Critical Moments
- •Soaking legumes overnight
- •Cooking beans until fully tender before adding noodles
- •Using abundant fresh herbs (don't skimp)
- •Achieving proper thick pottage consistency
- •Frying onions until truly crispy (not just golden)
- •Frying mint briefly in butter (don't burn)
Soak the legumes (night before)
The night before, place chickpeas, white beans, and kidney beans (if using) in separate bowls. Cover each with plenty of cold water—at least three times their volume. Soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. The beans will roughly double in size.
Critical Step
Soaking is essential for even cooking and digestibility. Unsoaked beans take much longer and cook unevenly. Chickpeas especially need long soaking.
Soak the legumes (night before)
The night before, place chickpeas, white beans, and kidney beans (if using) in separate bowls. Cover each with plenty of cold water—at least three times their volume. Soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. The beans will roughly double in size.
Critical Step
Soaking is essential for even cooking and digestibility. Unsoaked beans take much longer and cook unevenly. Chickpeas especially need long soaking.
Prepare the herbs
Wash all herbs thoroughly in several changes of water—they can be very sandy. Drain well and chop finely. Combine all chopped herbs in a large bowl. You should have roughly 700g of chopped herbs total.
Critical Step
The abundance of fresh herbs is what defines ash reshteh. Don't skimp—the soup should be intensely green and herbaceous. Thorough washing prevents gritty soup.
Prepare the herbs
Wash all herbs thoroughly in several changes of water—they can be very sandy. Drain well and chop finely. Combine all chopped herbs in a large bowl. You should have roughly 700g of chopped herbs total.
Critical Step
The abundance of fresh herbs is what defines ash reshteh. Don't skimp—the soup should be intensely green and herbaceous. Thorough washing prevents gritty soup.
Start the soup base
Drain the soaked beans and rinse well. In a large stockpot, heat 60ml oil over medium heat. Add the 2 diced onions and cook for 8-10 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add garlic and turmeric, cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Start the soup base
Drain the soaked beans and rinse well. In a large stockpot, heat 60ml oil over medium heat. Add the 2 diced onions and cook for 8-10 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add garlic and turmeric, cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Add legumes and water
Add the drained chickpeas, white beans, kidney beans (if using), and lentils to the pot. Add 2500ml water or stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam that rises to the surface.
Add legumes and water
Add the drained chickpeas, white beans, kidney beans (if using), and lentils to the pot. Add 2500ml water or stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam that rises to the surface.
Simmer the legumes
Simmer uncovered for 45-60 minutes until the chickpeas and beans are tender but not falling apart. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed—the soup should remain brothy at this stage. Season with salt halfway through.
Critical Step
The beans must be fully tender before adding the noodles—they won't soften much more after that. Undercooked chickpeas are unpleasant. Test by eating one.
Simmer the legumes
Simmer uncovered for 45-60 minutes until the chickpeas and beans are tender but not falling apart. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed—the soup should remain brothy at this stage. Season with salt halfway through.
Critical Step
The beans must be fully tender before adding the noodles—they won't soften much more after that. Undercooked chickpeas are unpleasant. Test by eating one.
Add the herbs
Add all the chopped herbs to the pot. Stir well to incorporate. The soup will become intensely green. Continue simmering for 20-25 minutes, allowing the herbs to cook down and meld with the broth.
Add the herbs
Add all the chopped herbs to the pot. Stir well to incorporate. The soup will become intensely green. Continue simmering for 20-25 minutes, allowing the herbs to cook down and meld with the broth.
Add the noodles
Add the reshteh noodles, breaking them into roughly 10cm lengths if very long. Stir gently to prevent sticking. Cook for 10-15 minutes until noodles are tender but not mushy. The soup will thicken significantly.
Critical Step
The noodles continue to absorb liquid as they sit. Slightly undercook if not serving immediately. Overcooked noodles become mushy and fall apart.
Common Mistakes
- •Overcooking noodles (mushy)
- •Not stirring (noodles stick and burn)
- •Soup too thick (add water as needed)
Add the noodles
Add the reshteh noodles, breaking them into roughly 10cm lengths if very long. Stir gently to prevent sticking. Cook for 10-15 minutes until noodles are tender but not mushy. The soup will thicken significantly.
Critical Step
The noodles continue to absorb liquid as they sit. Slightly undercook if not serving immediately. Overcooked noodles become mushy and fall apart.
Common Mistakes
- •Overcooking noodles (mushy)
- •Not stirring (noodles stick and burn)
- •Soup too thick (add water as needed)
Adjust consistency and seasoning
The soup should be thick like a pottage—spoonable but not gluey. Add water to thin if needed, or simmer longer to thicken. Taste and adjust salt generously—ash needs assertive seasoning. Add pepper.
Critical Step
Proper consistency is essential. Too thin is watery; too thick is gluey. The soup should be thick enough that toppings float on top rather than sinking.
Adjust consistency and seasoning
The soup should be thick like a pottage—spoonable but not gluey. Add water to thin if needed, or simmer longer to thicken. Taste and adjust salt generously—ash needs assertive seasoning. Add pepper.
Critical Step
Proper consistency is essential. Too thin is watery; too thick is gluey. The soup should be thick enough that toppings float on top rather than sinking.
Fry the crispy onion topping
While the soup simmers, heat 60ml oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 2 thinly sliced onions. Fry, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes until deeply golden brown and crispy. Remove to paper towels and season with a pinch of salt.
Critical Step
The crispy fried onions are an essential topping—their sweet, caramelized flavor contrasts beautifully with the tangy kashk. Don't undercook—they should be truly crispy.
Fry the crispy onion topping
While the soup simmers, heat 60ml oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 2 thinly sliced onions. Fry, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes until deeply golden brown and crispy. Remove to paper towels and season with a pinch of salt.
Critical Step
The crispy fried onions are an essential topping—their sweet, caramelized flavor contrasts beautifully with the tangy kashk. Don't undercook—they should be truly crispy.
Fry the mint in butter
In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add the dried mint. Swirl for 30-45 seconds until intensely fragrant and the mint has infused the butter. Remove from heat immediately—mint burns quickly.
Critical Step
The fried mint in butter is a signature Persian finishing technique. The aroma when it's drizzled over the soup is extraordinary. Don't burn the mint.
Fry the mint in butter
In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add the dried mint. Swirl for 30-45 seconds until intensely fragrant and the mint has infused the butter. Remove from heat immediately—mint burns quickly.
Critical Step
The fried mint in butter is a signature Persian finishing technique. The aroma when it's drizzled over the soup is extraordinary. Don't burn the mint.
Prepare the kashk
If the kashk is very thick, thin it slightly with a tablespoon or two of water to make it drizzleable. Warm it gently if cold. It should be pourable but still creamy.
Prepare the kashk
If the kashk is very thick, thin it slightly with a tablespoon or two of water to make it drizzleable. Warm it gently if cold. It should be pourable but still creamy.
Serve with traditional toppings
Ladle the hot soup into wide bowls. For each bowl: drizzle kashk in a decorative swirl pattern, add a generous mound of crispy fried onions in the center, and drizzle the mint butter over everything. Serve immediately with additional kashk on the side.
Serve with traditional toppings
Ladle the hot soup into wide bowls. For each bowl: drizzle kashk in a decorative swirl pattern, add a generous mound of crispy fried onions in the center, and drizzle the mint butter over everything. Serve immediately with additional kashk on the side.
