Ash-e Doogh

If the chickpeas aren't cooked yet, boil them ahead of time until tender; you'll need 250 g of cooked chickpeas for the recipe. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, and finely chop the parsley, dill, cilantro and green onion.

In a large pot, whisk together the plain yogurt, egg and 600 ml of water until smooth. Add the rinsed rice and another 600 ml of water. Set over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture begins to boil; once the first bubbles appear, keep stirring for another 2–3 minutes so the yogurt doesn't curdle.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring often, until the rice is soft and starts to break down. Don't let it boil hard.

Add the cooked chickpeas along with the finely chopped parsley, dill, cilantro and green onion. Simmer over very low heat for another 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom.

Add the minced garlic, black pepper and salt to taste. Stir well and warm through for 3–5 minutes without letting it boil.

For the mint oil, heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet, add the dried mint and immediately remove from the heat so the mint doesn't burn.

Let the ash-e doogh rest for 10 minutes, then ladle into bowls and drizzle with the mint oil. Serve warm, and if reheating, don't let it come to a hard boil.