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RECIPE

Choresht Lape – beef and split pea stew

Warm up with this hearty, slow-cooked stew that’s full of Persian flavours

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Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz

This hearty wintery recipe is the perfect Shabbat dish, made with minimal prep time and a long slow cook. The economical cuts become tastier and more tender the longer you cook them. Caramelising the onions gives a great depth of flavour so it's worth spending time on. You’ll need to start prepping the day before by soaking the yellow split peas overnight, but they do freeze well once cooked so you could make extra to use another time.

Bone marrow gives wonderful and hearty depth to the dish. Although these cheap cuts are high in fat they also contain plenty of biotin and collagen. More and more research is being released outlining the wonderful health benefits of both of them for hair and nails as well as powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

Serves: 4 - 6

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

400g yellow split peas

1 large onion or 2 smaller onions, diced

500g cubed chuck or beef shin

2/3 marrow bones depending on size

1 cinnamon stick

6 -7 dried limes

2 tbsp tomato paste

Matchstick potato crisps to garnish

2 tbsp olive oil for frying

1 tsp of salt

Method:

  • Soak the yellow split peas overnight in cold water. Once soaked, rinse them under the tap, and cover with fresh water and boil until tender on a medium heat. This will take approx. 30-40 minutes. Once they are cooked, drain off and rinse.
  • In a deep casserole dish, heat up the oil on a medium heat and fry the diced onion, with a tsp of salt until soft, golden and caramelized.
  • Once they are soft and golden, add the marrow bones and cubed beef and brown in the same pan until they are deep in colour, turn up the heat if necessary to achieve a rich colour.
  • Once the beef and onions are coloured, add the tender split peas and add two tbsp of tomato paste and mix until everything is coated.
  • Cover in fresh water, (approx. 700ml, but this will depend on the width of the pan being used) and add a cinnamon stick, the dried limes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in a pre-heated oven for 2 hours at 175°C (155°C fan).
  • Check after an hour and top up the water if necessary. Give a stir to ensure nothing catches on the bottom.
  • Prick the now soaked limes to help release their flavour and cook for another 1.5 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.
  • Sprinkle matchstick potato crisps on top and serve with plain white rice.

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