Khoresht Karafs “Persian Meat Stew”

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1½ pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1½-inch cubes
• 1½ tablespoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 2 ½-3 cups boiling water
• 2 cups sour grape juice
• 1 whole celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 3 bunches parsley, chopped finely
• 2 bunches mint, chopped finely
• 1/2 cup chopped celery leaves
• Grapeseed or vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Sauté celery in a pan with 1 tablespoon oil until slightly translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
2. Sauté mint, celery leaves and parsley in another pan with 1 tablespoon oil for 5-10 minutes until fragrant and cooked well, set aside.
3. Add 4 tablespoons oil and chopped onion to a pot on medium high heat. Cook until onions are translucent and golden.
4. Add meat, salt, pepper and turmeric. Cook over high heat until meat is slightly brown and golden. This should take about 5 minutes.
5. Add your water and cook on high until boiling. Once boiling, reduce to low and cook for 1. At that point, you add your celery, mint and parsley.
6. Continue cooking on low for another 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add your sour grape juice about 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve.
7. Continue checking on your khoresht to make sure you have enough water.
8. Serve with white rice and tahdig (check my previous posts for instructions on how to cook tahdig).