Ingredients

  • 3 cups finely sliced onions
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
  • 1/4 cup red kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained
  • 1/4 cup navy beans, soaked overnight and drained
  • 2/3 cup lentils
  • 1 cup beef bouillon
  • 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
  • 1/2 cup scallion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill weed, chopped
  • 1/2 lb beef, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (or to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons yellow split peas
  • 8 ounces persian noodles (reshte) or 8 ounces flat egg noodles
  • 1 tablespoon flour or 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon saffron
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon crushed of fresh mint or 1 teaspoon crushed dried mint

Method

  • In a dutch oven, saute' onions in 3 Tbs oil until golden; stir in turmeric through pepper. Place drained chickpeas, kidney and navy beans in the pot with the onions and add 2 1/2 qts water. Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low and let simmer 40 minutes.
  • Add lentils and bouillon, cover again and let simmer 40 more minutes.
  • Add spinach through dillweed and cook 20 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
  • As soon as spinach and herbs are added to the soup, begin the meat garnish: In a medium saucepan, saute beef through garlic in 1 Tbs oil until beef is browned and onion is soft. Add 1/2 cup water and the split peas, cover and cook 20 minutes over low heat.
  • Taste the soup (not the meat garnish), adjust the seasonings and add more water if too thick. Add noodles. Stir a bit of the soup liquid into the flour or cornstarch to dissolve, then stir solution back into the soup. Cook 10-12 minutes until noodles are done.
  • Dissolve the saffron in 1 Tbs hot water and combine with tomato paste and 1/4 tsp salt; stir into the meat garnish (not the soup). Cover and simmer 10 minutes more.
  • Stir some of the soup (not the meat garnish) into the 1/2 cup sour cream, then stir this mixture back into the soup (not the garnish). Stir in vinegar and cook a minute to heat through.
  • Pour soup into 4 large soup bowls. Add a quarter of the meat garnish to each bowl but do not stir in; on top of each, float a 1/2-Tbsp dollop of sour cream; sprinkle with mint and serve.