Adasi (Persian Lentil Stew)

A easy, healthy Persian take on lentil stew. Turmeric, cinnamon and Persian spices give this Persian lentil soup, a simple dish layers of flavor.

Adasi (Persian Lentil Stew)

I love lentils. They may not have the best reputation (boring, strange side effects) or be known for being glamorous (yes, they can be mushy) but I’m here today to refute that. Lentils – a legume known for their lens-like shape – are actually an incredibly versatile, healthy and tasty kitchen staple. I eat them a couple times a week, by simply steaming them with whatever broth is on hand and adding in whatever frozen or fresh vegetables are lying around half way through. Serve with yogurt and bread, and it’s a hearty winter meal.

But let’s take it a step further and talk about how Persians eat their lentils, because after all we do like talking about ourselves…. Here we land on this lovely dish known as Adasi –  adas being the Farsi word for lentil.

Adasi (Persian Lentil Stew)

The dish begins with piaz dagh – sauteed onions – a classic and evocative smell for any Iranian. I use both butter and oil when sauteeing – the oil ensures your onions cook evenly and the butter… just tastes good! The turmeric adds a beautiful golden hue and warm aroma, not to mention its countless health benefits. After stewing for an hour, the lentil turn soft and the whole dish takes on a stew-y consistency and the cinnamon and golpar (angelica powder) will create an aroma that practically jumps out and begs you to eat it! It’s a very comforting meal on increasingly brutal East Coast winter nights. The adasi, despite being vegetarian (and easily vegan by not using butter) is hearty and has a very meaty (umami?) quality to it.

The beauty of this dish is it can be taken warm, cold, as a main or even side dish. Throw in some veggies if you’re feeling really crazy. I hope you all enjoy this recipe and the photos… photographing lentil stew is no easy feat! 😉

Adasi (Persian Lentil Stew)

 

Author: Ahu Shahrabani

Nutrition Information

• Serves: 4

• Serving size: ¼ recipe
• Calories: 276

• Fat: 11
• Carbohydrates: 33
• Sugar: 4
• Sodium: 1004
• Protein: 14

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: Persian

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  45 mins

Total time:  55 mins

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A easy, healthy Persian take on lentil stew. Turmeric, cinnamon and Persian spices give this simple dish layers of flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of green lentils
• 3-4 cups of stock (vegetable or chicken)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1-2 medium cloves of garlic, diced or crushed
• 2 tablespoons of oil for sauteing
• 1 tablespoons of butter
• ½ tablespoon of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon golpar (angelica powder)- optional
• ½ tablespoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the butter and oil in a pot over medium heat.
2. Add the diced onions and saute gently until translucent (10-12 minutes).
3. Add the garlic, salt and turmeric and continue to saute for another minute. Add more butter or oil here if the pan is dry.
4. Add the lentils and 3 cups of stock to the pot - stir and bring to a boil on high heat.
5. Once your lentil mixture has come to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover.
6. Simmer for 45 minutes, stirring every so often to make sure nothing sticks and adding more stock as needed.
7. Add in the cinnamon and golpar. Taste the adasi and adjust seasonings if needed.
8. The dish is done when the consistency is a very thick soup (stewy but with no visible liquid).
9. Serve with bread, yogurt and enjoy!

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