
Dizi (Iranian Abgoosht)
A thick and hearty Iranian soup of lamb, chickpeas and white beans, served in two parts: the broth on its own and the tender mashed mixture alongside.
Ingredients
- lamb on the bone700 g
- dried chickpeas150 g
- dried white beans150 g
- onion1 pcs
- garlic2 cloves
- ground turmeric1 tsp
- ground black pepper1 to taste
- water1500 ml
- dried Persian lime3 pcs
- tomato400 g
- potato400 g
- tomato paste2 tbsp
- salt1 to taste
Instructions
The day before, rinse the chickpeas and white beans separately, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 8–12 hours, changing the water twice during that time.
Put the lamb on the bone, chickpeas, white beans, onion, garlic, turmeric and black pepper into a heavy-bottomed pot. Pour in 1500 ml of water and bring to a boil, skimming off the foam.
Cover the pot and simmer over very low heat for about 2 hours, until the meat and pulses are almost tender. Do not add salt at this stage.
Pierce the dried Persian limes with a fork. Add the dried limes, tomatoes, potatoes and tomato paste to the pot; cover and simmer for another 30 minutes.
Season with salt 15 minutes before the end of cooking. If the liquid has reduced too much, top up with a little boiling water so the meat and vegetables stay in a rich broth.
Remove the bones and dried limes. Strain the broth through a sieve into a separate bowl, then mash the meat, chickpeas, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, onion and garlic with a pestle into a coarse paste.
Serve hot in two parts: the broth on its own, and the mashed meat-and-bean mixture on another plate.
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