Iranian Beef Stew
Warm Persian-style beef stew with a make-ahead spice mix. Slow-simmer for tender beef and serve over basmati rice with a golden crust.
I used to work with a woman from Iran who was a marvelous cook. This beef stew with rice dish is one of the many wonderful Iranian recipes she shared with me. I never did perfect her method of cooking rice to form a golden crust on the bottom which, according to her, was always served to the most favored guest. The spice mix in this Iranian beef stew recipe makes about ½ cup.
Submitted by: Rosemary from 168 Ardmore Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016 USA
Yield: 6 servings
- The spice blend makes about 1/2 cup but this recipe uses 1 tablespoon, so you can make the mix ahead and store it.
- Brown the beef, then simmer covered 1.5 hours; add green beans and cook 30 more minutes for tender meat and bright beans.
- Serve over basmati rice. To get the prized golden crust, finish rice low and slow in the pot bottom.
Preparation Instructions:
- Mix the cumin, pepper, coriander, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon together. It will make about ½ cup. You will only need I tablespoon of the spice mixture for this recipe. (That means you can make it 8 times!)
- Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onions and garlic. Saute until onions are tender.
- Add beef. Cook until beef is brown on all sides.
- Add tomatoes, cilantro, salt and spice mixture. Cook and stir 1 minute.
- Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer over low heat for 1 and ½ hours.
- Add green beans and cook another ½ hour. Garnish with additional fresh cilantro and serve over hot basmati rice.
thespicehouse.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What cut of beef should I use?
Use lean stew beef such as trimmed chuck or round, cut into 1-inch cubes. Browning the cubes first gives the stew better flavor and color.
How do I make and store the spice mix?
Combine cumin, black pepper, coriander, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, and a pinch of cinnamon. The batch yields about 1/2 cup. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place for up to six months. Use 1 tablespoon per stew batch.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the beef and sauté onions and garlic first, then transfer to the slow cooker with tomatoes, cilantro, broth, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the spice mix. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or high 3 to 4 hours. Add green beans for the last 30 to 60 minutes.
How do I get a golden crust on the rice?
Rinse and soak basmati, then parboil until slightly firm. Drain and return to the pot with oil or butter. Flatten the rice, cover tightly, and cook over very low heat 20 to 30 minutes. The bottom will form a golden crust similar to tahdig.
Can I use fresh green beans or other vegetables?
Yes. Fresh green beans work well; add them in for the last 30 minutes. If you use denser vegetables like potatoes or carrots, add them earlier so they cook through.
How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce or microwave until heated through.
Is this recipe gluten free and dairy free?
Yes. The stew is naturally dairy free and gluten free if you use plain beef broth without added gluten-containing ingredients. Check packaged broths and spice blends for additives if you need strict gluten free.
How can I adjust the spice level?
Reduce the freshly ground black pepper to lower heat, or add crushed red pepper or a pinch of cayenne for extra kick. You can also adjust the nutmeg or cinnamon for more warmth without heat.
What cut of beef should I use?
Use lean stew beef such as trimmed chuck or round, cut into 1-inch cubes. Browning the cubes first gives the stew better flavor and color.
How do I make and store the spice mix?
Combine cumin, black pepper, coriander, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, and a pinch of cinnamon. The batch yields about 1/2 cup. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place for up to six months. Use 1 tablespoon per stew batch.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the beef and sauté onions and garlic first, then transfer to the slow cooker with tomatoes, cilantro, broth, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the spice mix. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or high 3 to 4 hours. Add green beans for the last 30 to 60 minutes.
How do I get a golden crust on the rice?
Rinse and soak basmati, then parboil until slightly firm. Drain and return to the pot with oil or butter. Flatten the rice, cover tightly, and cook over very low heat 20 to 30 minutes. The bottom will form a golden crust similar to tahdig.
Can I use fresh green beans or other vegetables?
Yes. Fresh green beans work well; add them in for the last 30 minutes. If you use denser vegetables like potatoes or carrots, add them earlier so they cook through.
How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce or microwave until heated through.
Is this recipe gluten free and dairy free?
Yes. The stew is naturally dairy free and gluten free if you use plain beef broth without added gluten-containing ingredients. Check packaged broths and spice blends for additives if you need strict gluten free.
How can I adjust the spice level?
Reduce the freshly ground black pepper to lower heat, or add crushed red pepper or a pinch of cayenne for extra kick. You can also adjust the nutmeg or cinnamon for more warmth without heat.
It is really nice stew. I added additionally some turmic(1teasp) and a hint of crushed dry red Chili flakes.
Brilliant with fresh crusty bread and some fresh Arabic style herb salad. Yummy yummy :)
This site is helpful
My friend, Reza Marouf, cooked the “crispy bottom rice” by simply pouring oil (alot) around the sides of the almost cooked rice pot. When finished, the rice was crispy golden at the bottom of the pan and crusty.
My cousin’s wife, from Tehran, used to make this for us. This is just how I remember it. Next is to try and tackle the saffron rice!
I’ve made this twice—once in our dutch oven baked in our wood fired pizza oven and once in a pressure cooker. Both times, we used the ras el hanout from the spice house instead of making our own seasoning. It turns out great. I usually brown the meat in hot oil, then rem0ve it. Then saute the onion until soft. Then add the garlic, cook for a minute, then add the ras el hanout, cook for another minute, then add everything else, including the beef. The green beans are a good addition and taste even better the next day.
This is my go to recipe if I am feeling run down. All the wonderful spices are amazing together, they cook into the meat and broth and mellow a bit after the simmer time. The only change I’ve made is to cut way back on the nutmeg, 1/4 – 1/2 tsp is fine due to me using ground nutmeg, not fresh. ( I’m assuming the fresh nutmeg is not as strong as the ground version?) The combo tastes like Worcestershire sauce, (now I know where they got the recipe from) though 100 times better! Thanks for sharing this recipe with us!