Khoresh-e Pesteh - Persian Pistachio Stew
Khoresh-e Pesteh is originally from Rafsanjan - a city in the Central District of Rafsanjan County, Kerman Province, Iran. It’s prepared with the best native pistachios. Pistachio stew is considered a kind of royal food and is cooked for special gatherings and ceremonies.
Rafsanjan, Iran, is primarily famous for its production of high-quality pistachios. It is often referred to as the "Pistachio Capital of the World." Rafsanjan and the surrounding Kerman province have ideal climatic and soil conditions for growing pistachio trees, which has made it one of the largest pistachio-producing regions globally.
The pistachios produced in Rafsanjan are known for their superior quality, flavour, and size. They are exported to many countries and are a valuable agricultural product for Iran's economy. Iranian pistachios, including those from Rafsanjan, are highly sought after in international markets and are used in a variety of culinary applications, from snacking to baking and cooking.
In addition to pistachio production, Rafsanjan and the Kerman province are also known for their carpet weaving and the cultivation of other agricultural products such as pomegranates and dates. However, it is pistachios that have earned the city its reputation and recognition worldwide.
Serve this mouthwatering stew with aromatic Persian saffron rice.
Here is a short video of the cooking process on my Instagram.
Cook the most popular Persian dishes at home with the help of my e-book.
Time
Prep: 10 min Cook: 2 h Total: 2 h 10 min
Ingredients (serving 4)
500g / 1.1 lbs lamb leg or shoulder + bone marrow (optional), cut into 4cm cubes
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
250g / 2 cups pistachios, finely crushed
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp ghee or butter
Fresh juice of 1 to 2 lemons
1 cinnamon stick
6 tsp sugar
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground saffron, bloomed
Salt to taste
Method for cooking Pistachio Stew
Prep before cooking
Transfer the ice cubes to a glass. Bloom the ground saffron by sprinkling it over the ice cubes. Set it aside in a warm place to melt into saffron water. (For the best result you can do this one hour in advance.)
Searing the meat
Sear the lamb pieces over high heat in 4 tbsp vegetable oil until golden brown on each side. Remove the meat from the pan.
Caramelising onions
Gently caramelise the onion over low to medium heat in the same oil you seared the meat in. After about 15 minutes add the turmeric and black pepper. Combine well.
Add 2 tbsp ghee or butter followed by crushed pistachios and gently fry them together for a few more minutes.
Get the stew cooking
Keep the heat on low.
Return the meat to the pan with the caramelised onions and the crushed pistachios. Combine everything well.
Add the bone marrow if you have one.
Add the cinnamon stick.
Add 2 cups (about 0.5 litre) of freshly boiled water.
Season with salt, put on the lid and let the stew simmer for 1 hour. Add more boiled water if needed at any time.
After an hour, add the saffron water and stir it in. Put the lid on and let it simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour until the meat is perfectly tender.
Add the juice of 1 to 2 lemons and 6 tsp of sugar. Stir well.
Let the stew simmer for another 5 minutes.
Adjust the taste by adding more or less lemon juice and sugar. Your stew should taste sweet and sour. Add more salt to balance the taste if needed.
Serve your delicious Khoreshe Pesteh
Serve your Khoreshe Pesteh with plain Persian-style Abkesh rice. Enjoy!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe. I’d love to see your Khoresh Pesteh! Feel free to tag me with @igotitfrommymaman on Facebook or Insta so I can take a look and give you a thumbs up!
Want to save this recipe for later? You can pin it to your recipe board.
Looking for more Persian recipes? Here are my more of my free written recipes!
Sign up to Maman’s recipe mail for notifications of new recipes on the blog and special offers on my courses.
If you have any questions please let me know in the comments, I’m always happy to help. Let’s stay in touch via Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.