Persian Sour Herb Stew with Marbled Eggs
This is one of those recipes that would have always intrigued me but when the kids were little, I would’ve waited to make it on a night that I was resigned to feeding them chicken nuggets. The amount of green, the sour notes and even the fact that eggs are the protein, would’ve been enough to elicit tears. But the fact that now, when my youngest son asked “What’s for dinner?” (it never fails, he always asks) and I replied, Persian Sour Herb Stew with Marbled Eggs. His response was, “Sounds good!” Well, let’s just say, we’ve come a long way, baby!
In my opinion, the large amount of fresh herbs used here are the game changer. Full bunches of pureed cilantro, parsley and dill are sautéed with frozen chopped spinach to make a delicious stew of sorts. There was the curious inclusion of 1/4 cup of dried cilantro which is something you will never find in my pantry (in my opinion dried cilantro smells and tastes nothing like the fresh herb and therefore makes no sense). But the large amount sent me to the spice aisle to begrudging buy a bottle. I will say that my belief was confirmed when I unsealed the top and took a whiff (I just don’t get it) but I included the 1/4 cup per the recipe instructions. I will include the dried cilantro each time I make this recipe, until the bottle runs out, and then I will likely never buy it again. You do as you see fit.
Other than that, this recipe is a perfect meatless main. I served with both toasted pita and white rice (one or the other would be just fine). And you can cook the eggs for as little or as long as you prefer. Serve with a bottle of hot sauce if, like me, you’d like to kick it up a notch.
And I fully understand that if my words have not convinced you to give Persian Sour Herb Stew with Marbled Eggs a shot, the picture won’t tip the scale. So here’s to hoping that you are already hooked. Enjoy!
Persian Sour Herb Stew with Marbled Eggs (Torshi Tareh)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbls basmati rice rinsed
- 1 large bunch cilantro
- 1 large bunch dill
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 c olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 10 oz frozen chopped spinach
- 1/4 c dried cilantro
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 c fresh lime juice from about 4 limes
- 6 large eggs
- Cooked rice, pita and smoked white fish for serving; optional
Instructions
- Combine rice with 3 cups water in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove from heat; set aside.*
- Meanwhile, tear cilantro, dill, and parsley (including stems) with your hands. Working in batches if needed, stuff into a food processor and process until finely chopped.
- Combine onion and oil in a cold large high-sided skillet with a lid. Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring and shaking pan occasionally, until onion is dark brown around the edges, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until garlic is just barely golden, about 1 minute. Add turmeric and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add herbs and spinach (no need to defrost or drain) and cook, stirring often, until herbs are wilted and spinach is thoroughly defrosted, about 2 minutes. Add dried cilantro, pepper, salt, and reserved parcooked rice along with all of the water. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until flavors come together, about 10 minutes.
- Remove lid and continue to cook spinach mixture until greens are glossy and liquid is almost completely evaporated (dragging a rubber spatula or wooden spoon through the mixture should leave a trail with little to no liquid seeping back in), 10-15 minutes. Stir in lime juice; taste and season with more salt if needed.
- Make 6 divots in mixture and crack an egg into each one (or, if making with egg whites only, separate out egg yolks first and reserve for another use). Working quickly, drag the tip of an offset spatula or butter knife through each egg once or twice to break up the yolks and encourage wisps of egg white to spread throughout the mixture (you want a marbled effect—don’t scramble). Cover pan and simmer until eggs are cooked to your liking, about 3 minutes for jammy.
- Serve with rice and smoked fish alongside if desired.