Abgousht (Persian Beef Stew)

Ingredients:

150g dried chickpeas
150g dried white beans
225g beef shank, with bones (mAheecheh)
1 medium onion, peeled
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
75g long-grain rice
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 tbsp ground turmeric
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
2 whole dried lemons (leemoo-amAnee) or 4 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

Combine the beans in a bowl and cover with water then set aside to soak over night. Wash the rice, place in a bowl then cover with water and set aside to soak over night.

Wash the meat, place in a medium-sized pot half filled with water then drain the beans and add these along with the onion, turmeric, salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer then cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 90 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Drain the rice and add to the pan along with the potato and tomato. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes, or until all the ingredients are tender.

Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. Drain the contents of the pan (reserve the liquid) then transfer the pan contents to a bowl and mash until smooth. Adjust the seasonings to taste then separate the meat from the bones, chop finely and mix into the mash.

Serve the mash immediately and serve the cooking liquid in a separate bowl. It is traditional to mix this with small pieces of bread (pita bread is good). Typically this would be accompanied with Iranian bread, raw onions, radishes and mixed fresh herbs.