Showstopper Recipe: Iranian Lamb Stew, Ghormeh Sabzi, with Fluffy Rice and Yoghurt

Having trouble pronouncing this week’s showstopper recipe…us too! Our Iranian lamb stew, Ghormeh Sabzi – pronounced “gor-meh zab-zee” – is an Iranian herb recipe which is often said to be Iran’s national dish which dates back more than 2000 years (our beloved roast beef and yorkshire pudding isn’t even that old!). When a recipe has been kicking about for that long, you can rest assured that it will be nothing short of delicious. And that it is.

‘Ghormeh’ is the Persian word for ‘stew’ while ‘sabzi’ is the Persian word for ‘herbs’. Traditionally, it is made with fresh herbs but here we’ve brought you a quick, easy and equally delicious alternative using dried herbs.

There is so much going on in this dish – herbs, fragrant turmeric-spiced lamb, kidney beans and fresh zesty lime making every mouthful of this dish a total delight. Packed with 3 of your 5-a-day, it is the perfect alternative to a curry and a delicious way to fill up on your veg! For more inspired creations, check out our lamb recipes collection and stay tuned for our foreword on new recipes, featuring innovative dishes like Herby Lamb Koftas on Garlic Naans, Pan-Fried Lamb Steak and Chimichurri or Chermoula Spiced Lamb and Rice.

What’s the “showstopper” in this dish?

Our spice of the month, Ghormeh Sabzi, is the showstopper of this week’s recipe. The main ingredients are a mixture of sauteed herbs, consisting mainly of parsley, leeks or green onions, coriander, seasoned with the key spice of dried fenugreek leaves which brings a lovely depth of flavour to the dish. The herb mixture itself has many variations, and practically any dark bitter green can be used (kale, spring greens, kalettes etc. although none are part of the original recipe).

Our Top Tips for this dish:

Traditionally, this dish is served with ‘chelow’, persian parboiled or steamed rice. For perfectly steamed rice, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the rice and a pinch of salt and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and leave to simmer for 10 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for another 10 mins. Don’t peek under the lid until the 20 mins are up unless you want mushy rice!

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If you liked this dish, we’re sure you’ll love these:

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Defrosting Mince for your Ghormeh Sabzi:

If you’re not currently a HelloFresh customer and you’re cooking with frozen mince meat, don’t forget to check out our guide on how to defrost mince safely, for tips.