Critical Moments
- •Cooking tomato paste to remove raw flavor
- •Adding green beans at the right time (after meat is nearly tender)
- •Cooking beans until fully tender (not al dente)
Prepare the green beans
Wash green beans and trim both ends. Cut on the diagonal into 4cm pieces. The diagonal cut creates more surface area for absorbing the flavorful sauce. Choose beans that snap cleanly when bent—this indicates freshness.
Common Mistakes
- •Cutting pieces too small (become mushy)
- •Using limp, bendy beans (less flavor, poor texture)
- •Leaving strings on older beans
Prepare the green beans
Wash green beans and trim both ends. Cut on the diagonal into 4cm pieces. The diagonal cut creates more surface area for absorbing the flavorful sauce. Choose beans that snap cleanly when bent—this indicates freshness.
Common Mistakes
- •Cutting pieces too small (become mushy)
- •Using limp, bendy beans (less flavor, poor texture)
- •Leaving strings on older beans
Brown the onions
Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.
Brown the onions
Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.
Add garlic, spices and brown the meat
Add minced garlic, turmeric, and cinnamon (if using), stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Increase heat to high, add meat cubes in a single layer, and brown well on at least two sides, about 6-8 minutes total. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding.
Add garlic, spices and brown the meat
Add minced garlic, turmeric, and cinnamon (if using), stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Increase heat to high, add meat cubes in a single layer, and brown well on at least two sides, about 6-8 minutes total. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding.
Build the tomato base
Reduce heat to medium. Add tomato paste and stir constantly for 2 minutes until darkened slightly. Add grated tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until tomatoes break down and raw smell disappears.
Critical Step
Cooking the tomato paste removes raw, tinny flavors and develops sweetness. Undercooked tomato paste makes the final stew taste harsh and one-dimensional.
Common Mistakes
- •Not cooking tomato paste long enough (harsh flavor)
- •Burning tomato paste (bitter taste)
- •Adding liquid too soon
Build the tomato base
Reduce heat to medium. Add tomato paste and stir constantly for 2 minutes until darkened slightly. Add grated tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until tomatoes break down and raw smell disappears.
Critical Step
Cooking the tomato paste removes raw, tinny flavors and develops sweetness. Undercooked tomato paste makes the final stew taste harsh and one-dimensional.
Common Mistakes
- •Not cooking tomato paste long enough (harsh flavor)
- •Burning tomato paste (bitter taste)
- •Adding liquid too soon
Add liquid and dried limes
Add water or stock, salt, and pepper. Pierce each dried lime 3-4 times with a sharp knife, then add to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1.5 hours until meat is very tender.
Add liquid and dried limes
Add water or stock, salt, and pepper. Pierce each dried lime 3-4 times with a sharp knife, then add to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1.5 hours until meat is very tender.
Add green beans
Add the prepared green beans to the pot, stirring gently to distribute them in the sauce. The beans should be mostly submerged. Add a splash more water if needed to barely cover the beans. Cover and continue simmering for 35-40 minutes.
Critical Step
Unlike Western preparations, Persian green beans should be fully tender—not al dente. This allows them to absorb the sauce flavors completely. Crunchy green beans are considered undercooked in this context.
Common Mistakes
- •Undercooking beans (should be fully tender, not crunchy)
- •Adding beans too early (become mushy)
- •Not adding enough liquid (beans cook unevenly)
Add green beans
Add the prepared green beans to the pot, stirring gently to distribute them in the sauce. The beans should be mostly submerged. Add a splash more water if needed to barely cover the beans. Cover and continue simmering for 35-40 minutes.
Critical Step
Unlike Western preparations, Persian green beans should be fully tender—not al dente. This allows them to absorb the sauce flavors completely. Crunchy green beans are considered undercooked in this context.
Common Mistakes
- •Undercooking beans (should be fully tender, not crunchy)
- •Adding beans too early (become mushy)
- •Not adding enough liquid (beans cook unevenly)
Adjust seasoning and rest
Stir in bloomed saffron if using. Taste the stew and adjust salt, pepper, and sourness. If more tang is desired, add fresh lemon juice or break open another dried lime. The stew should have a pleasant tangy note from the dried limes. Remove from heat, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
Common Mistakes
- •Under-seasoning (stew tastes flat)
- •Not enough sour element (missing the characteristic tang)
- •Over-reducing sauce (too thick)
Adjust seasoning and rest
Stir in bloomed saffron if using. Taste the stew and adjust salt, pepper, and sourness. If more tang is desired, add fresh lemon juice or break open another dried lime. The stew should have a pleasant tangy note from the dried limes. Remove from heat, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
Common Mistakes
- •Under-seasoning (stew tastes flat)
- •Not enough sour element (missing the characteristic tang)
- •Over-reducing sauce (too thick)
Serve
Transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot over chelow (Persian steamed rice) with tahdig. The dried limes can be left in for presentation or removed—some diners enjoy squeezing them for extra sourness.
Serve
Transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot over chelow (Persian steamed rice) with tahdig. The dried limes can be left in for presentation or removed—some diners enjoy squeezing them for extra sourness.
Resting Required
10 min - Allows sauce to thicken slightly and flavors to harmonize
