Khorak Loobiya Safid va Karafs (خوراک لوبیا سفید و کرفس) — Creamy White Bean and Celery Stew

• 300 gDried white beans (cannellini or navy) (picked over and rinsed)
• 1500 mlWater (for soaking)
• 1 leafBay leaf
• 200 gYellow onion (finely diced)
• 30 mlOlive oil (2 tablespoons)
• 350 gCelery (stalks and tender leaves, sliced 1 cm thick)
• 12 gGarlic (3 cloves, minced)
• 900 mlChicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
• 25 gTomato paste (1 tablespoon)
• 2 gGround turmeric (1 teaspoon)
• 1 gGround black pepper (1/2 teaspoon, plus more to taste)
• 7 gFine sea salt (1 1/4 teaspoons, plus more to taste)
• 30 gFresh cilantro (finely chopped, plus extra for serving)
• 90 gMayonnaise (6 tablespoons; or use French dressing (see substitutions))
• 30 mlFresh lemon juice (2 tablespoons)
• 60 mlWarm stew broth (taken from the pot to loosen the dressing)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the beans: place dried white beans in a bowl with 1500 ml water and soak 8 hours (or overnight) at cool room temperature. Drain, rinse well, and discard soaking water. This reduces cooking time and helps the beans cook evenly without splitting.

2. 2

   Par-cook the beans: add soaked beans to a pot with 1500 ml fresh water and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are mostly tender but not falling apart. Drain, discard bay leaf, and set beans aside.

3. 3

   Build the stew base: in a heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly golden. Add celery and cook 6–8 minutes until it softens slightly but still keeps some bite; this keeps the stew aromatic and fresh.

4. 4

   Toast aromatics and tomato: add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Stir in turmeric, black pepper, and tomato paste; cook 1 minute, scraping the bottom, until the paste darkens slightly. This brief toasting deepens flavor and prevents the stew from tasting flat.

5. 5

   Simmer: add the par-cooked beans and pour in chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer 10–15 minutes more to thicken slightly. Stir every 5 minutes near the end to prevent sticking; add a splash of broth if it gets too thick.

6. 6

   Season and finish with creaminess: stir in salt and chopped cilantro, then simmer 2 minutes. In a bowl, whisk mayonnaise with lemon juice and 60 ml warm broth until smooth. Turn heat to low; stir the dressing into the stew and warm 2–3 minutes without boiling, so it stays creamy and doesn’t separate.

7. 7

   Rest and serve: remove from heat and let the stew rest 10 minutes, covered, to meld flavors and thicken naturally. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon. Serve hot with extra cilantro on top, keeping the texture velvety with tender beans and aromatic celery in each spoonful.