Khoresh is a generic term for stew dishes in the Iranian cuisine. It generally refers to different stews in the Iranian cuisine, and is typically served beside polo (rice). In Iranian cuisines there are many different Khoresh with many unique ingredients. Vegetarian Khoreshes are common. Iranian stews use liberal amounts of saffron to give a distinctive and fragrant taste. The most popular Khoreshes are Khoresh Gheymeh, Khoresh Ghormeh Sabzi and Khoresh Fesenjaan.
A khoresh typically consists of herbs, fruits, and meat pieces, flavored with tomato paste, saffron, and pomegranate juice.
Ghormeh Sabzi (also spelled as Qormeh Sabzi) is an Iranian herb stew. It is a very popular dish in Iran. The main ingredients are a mixture of sauteed herbs, consisting mainly of parsley, leeks or green onions, and coriander, seasoned with the key spice of dried fenugreek leaves. This mixture is cooked with kidney beans or yellow split-peas, yellow or red onions, black lime (pierced dried limu-Omani Persian lime), and turmeric-seasoned lamb or beef. The dish is then served with chelow (Persian parboiled and steamed rice) or over tahdig.
Gheimeh is an Iranian stew (khoresh) consisting of mutton, tomatoes, split peas, onion and dried lime. The stew is garnished with aubergine or saffron flavored fried potatoes and is usually served with rice.
Khoresh-e Fesenjān or simply Fesenjān is an Iranian stew (a khoresh) flavored with pomegranate paste and ground walnuts . It is traditionally made with poultry (duck or chicken). Fesenjān can also be made using balls of ground meat. Depending on the recipe, it can have a sweet or sour taste. Fesenjān is served with Iranian white or yellow rice (polo or chelo).
Abgoosht is an Iranian stew. It is also called Dizi which refers to the traditional stoneware crocks it is served in. Some describe it as a “hearty mutton Persian soup thickened with chickpeas.
