flipÂsh-e adas — lentil and herb soup with kashk
Âsh-e adas — lentil and herb soup with kashk
Why this dish? Pîrûz was a Persian artisan torn from Nahavand: âsh, this thick lentil and herb soup sharpened with a touch of kashk, is the quintessential domestic dish of his homeland, one that simmered in every Persian house, rich or poor. Having become a slave in Arabia, it was surely the taste of home he missed most.
A rustic and nourishing soup where lentils melt with cracked wheat, perfumed with mint, coriander and dill, and bound with a spoonful of tangy kashk. The evening meal that sticks to the ribs without costing much.
Approach, stranger, and see what my mother used to make in Nahavand. We threw the lentils into the water at dawn, with a little pounded wheat, and let them swell all day while I carved wood. In the evening, we scraped in the garden herbs and dissolved a hard kashk ball between our fingers — its sour edge wakes everything up, I promise you. Here, on this land of dates and she-camels, no one knows this taste; but I have not forgotten my father's table.
- •Brown lentils — a good handful per mouth (nourishing base)
- •Cracked wheat or hulled barley — a small handful (binder, thickener)
- •Onion — one (aromatic base)
- •Fresh mint, coriander and dill — a large bunch (herbaceous freshness)
- •Kashk (dried whey) — one ball, dissolved (sourness and umami — the signature)
- •Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Âsh-e adas — lentil and herb soup with kashk
A rustic and nourishing soup where lentils melt with cracked wheat, perfumed with mint, coriander and dill, and bound with a spoonful of tangy kashk. The evening meal that sticks to the ribs without costing much.
Why this dish? Pîrûz was a Persian artisan torn from Nahavand: âsh, this thick lentil and herb soup sharpened with a touch of kashk, is the quintessential domestic dish of his homeland, one that simmered in every Persian house, rich or poor. Having become a slave in Arabia, it was surely the taste of home he missed most.
Approach, stranger, and see what my mother used to make in Nahavand. We threw the lentils into the water at dawn, with a little pounded wheat, and let them swell all day while I carved wood. In the evening, we scraped in the garden herbs and dissolved a hard kashk ball between our fingers — its sour edge wakes everything up, I promise you. Here, on this land of dates and she-camels, no one knows this taste; but I have not forgotten my father's table.
Ingredients (period version)
- Brown lentils — a good handful per mouth (nourishing base)
- Cracked wheat or hulled barley — a small handful (binder, thickener)
- Onion — one (aromatic base)
- Fresh mint, coriander and dill — a large bunch (herbaceous freshness)
- Kashk (dried whey) — one ball, dissolved (sourness and umami — the signature)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Green or brown lentils — 250 g (base)
- Bulgur or cracked wheat — 60 g (binder)
- Onion — 1 large, finely chopped (base)
- Fresh coriander, mint and dill — 1 large bunch each, chopped (herbs)
- Liquid kashk (Iranian grocery) or beaten Greek yogurt — 4 tbsp (sourness/umami)
- Turmeric — 1/2 tsp (color and aroma)
- Salt, oil — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Sauté the chopped onion in a little oil until golden, add turmeric.
- Add rinsed lentils and bulgur, cover generously with water and simmer for 40-50 minutes on low heat.
- When lentils are tender, stir in chopped herbs and cook for 10 more minutes.
- Off the heat, dissolve kashk (or yogurt) in a ladle of broth then stir it in to avoid curdling.
- Adjust salt, serve thick with a drizzle of kashk on top.
How it was made : Âsh are among the oldest dishes of the Iranian plateau — the word gave "cook" (âshpaz). Before rice became widespread, they thickened with cracked wheat and barley. Kashk, dried milk stored for long keeping, provided protein and acidity where fresh dairy was scarce.
The contemporary twist : Serve in small bowls with a cloud of crispy fried onions and a spiral of kashk, in the style of âsh-e reshteh from Iranian bazaars.
Sources : Najmieh Batmanglij, Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking · Touraj Daryaee, Sasanian Persia: The Rise and Fall of an Empire
Abu Lu'lu'a Fīrūz · Charactorium
