Khoresh Karafs – Celery and Beef Stew with Fresh Herbs (Edit recipe)

Khoresh Karafs, a popular stew in Persian cuisine is remarkably flavorful with very few ingredients. Celery is sauteed on its own to enhance its flavor, then combined with herbs, beef, and Limu Omani which brings magic to this dish!

20 minutes

2 hours

Difficulty:

Easy

Show nutritional information

This is our estimate based on online research.
Calories:	449
Fat:	34 g
Carbohydrates:	5 g
Protein:	25 g
Cholesterol:	64 g
Sodium:	648 mg
Fiber:	2 g
Sugars:	0 g
Calculated per serving.

by The Caspian Chef

View original recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients

8 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, (divided)
1 Onion, (diced)
1 tsp Turmeric, (ground)
1 lb Stew Beef, (cut into 1.5 inch pieces)
2.5 cups Water
1 bunch Celery, (about 8-10 celery sticks, cut into 1 inch pieces)
3 cups Parsley, (about 5 bunches, most of the stems removed), finely chopped fresh
.5 cup Mint Leaves, fresh, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Dried Mint
1 tsp Salt
.5 tsp Ground Fresh Black Peppercorns
3 Limu Omani (Persian Dried Lime), (poked with a knife)

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Process

Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results

Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and saute the onions on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Add the turmeric and toss it around for a couple of minutes before adding the beef pieces. Continue to stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the meat has picked up some color and no longer looks raw.
Add water, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
While the beef is simmering, in a large frying pan add the remaining 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and saute the celery pieces over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Once celery has slightly softened and picked up some color, add the chopped fresh parsley and mint and saute for an additional 10 minutes to remove some of the moisture and enhance the flavor of the herbs. Add the dried mint, stir it into the mixture and remove from the heat.
After the beef has cooked for 30 minutes, add the salt, pepper, Limu Omani, sauteed herbs, and celery. Cover and continue to cook for 60-75 minutes over low heat.
The stew should be fragrant with the herbs and dried lime, and the meat and celery tender.
Serve with Persian saffron basmati rice and a side of plain yogurt or Maast-khiar (yogurt, cucumber, mint and rose petals).

Notes

Limu Omani is a dried Persian lime that offers an incredibly unique tang, flavor and aroma to this dish. It can be purchased from Persian or Middle Eastern markets, or online. Can also substitute 1/2 cup of fresh lime juice for the dried limes.