Khoresht Gheimeh (Persian Stew with Beef and Split Peas)

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Gheimeh is another classical Persian stew. The recipe is quite versatile with the option of adding either fried potatoes or eggplants. In some variations, both items are added to create a more complex taste, however, we only served the potatoes as a side this time. We've actually tried to make this a few times (succeeding sometimes and failing others) until we came up with this revised (and excellent) edition of the stew. It tasted yummy but the split peas were disintegrated to some extent probably as a result of soaking for too long. We should've been able to see them whole as they add a bit of a colour and texture to the stew, but it wasn't anything that stopped it from tasting good. Aside from this, the sweetness of the white onion played very well with the sour and aromatic tinge of lime juice (!).

Ease of Cooking	Yummy Factor	Apprx. Cost
		HK$50 (US$6.5)

Ingredients (Serves 2)
300g beef, diced
2 medium white onions, grated
2 medium potatoes
1 cup yellow split peas, soaked
4 tbsp tomato paste
5 tbsp oil
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp turmeric
Salt and pepper

Directions
Soak the split peas overnight.
Fry onions with turmeric, salt and pepper until completely brown.
Add in the beef and fry for 10 mins.
Add the split peas and stir fry for another 5 mins.
Dilute the tomato paste in a cup of boiling water and add it to the mixture.
Let the mixture boil for another 10 min, stirring occasionally.
Transfer the mixture into a stew pot and add three cups of boiling water. Stew for 45 min on low heat.
Add the lime juice and adjust the spices if necessary and continue the stewing for another 45 mins.
Add water occasionally to compensate for water loss.
Serve with fried potatoes and garlic couscous or saffron flavoured rice.

Side Dish: Fried Potatoes
Cut the potatoes into thin slices and pan fry them with a bit of turmeric until cooked.