About this Dish
A thick, nourishing Persian noodle soup loaded with herbs, legumes and kashk (fermented whey) poured over the top. Traditionally eaten at Persian New Year (Nowruz) and during winter. The combination of the sour kashk, caramelised onions and crispy mint creates a flavour of extraordinary complexity.
IngredientsServes 6
🫘Chickpeas, 400g tin, drained and rinsed
🫘Kidney beans, 400g tin, drained and rinsed
🟤Puy or green lentils, 150g dried
🌿Fresh spinach, 200g roughly chopped
🌱Fresh flat-leaf parsley, large bunch, roughly chopped
🌿Fresh coriander, large bunch, roughly chopped
🧅Large onions, 3, thinly sliced
🍜Reshteh noodles (or linguine broken in half), 200g
🥛Kashk (fermented whey), 200ml, plus extra to serve
🌿Dried mint, 2 tablespoons
🧄Garlic cloves, 4, minced
🫒Olive oil or vegetable oil, 4 tablespoons
Method
1
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and fry for 25–30 minutes, stirring regularly, until deeply golden and caramelised. Remove half the onions and set aside for garnishing.2
Add the minced garlic to the pot with the remaining onions and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon of turmeric, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin and a generous amount of black pepper, letting the spices bloom for 1 minute.3
Add the dried lentils to the pot along with 1.5 litres of water or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the lentils are just tender.4
Add the drained chickpeas, kidney beans, spinach, parsley and coriander. Stir everything together and cook for 10 minutes — the soup will turn a beautiful deep green. Season generously with salt.5
Add the noodles to the pot, breaking them up if needed, and cook for a further 8–10 minutes until soft. The soup should be very thick; add a splash more water if it catches on the bottom but don't make it too thin.6
Meanwhile, fry the reserved caramelised onions in a dry pan for a few more minutes until crispy, then set aside. In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the dried mint for just 30 seconds until fragrant and dark — watch it closely as it burns fast.7
Ladle the soup into deep bowls and swirl a generous spoonful of kashk over each serving. Top with crispy onions and the sizzled mint oil, and serve immediately with warm flatbread on the side.User Reviews
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