Abgoosht / Dizi (Persian Lamb & Chickpea Stew)

About This Recipe

Abgoosht, also called dizi after the stone crocks it traditionally cooks in, is one of Iran's most beloved comfort foods. Bone-in lamb simmers for hours with chickpeas, white beans, potatoes and tomatoes, scented with turmeric, dried lime (limoo amani) and a whisper of cinnamon. The genius of the dish lies in how it is eaten: the fragrant broth is strained off and sipped with torn sangak bread soaked in it (called tilit), while the remaining meat, beans and potatoes are pounded into a coarse mash (goosht koobideh) and scooped up with more bread, raw onion, pickles and fresh herbs. It is humble, deeply savoury and endlessly satisfying on a cold day.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 700 gbone-in lamb shank or neck(cut into large pieces)
• 150 gdried chickpeas(soaked overnight)
• 100 gdried white beans(soaked overnight)
• 1 largeonion(quartered)
• 3 mediumpotatoes(peeled)
• 2 mediumtomatoes(quartered)
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 3 wholedried limes (limoo amani)(pierced)
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 1 smallcinnamon stick
• 1.5 Lwater(or more as needed)
• 1 tspsalt(plus more to taste)
• 0.5 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the lamb and onion

   Heat a little oil in a heavy pot over medium-high. Sear the lamb pieces on all sides until deeply browned, about 6-8 minutes, then add the quartered onion and cook until softened and golden, 3-4 minutes.

   A hard sear builds the savoury depth that defines a good abgoosht.

2. 2

   Add turmeric and beans

   Stir in the turmeric and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the drained chickpeas and white beans, then pour in the water. Bring to a boil and skim off any grey foam that rises to the surface.

3. 3

   Add aromatics and simmer

   Drop in the dried limes, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper. Cover, lower the heat and simmer very gently for about 1.5 hours, until the lamb and beans are beginning to turn tender. Top up with hot water if it reduces too far.

   Pierce each dried lime with a knife so it releases its sour, fermented perfume without bursting.

4. 4

   Add tomatoes and paste

   Stir in the quartered tomatoes and tomato paste. Continue simmering covered for another 45 minutes, until the meat is falling from the bone and the beans are completely soft.

5. 5

   Add potatoes

   Tuck the whole peeled potatoes into the stew and cook a further 30-35 minutes, until a knife slides through them easily and the broth has turned rich and golden. Taste and adjust salt.

6. 6

   Strain the broth

   Set a colander over a bowl and carefully strain the stew, reserving all the liquid as the soup course. Discard the cinnamon stick and the spent dried limes once they have given their flavour.

   Squeeze the soft dried limes against the colander to push out their last drops of sourness before discarding.

7. 7

   Mash the goosht

   Remove the lamb bones. Place the meat, beans, chickpeas, potatoes and onion in a bowl and pound with a masher or pestle into a coarse, spreadable paste. Season generously with salt.

8. 8

   Serve as two courses

   Serve the hot broth first with torn bread soaked in it. Follow with the mashed goosht scooped onto flatbread, alongside raw onion, fresh herbs, pickles and a squeeze of lemon.

Variations

• •

  Add a handful of yellow split peas in step 2 for a thicker, heartier broth.

• •

  Swap lamb for bone-in beef shin for a deeper, beefier flavour.

• •

  Stir in a pinch of saffron bloomed in hot water for a more festive version.

• •

  Add eggplant, browned separately, in the last hour for a richer southern-Iranian take.

Storage

Keep the broth and mash separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the broth gently and warm the mash with a splash of water.

Frequently Asked Questions