SAEDNEWS: In an interview with a TV host, Iranian film and television actor Sina Mehrad said that everyone knows how much he loves celery stew. He explained that whenever his mother sends him a message saying she has cooked it, he drops everything—even theater rehearsals—and rushes straight home to eat it.
According to the Saednews Cooking Desk,Today we are going to teach you how to prepare Khoresh Karafs, one of the most aromatic and authentic Iranian stews. This dish is loved for its unique flavor and its delicious combination of herbs, celery, and meat. It is also known to be a favorite dish of actor Sina Mehrad in the series Badnaam.
In this step-by-step guide, you will learn how to prepare this rich and flavorful stew at home in the simplest way—from preparing the ingredients to important tips that help make the stew perfectly thick, well-cooked, and flavorful.
Stewing meat: 400 g
Celery: 1 whole stalk (including stems and leaves)
Mint: half the amount of celery leaves
Parsley: half the amount of celery leaves
Onions: 2
Oil: 8–10 tablespoons
Garlic powder: 1 teaspoon
Turmeric: ½ teaspoon
Black pepper: ½ teaspoon
Salt: 2 teaspoons
Verjuice (or sour grape juice): 3 tablespoons
Water: as needed
Start by taking a whole celery stalk, cutting off the base, and separating the stems from the leaves.
Wash everything thoroughly. It is recommended to use a clean brush to remove any dirt inside the celery stems and make sure all parts are well cleaned.
After washing, chop the celery stems and place them in a pan.
Now prepare the leaves along with parsley and mint in a 2–1–1 ratio. Chop and sauté them.
Sauté both the celery stems and the herb mixture in oil and a little salt for about 20 minutes. If they start to burn, add a small amount of water during cooking. After 20 minutes, combine them and set aside.
Cut about 400 grams of meat (traditionally lamb from the leg or shoulder works well for this stew).
Chop and sauté the onions in a pot until golden.
Add the meat to the onions and fry for 4–5 minutes.
Then add garlic powder, turmeric, and black pepper. Pour in water and let it simmer for about one hour.
After one hour, add the cooked celery and herbs to the pot along with water and salt.
Let it cook for another hour over low heat until it thickens and becomes well blended.
Finally, add 3 tablespoons of verjuice as a seasoning and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Your celery stew is ready.
Serve it hot with steamed rice (kateh).
If you try this recipe, enjoy it and feel free to share your results.
