables on topLay the zucchini and the halved or quartered tomatoes on top of the meat and let everything simmer gently for 20–30 minutes, until the zucchini are tender; stir as little as possible so they keep their shape.
7. Finish with saffron and lemonBloom the saffron in a little hot water. During the last 10 minutes, gently fold it in together with the lemon juice, then taste the khoresh and adjust with salt and pepper.
8. Serve with riceServe with rice.

Tips and variations

Beef or chicken thighs can stand in for the lamb, the chicken with a much shorter braising time. Made with yellow split peas, the dish becomes Qeymeh-Kadoo. For the sour note, verjuice, the juice of unripe grapes, can replace the lemon juice, as can dried lime powder, which also works alongside it. To free up the stove, roast the zucchini in the oven instead of frying them; some cooks also add aubergine, advieh, chopped tomatoes, chilli and fresh coriander, or fry the tomatoes separately and serve them on the side. Swapping the zucchini for pumpkin gives a sweet-and-sour version with plums or tamarind, sugar or date syrup, cinnamon and ginger. Serve with kateh or saffron rice and Shirazi salad or yogurt, or with bread, pickled vegetables and yogurt.