Ash-e-Anar (Pomegranate Soup)
Cooking With Zahra recipe - Persian
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 2 hr
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly minced
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. turmeric powder
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ½ cup yellow split peas
- ½ cup basmati rice
- 6 cups of water
- 5 cups fresh pomegranate juice
- 50g fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 50g parsley, trimmed and finely chopped
- 50g fresh chives, finely chopped
- 50g fresh mint, finely chopped
- 100g green onion
- ⅓ cup pomegranate molasses
- Salt
- 500g minced beef
- 1 onion, finely minced excess liquid drained
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ tsp. cardamom powder
- ½ tsp. turmeric powder
- pinch of ground saffron
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- Dried mint
Instructions
- 1
Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes, drain and keep on the side. Wash and soak the split peas for 30 minutes, drain and keep on the side.
- 2
In a large pot, saute the onions until they have softened and become light golden brown. Add roughly minced garlic and season with turmeric powder and black pepper, stir. Add the yellow split peas and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add 4 cups of water, bring to a boil and reduce heat; leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Add the rice and allow to cook for an additional 20 minutes. After boiling, add additional 2 more cups of water.
- 3
Add the mixed herb and pomegranate juice, stir the ingredients, cover the pot and allow to cook on medium heat for an additional 45 minutes.
- 4
To prepare the meatballs, in a medium-sized bowl, combine the minced beef, onion, salt, black pepper, cardamom powder, turmeric powder and saffron; thoroughly knead together. Shape the beef mixture into 5g of meatballs and place them on a large frying pan. On medium-high heat, fry meatballs until the meat have browned; remove and keep to the side.
- 5
Add the meatballs and pomegranate molasses to the soup mixture and season with salt; allow to simmer for an additional 30 mins.
- 6
Prepare the garnish. First, fry the dried mint and turmeric in a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil, and set aside. Deep-fry the onion in vegetable oil until it turns crispy and golden in colour, and set aside.
- 7
Serve the soup in a bowl, and garnish with the fried mints, crispy fried onions and pomegranate jewels.