About recipe

This Persian Noodle Soup, called Ash Reshteh, is perfect for the fall! The fresh herbs, greens, and toppings make this stand out from your typical soup recipe. The toppings add crunchiness and tang, creating a unique experience on top of a nourishing soup!

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Ingredients (serves 1)

For the ash

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Legumes: 1/2 cup each of red kidney beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, and brown lentils
• 2 liters vegetable broth
• 1 large bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 large bunch fresh parsley
• 1 bunch chives
• 1 bag fresh spinach
• 100 g Persian Reshteh noodles (or whole wheat linguine)
• 3 Tbsp Persian kashk (or plain yogurt)
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish

• 4 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp dried mint
• 3 Tbsp diluted kashk for drizzling (or yogurt)

Preparation

For the Ash

1. Place a large stockpot on medium / high heat. Add 3 tbsp of vegetable oil. After a minute or so add the finely diced onion and cook until it is tender and turning golden brown. Add the garlic and turmeric and stir until evenly distributed and you can smell the aroma.
2. Drain and rinse the legumes and add to the stockpot. Cook for about a minute, stirring gently to coat with the onions, oil and spice.
3. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover for 20 mins, or once the chickpeas are cooked.
4. Wash and finely chop all the fresh herbs and spinach. Add them to the pot and cook for 20 more minutes. Add more water as desired. The thickness of the Ash should be between a chili and a soup.
5. Add the noodles and cook for 20 more minutes.
6. Add the kashk 1 spoonful at a time and mix it fully into the Ash, tasting as you go. Some put less kashk into their Ash and add more as a garnish. As kashk is salty, add any extra salt to your taste and a generous amount of pepper. Then give the Ash a gentle stir and simmer on a low heat until it is evenly heated through.

For the Garnish

1. For the mint oil – place a frying pan on medium-low heat and add 1 Tbsp of oil and the dried mint and let the mixture heat through for only 1 minute. Then pour it out into a bowl and set aside for when you are ready to garnish the Ash.
2. For the fried onions and garlic – using the same pan as the mint oil on medium heat, add 3 Tbsp oil and the finely sliced onion and garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring regularly until it turns golden brown and caramelized – about 15 minutes. Place the onions on a paper towel to absorb the oil.
3. For the kashk garnish – When you are ready to serve, ladle into bowls, drizzle with some of the diluted kashk, the mint oil and a sprinkling of onions.