Khoresh-e Karafs

Ingredients

• 14⅛ ozlambstewing cut (shoulder or neck), cut into 3–4 cm cubes
• 14⅛ ozcelerystalks trimmed, strings removed, cut into even 2–4 cm pieces
• 1¾ ozcelery leavestender leaves, finely chopped, fried with the herbs
• 5¼ ozparsleyfresh, leaves finely chopped
• 1¾ ozmintfresh, finely chopped; or 2–3 tbsp dried mint
• 1onionlarge, finely diced or thinly sliced
• 1 tspturmericground, briefly fried with the onion
• ½ tspblack pepperfreshly ground
• saltto taste, adjust towards the end
• 4 tbspoildivided: for onion and meat, and for frying celery and herbs
• 3⅛ cupswaterboiling hot, for braising; top up as needed
• 3 tbspverjuicefor sourness, add gradually towards the end; lemon juice as substitute
• 2dried limespierced, simmered along as alternative or addition for sourness (optional)
• 1 pinchsaffrondissolved in a little hot water, for aroma (optional)

Method

1. Soften onion and spicesSoften the onion in part of the oil over medium heat until pale golden. Add the turmeric and black pepper and fry briefly, just until fragrant.
2. Brown the meatAdd the cubes of meat to the pot and brown them on all sides until their colour has changed.
3. Parboil the meat in waterPour in enough boiling water to barely cover the meat and bring it to the boil, skimming off any foam that rises. Cover and cook gently over low heat for 45 to 60 minutes.
4. Fry the celery separatelyMeanwhile, fry the celery in a little oil in a frying pan until the pieces are glossy and lightly coloured but still hold their shape. Lift them out and set aside.
5. Chop and fry the herbsDrain the parsley, mint and celery leaves well and chop them finely. Fry them in the remaining oil over moderate heat for 8 to 12 minutes, turning them often, until the herbs have darkened and smell deeply aromatic without catching.
6. Combine with limes and saffronAdd the celery and herbs to the meat. If you like, add the pierced dried limes and the saffron dissolved in a little hot water.
7. Simmer until tenderSimmer gently over low heat, half covered, for a further 45 to 60 minutes, until the meat and celery are tender and a little oil shows on the surface. If the sauce runs low, top it up with hot water.
8. Add sourness and seasonTowards the end, stir in the verjuice, or lemon juice in its place, a little at a time, tasting as you go until the sourness is right. Only now season with salt and adjust to taste.
9. Rest and serveTake the pot off the heat and let the stew rest for 5 to 15 minutes so the flavours can settle. Serve with Persian rice.

Tips and variations

For a rounder flavour, fry 1 tsp to 1 tbsp tomato paste with the meat. Fresh lemon or lime juice can stand in for the verjuice, or you can braise dried limes in the stew, soaked in water for an hour beforehand. Dried mint works in place of fresh; some cooks also fry the mint separately and more briefly, adding it only in the last hour. If you are short of time, add the celery and herbs to the meat right at the start, and a little over an hour of cooking will do; if you would rather use just one pot, fry the celery and herbs directly on top of the meat.