Khoresh Lubia Sabz ba Sabzi: Green Bean Stew with Herbs and Sour Grapes

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There are two ways to make khoresh lubia sabz, the Persian green bean stew. The familiar one is red, with tomato paste and potatoes, and we have a recipe for it here. This version is green. Fresh parsley and mint go in with the beans, and sour grapes sharpen the stew at the end.

The method keeps each part at its best. The beans are fried on their own, so they hold their colour. The meat gets a long, slow simmer until it falls apart. The sour note goes in last, so it stays bright.

Serves 4 to 6. Time about 2 hours.

Ingredients

• 500g lamb or beef stewing meat, cut into 2cm cubes
• 500g green beans, trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 large bunch of parsley, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 small bunch of mint, chopped (about ½ cup), or 1 tbsp dried mint
• ½ cup sour grapes (ghooreh), or 3 to 4 tbsp verjuice
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Salt and black pepper
• Vegetable oil

Method

1. Fry the onions in a little oil in a heavy pot until soft and golden. Stir in the turmeric, then add the meat and fry until it changes colour on all sides.
2. Pour in enough hot water to cover the meat. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 1½ to 2 hours, until the meat is very tender.
3. While the meat cooks, fry the green beans in a separate pan with a little oil for about 10 minutes, until they brighten and start to soften. Set them aside.
4. In the same pan, fry the parsley and mint for a few minutes until fragrant. Keep the heat moderate, so the herbs do not scorch.
5. When the meat is tender, add the beans and herbs to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the beans are cooked through.
6. Add the sour grapes or verjuice for the last 10 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve with white rice and tahdig.

Fry the beans separately. Beans that go straight into the pot turn grey and soft. A quick fry first keeps them green with a little bite.

Add the sour at the end. Acid added early can stop the beans softening, and the fresh sourness fades with long cooking.

Shop the ingredients. Everything for this stew, ready to order.

Adapted from a recipe published by Delgarm. Quantities are our own, as the original gives none.

This version of the stew uses no tomato paste at all.