Skip to main content

Khoresht-e Sib

Serve with plain rice steamed in the Persian manner (page 338) or the quick and easy boiled and steamed rice (page 339).

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 onion, finely chopped
4–5 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1 pound lamb or beef, cut into cubes
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tart cooking apples
Juice of 1 lemon, or more

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Fry the onion in 2 tablespoons of the butter or oil in a large saucepan until soft and golden. Add the meat, and turn to brown it all over. Add salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Cover with about 2 1/2 cups of water. Bring to the boil, remove any scum, and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is very tender, adding water as needed to keep the meat moist.

    Step 2

    Peel and core the apples and cut into thick slices. Sauté gently in the remaining butter or oil in a large skillet until lightly colored all over. Add to the meat stew with the lemon juice. Cook for a further 5 minutes, or until tender. Do not allow the apples to disintegrate, unless you prefer to mash them to a puree with a fork.

    Step 3

    Serve with plain rice.

  2. Variation

    Step 4

    You can add 1/3 cup split peas to the stew 1/2 hour before the end of the cooking, and chicken can be used instead of meat.

Cover of Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Easter Food, featuring a blue filigree bowl filled with Meyer lemons and sprigs of mint.
Reprinted with permission from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, copyright © 2000 by Claudia Roden, published by Knopf. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.
Read More
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Like miso-peanut hibachi chicken and spring orzotto.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Like José Andrés’s paella and not one but two chicken stir-fries.
A flurry of fresh tarragon makes this speedy weeknight dish of seared cod and luscious, sun-colored pan sauce feel restaurant worthy.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
Like carrot farro salad and chicken paella.
Finally learn the difference between kabocha and red kuri.