Name: Khoresh Karafs (Persian Celery and Herb 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 bite-size pieces; 2 Celery, cut into 3 cm pieces; 1 cup Parsley, finely chopped; ¼ cup Mint Leaves, finely chopped; 1 Brown Onion, finely chopped; 3 tbsp Olive Oil, divided for herbs and stew; ½ tsp Ground Turmeric, for the stew base; 1½ tbsp Lemon Juice, adjust to taste; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust to taste; ¼ tsp Black Peppercorns, freshly ground; 2½ cup Water, for simmering

Khoresh Karafs (Persian Celery and Herb 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, and salt. Sear until the meat loses its raw color.
Add measured water, cover, and simmer until the mutton is partly tender.
In a separate pan, heat the remaining olive oil and sauté celery until lightly glossy.
Add parsley and mint to the celery and cook until the herbs darken slightly and smell aromatic.
Add the celery-herb mixture to the mutton and simmer until the meat is tender and the stew thickens slightly.
Stir in lemon juice near the end, then taste and adjust salt.

How to tell it's done

The stew should be brothy but not thin, with tender mutton and celery pieces that hold their shape.

Getting it right

Tip

Do not add lemon juice too early; adding it near the end keeps the stew bright and helps the mutton cook tender first.

What to serve it with

Serve hot with steamed basmati rice and a small cucumber yogurt side.

Common mistakes

The stew is brown and the herbs taste stewed.: Sauté the celery and herbs separately as the recipe directs, and add them once the meat is nearly tender. Herbs simmered for two hours with the mutton turn dark and lose everything.
It tastes flat.: The lemon goes in near the end and should be tasted rather than measured. Khoresh karafs is meant to read distinctly sour against the herbs; without enough acid it is just a celery stew.

Substitutions

Boneless Mutton can be replaced with lamb pieces.
Use dried mint only in a small amount if fresh Mint Leaves are unavailable.
Lemon Juice can be adjusted depending on how tangy you like the stew.

Storing and reheating

Keeps four days in the fridge and is better on the second day. Freezes for three months, though the herbs darken. Add a fresh squeeze of lemon on reheating to lift it.

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Ingredients