Khoresht Nokhod Aloo (خورش نخود آلو) — Persian Lamb & Chickpea Stew with Dried Lime

• 300 gdried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained (Soak in 1.5 L water with 5 g salt for 12 hours, then drain and rinse.)
• 700 glamb leg meat, cut into 3 cm cubes (Trim excess surface fat but keep some for flavor.)
• 300 gyellow onions, finely diced
• 30 mlneutral oil (Such as grapeseed or sunflower.)
• 35 gtomato paste
• 250 mltomato purée (Passata-style, smooth.)
• 4dried limes (limoo amani), pierced (Pierce each lime 4–5 times with a skewer to prevent bitterness from trapped steam.)
• 1 tspground cinnamon
• 1.5 tspground turmeric (Traditional in many Persian khoresht bases.)
• 0.75 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
• 10 gfine sea salt (Add 7 g during simmering and 3 g to finish after tasting.)
• 0.25 tspsaffron threads, finely crushed
• 30 mlhot water (for blooming saffron)
• 1200 mlwater or unsalted lamb stock (Use hot water to keep the simmer steady.)
• 120 gdried yellow plums (aloo), rinsed (If very hard, soak in 250 ml warm water for 15 minutes and drain.)

Instructions

1. 1

   Bloom the saffron by mixing the crushed saffron threads with 30 ml hot water in a small cup. Cover and let it steep for 10 minutes so the color and aroma fully develop.

2. 2

   Heat 30 ml oil in a heavy pot over medium heat, then add the diced onions. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are deeply golden and sweet rather than pale.

3. 3

   Add the lamb cubes to the onions and raise the heat to medium-high. Sear for 6–8 minutes, turning regularly, until most surfaces lose their raw color and pick up light browning.

4. 4

   Stir in turmeric, black pepper, and ground cinnamon, and cook for 45–60 seconds to toast the spices without burning them. Add the tomato paste and fry it for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly and smells caramelized.

5. 5

   Pour in the tomato purée and cook for 3 minutes to reduce its raw acidity. Add the drained chickpeas, then stir to coat them in the onion-tomato base so they absorb flavor from the start.

6. 6

   Add 1200 ml hot water or unsalted stock and bring the pot to a gentle boil. Skim any foam for a cleaner stew, then reduce heat to low so the surface barely bubbles.

7. 7

   Add the pierced dried limes and 7 g of the salt, then cover and simmer for 75 minutes. Keep the heat low and steady, because a hard boil can toughen lamb and split chickpeas.

8. 8

   Add the rinsed dried yellow plums and continue simmering, covered, for 30–40 minutes until the lamb is fork-tender and chickpeas are creamy. Stir gently once or twice to prevent sticking, and add up to 150 ml extra hot water if the stew becomes too thick.

9. 9

   Stir in the bloomed saffron and simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes to concentrate the sauce and perfume the stew. Taste and adjust with the remaining 3 g salt, and remove the dried limes if the tang is strong enough for your preference.