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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Khoresh gheymeh with rice

Khoresh gheymeh is a Persian stew of beef and split peas, simmered with tomato, turmeric and cinnamon, served over rice with crispy fries on top. This recipe serves 4, takes 2 hours mostly spent simmering gently, is rated easy, and costs €2.80 per serving. The key to success is slow simmering the beef and adding the fries right before serving.

Tonight we're having khoresh gheymeh, a Persian beef and split pea stew, tomatoey and bright with lemon, topped with crispy fries.

Khoresh gheymeh with rice
Total time
2 h
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
720 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Khoresh gheymeh is the kind of dish that simmers quietly while you go about your day, filling the kitchen with the smell of turmeric and cinnamon. The beef turns tender, the split peas thicken the tomato sauce, and a splash of lemon juice wakes everything up right before serving. The contrast with crispy fries on top always surprises people the first time, then quickly becomes something they ask for again.

This is a dish to plan for a Sunday or an evening when you have a bit of time, since the cooking calls for patience even though the steps themselves are simple. Kids generally love this stew for its soft texture and the fries that make the whole plate more fun. At Mon Chou, we're especially fond of this one for how it blends comfort with a change of scenery, without needing any hard to find ingredients.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Beef cubes 600 g

Pantry

  • Yellow split peas or red lentilsoften in the pantry 150 g
  • Tomato pasteoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Cinnamonoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 2
  • Lemon 1

Frozen foods

  • Frozen fries 400 g

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the sliced onions in the oil with the turmeric, add the beef and let it get a good color. 12 min

    A nicely browned onion is the base of flavor for every khoresh.

  2. Add the tomato paste, cinnamon, salt and pepper, cover with water and let it simmer covered. 1 h

    Cook the tomato paste for a minute before adding water, it loses its sharp acidity.

  3. Add the rinsed split peas and cook uncovered until tender. 35 min

    Split peas take a while to cook, with red lentils count on 15 minutes instead.

  4. Cook the rice in salted boiling water, then drain it. 12 min

    Stir the lemon juice into the stew at the end of cooking.

  5. Bake the fries in the oven, then plate the stew and top it with the fries. 15 min

    Bake the fries until well browned, they need to hold up for a few minutes in the sauce.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a cut of beef meant for stewing, like chuck or shin, it will stay tender through the long simmer instead of drying out.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the lemon, the acidity should stay subtle and simply lift the dish, not take it over.
  • If the sauce still looks thin after the split peas are done, keep simmering uncovered for a few more minutes so it thickens.

The variations

  • Swap the beef for cubed lamb, which is the traditional choice in many Persian households.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the beef with mushrooms or roasted eggplant chunks and use vegetable broth instead.
  • To save time on busy evenings, use red lentils instead of split peas, they cook in about 15 minutes instead of 35.

What to serve it with

  • A cucumber and yogurt salad
  • Warm flatbread
  • A light black tea after the meal

Storage

Khoresh gheymeh keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, without the fries. It freezes well for up to 2 months, and reheats gently on the stovetop with a splash of water if needed. Cook the fries fresh right before serving to keep them crispy.

Questions about this dish

Can you make khoresh gheymeh ahead of time?

Yes, the beef and split pea stew holds up very well made a day ahead, and the flavor actually rounds out as it rests. Just cook the rice and fries fresh on the day you serve it.

Can you swap the split peas for another legume?

Red lentils work well and cook much faster, in about 15 minutes. Avoid green lentils, since they stay too firm for this stew's texture.

Why add the fries only at the end?

Fries placed on top right before serving stay crispy on the surface of the stew. Added too early, the steam and sauce soften them quickly.

Is khoresh gheymeh good for kids?

Yes, the texture is soft and the tomato sauce tastes familiar to most kids. You can cut back on the cinnamon if you want a milder flavor for younger ones.

How long does it take to make a khoresh gheymeh with rice?

Count 2 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a khoresh gheymeh with rice?

About 720 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a khoresh gheymeh with rice cost?

About €2.80 per serving, or €11.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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