Gheymeh

Gheymeh is a delicious Persian food that tastes perfectly with basmati rice, mast o khiar and salad shirazi. Out secret: don’t boil it for too long. The Yellow split peas shouldn’t be too soft – if you can still stick the fork in them without breaking them it means you got the perfect Gheymeh.

Preparation:

1. Wash the meat and cut it into small cubes.
2. Wash the split peas.
3. Chop the onion into fairly large chunks.
4. Peel the potatoes, slice and fry them (to be used for topping).
5. Soak the lemons in water for 5-10 minutes and then make a few holes in each.

Directions:

1. In a small pan, add 1 tablespoons of oil, heat it and then add the tomato paste. Sauté for 2-3 minutes and once it changed to a dark reddish colour, put it aside.
2. In a large pan, add 2 tablespoons of frying oil and then the onions. Sauté until golden.
3. Add turmeric, stir for a minute and then add the meat.
4. Let the meat cook until brown, then stir in salt, pepper and the cinnamon.
5. Add the yellow split beans and, after 5 minutes, the tomato paste. Stir well.
6. Pour water to cover the mix then throw in the limes. Put your heat on the lowest setting and simmer for 60-75 minutes. As it cooks, check it and add some more water if necessary.
7. Add the rosewater at the end and leave for another 10 minutes.
8. Once cooked, serve with fried potatoes on top.

Recipe Ingredients

4 servings

1 kg lamb or beef
1 cup yellow split peas
1 large onion
2 large potatoes
2-3 tbsp tomato paste
Vegetable oil
Water
4 dried limes
½ tsp turmeric
Cinnamon
1 tsp rosewater
Salt and pepper