Aash-e-Reshteh

"Aash-e-Reshteh" or as called by non-Iranians "Persian Noodle Soup" is a traditional herb and legume soup originated in Iran. It is probably the most delicious soup that I have ever tasted and for healthy eaters it is an excellent source of protein, fiber, magnesium, and iron. The veggies can be found at any supermarkets. Some of the ingredients such as "Resteh" and "Kashk" most commonly found in Persian stores. If you don't have access to Persian stores, you can substitute them with alternatives as I describe below. One thing to keep in mind, to make a perfect Aash keep a balance between the amount of vegetables and legume. Taste your soup at later steps and judge for yourself if you need to add an extra salt or Kashk . The measurements I give here are not written on stones. Be brave and change them if you need to. Give it a try and I am sure you will love it.

Here is what you will need:

Serves 4-6   
 

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

2 medium size onions, chopped 

6-8 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 tbsp dried mint 

3/4 cup chickpeas 

3/4 cup red beans 

3/4 cup lentils 

1.5 tsp turmeric powder 

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped coarsely

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped coarsely

1 cup of fresh chives, chopped (you can omit it if you didn't have or couldn't find) 

2 bunches fresh spinach (coarsely chopped) 

2 oz Reshteh-e-Aash (can be substituted with egg noodles or linguini) 

Kashk (whey or sour cream can be substituted for Kashk) 

Salt (to taste) 

For garnishing: 

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

1 extra large onion, thinly sliced 

1 whole head of garlic, thinly chopped 

2 tbsp dried mint 

1 tsp turmeric powder 

1/3 cup diluted kashk, whey, or sour cream 
 

Lets get cooking...

This is how I make Aash-e-Reshteh and  all my friend love it. In a large pot, sauté onions until translucent. Add turmeric and chopped garlic and stir until golden. Add 3tbs dried mint and stir for few more seconds. 

Fill the pot with water half way, cover and bring to a boil

 

Add previously half-cooked chickpeas and red beans to the pot (I generally soak my chickpeas and beans in water overnight, rinse, and then boil them until half-cooked). Of course you can also use canned beans if you wish but rinse them thoroughly before adding them to the pot.  Let them boil for 5-10 minutes.

 

Add lentils (pre-soaked for at least 30 minutes) along with chopped parsley, cilantro, and chives and let boil for about 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally. 

Break Reshteh  in half, add to the pot and stir slowly. it takes about a few minutes for Reshteh to get soft.
 

Add chopped spinach, cover pot and let cook for 1/2 hour (make sure you stir the pot every so often). 

In a bowl, dilute Kashk with some hot water until all dissolved and no chunks remain (you want a consistency of a thick sauce) . Set aside about 1/4 cup of diluted Kashk for garnishing. Pour the remaining Kashk into the pot and stir (depending on your taste you can add more or less Kashk. I personally love having more Kashk in my Aash; it makes Aash thicker and tastier). 

 

At this point Aash starts getting thick. Stir and add water if needed. You  want to add the salt at this step as Reshte and Kashk already have some salt. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and let it cook for another 30 minutes or so (don’t forget to stir occasionally to prevent sticking at the bottom of the pot). At this point Aash is ready. If you want, you can leave it on low heat for few more minutes. 

For garnishing....

 Sauté onion and garlic with turmeric in separate pans until onion almost caramelized and garlic is golden. In another small pot or pan, heat 1/3 cup of oil. Add dried mint, stir quickly, and turn off the heat as mint tends to burn fast. Garnish ash as desired and enjoy!