Name: Khoresh Gheimeh (Persian Yellow Split Pea Stew)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 85 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 350 g Boneless Mutton, cut into small pieces; ½ cup Split Yellow Peas, rinsed; 1 Brown Onion, finely chopped; ½ cup Tomato Puree, for the stew base; 2 Dried Lime, pierced with a knife; 1 Potato, cut into thin sticks; 3 tbsp Olive Oil, divided for stew and potato topping; ½ tsp Ground Turmeric, for the stew base; ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon, optional Persian-style warmth; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust to taste; ¼ tsp Black Peppercorns, freshly ground; 2½ cup Water, for simmering

Khoresh Gheimeh (Persian Yellow Split Pea Stew)

1 hr 45 mintotal

Prep 20 min · Cook 1 hr 25 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Mild

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Method

Heat part of the olive oil in a heavy pot. Add onion and cook until golden.
Add mutton, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, and salt. Sear until the meat loses its raw color.
Stir in tomato puree and cook until it darkens slightly and the oil begins to separate.
Add split yellow peas, pierced dried limes, and measured water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat.
Cover and simmer until the mutton is tender and the split peas are cooked but not completely dissolved.
In a separate pan, fry the potato sticks in the remaining oil until golden and crisp. Drain lightly.
Taste the stew and adjust salt. Serve topped with the crisp potato sticks.

How to tell it's done

The stew should be tomato-rich and medium-thick, with tender meat and split peas that still hold some shape.

Getting it right

Tip

Pierce the dried limes before simmering so they season the stew gradually without needing to crush them.

What to serve it with

Serve with steamed basmati rice and a small salad or fresh herbs.

Common mistakes

The split peas collapse into the sauce.: Add them once the meat is already simmering, not at the start. Gheimeh wants the peas holding their shape; cooked from the beginning they dissolve and thicken the stew into a paste.
The stew turns bitter.: Pierce the dried limes and lift them out once the stew tastes right. Left whole and unpierced they give nothing; left in too long, especially broken open, they turn the pot sour and medicinal.

Substitutions

Boneless Mutton can be replaced with lamb pieces; simmer until tender.
Do not overcook Split Yellow Peas, or the stew will become too mushy.
Dried Lime gives the classic Persian sour note; lemon juice can add acidity but will not give the same aroma.

Storing and reheating

Keeps four days in the fridge and improves on the second day. Freezes for three months without the potato. Fry the potato sticks fresh each time — reheated, they go leathery.

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Ingredients