Ash-e Reshteh
آش رشته·(aash-eh resh-teh)
The Iranian-American Pantry & Prep (Setting the Sofreh)
Ash-e Reshteh is the ultimate Persian comfort food, a tangled, herbaceous knot of noodles meant to bless travelers and untangle life's problems. For kids who grew up in the States, the scent of caramelized onions and fried mint sizzling in oil means one thing: you are home. The traditional version demands twenty-four hours of soaking and simmering, but the secret your grandmother knows is that the soul of this dish doesn't lie in a raw chickpea. It resides in the mastery of the fried aromatics, a mountain of herbs, and the thick, starchy velvet of the broth. This is how you cheat time without cheating flavor on a Wednesday night.
Before you start
Squeeze the spinach aggressively.
Frozen spinach holds a massive amount of water. Wring it out in a kitchen towel until completely dry so you do not dilute the thick, velvety texture of the soup.
Have your broth ready.
Dried mint burns in a flash. Have your broth measured and standing by to pour the exact moment the mint hits the hot oil, immediately stopping the cooking process.
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil1/2 cup
- yellow onions2 large
- garlic6 med cloves
- all-purpose flour1 tbsp
- ground turmeric1 tsp
- dried mint2 tbsp
- dried green lentils3/4 cup
- vegetable broth8 cup
- canned chickpeas15 oz
- canned pinto beans15 oz
- frozen chopped spinach10 oz
- fresh flat-leaf parsley1 large bunch
- fresh cilantro1 large bunch
- fresh dill1 large bunch
- scallions1 bunch
- Reshteh noodles8 oz
- kosher salt2 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
- liquid Kashk1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Fry the onions patiently to build the flavor engine.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and fry, stirring occasionally, until they reduce, turn deeply golden brown, and begin to crisp. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove exactly half of the onions from the pot and set them aside on a paper towel to use later as garnish.
- 02
Build the thick, aromatic base with garlic, turmeric, and flour.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic to the remaining onions in the pot and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the turmeric and the flour, cooking continuously for 1 minute to toast the flour slightly. Toss in exactly half of the dried mint and stir for just 10 seconds before it burns.
- 03
Simmer the broth and lentils.
Immediately pour in the broth, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the dried green lentils, bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
- 04
Add the beans and herbs, and leave the lid off.
Stir in the drained chickpeas, pinto beans, thawed spinach, parsley, cilantro, dill, and scallions. From this point forward, do not cover the pot. Trapping the steam will destroy the chlorophyll and turn your vibrant green soup muddy brown. Let it simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes.
- 05
Cook the noodles directly in the broth.
Drop the broken reshteh noodles into the pot and stir well so they do not clump. Simmer uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes until the noodles are tender. As they cook, they will release starch and thicken the soup to the consistency of a loose chili. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper.
- 06
Temper the Kashk and garnish the bowls.
Place the Kashk in a small bowl, ladle in a few spoonfuls of hot soup broth, and whisk to temper it so the dairy does not curdle. Ladle the thick soup into bowls, drizzle the tempered Kashk over the top in a swirl, and garnish generously with the reserved crispy golden onions.
Notes
Noodle Substitutions.
If you cannot find Persian reshteh at a local market, Japanese udon or somen noodles work brilliantly because they release a similar amount of starch to thicken the broth. Linguine is a decent, widely available backup.
Kashk Substitutions.
If Kashk is unavailable, whisk a half cup of full-fat sour cream with a tablespoon of white vinegar and a heavy pinch of salt to replicate the distinct salty, fermented tang.
The Mint Oil Flourish.
For a true grandmother finish, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a tiny skillet, flash fry the remaining tablespoon of dried mint for five seconds, and drizzle this aromatic mint oil over the finished bowls.
From Cook Persian in America.