Persian Noodle Soup (Ash-e Reshteh)

I recently re-discovered Ash. Emily, my niece, absolutely loves it and my mom makes it frequently. So I decided to make it but add my own touch. I add one chopped leeks and about one tablespoon of cayenne pepper. I cheat and buy canned beans and lentils to save time.

After a bowl of Ash, I love to drink a cup of hot green tea with lemon and honey.

Nooshe jan نوش جان

*Soup
1/2 cup red beans
1/2 cup lentils
3 onions, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper (I add cayenne pepper)
1 tsp. turmeric
10 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chives or scallions coarsely chopped (I use leek)
1/2 cup dill weed (or one tbsp. of dry dill weed)
chopped1/2 cup parsley
coarsely chopped2 cups spinach(fresh or frozen)
1/2 lb. Persian noodles (Reshteh) or flat egg noodles
1 cup liquid whey (kashke)

*Gheimeh Garnish
1/4 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp. oil
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. saffron, dissolved in 1 Tbsp hot water
1/2 tsp. salt

*Mint Garnish
1 onion, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. dried mint flakes

Soup instructions:
In large pot, brown onions in oil.

Add salt, 1/4 tsp. of the pepper, and turmeric.
Pour in water and add red beans.
Cover and simmer 45 minutes.
Add lentils and broth. Cook 35 minutes.
Add scallions, dill, parsley and spinach.
Stir occasionally and cook 20 minutes or until done.
Correct seasoning (add the rest of the pepper if needed) and add more water if too thick.
Add noodles and cook until noodles are done--about 10 minutes.

Set aside a heaping Tbsp. of kashke for garnish. Stir 2 Tbsp. of soup into remaining kashke.
Stir this mixture slowly into soup.
Reheat just before serving, adding more water if it's too thick.

Gheimeh:
About 1/2 hour before serving, prepare gheimeh garnish.
Brown meat, onion, and garlic in oil. Stir in water. Cover and cook20 minutes over low heat. Add saffron, and salt.

Simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Mint:
While gheimeh is simmering, prepare mint garnish.
Brown onion and garlicin oil.
Remove from heat.
Crush mint flakes in hand and stir into onion.
Pour soup into tureen, garnish with gheimeh and mint garnish and reserved kashke on top.

The Green Fairy

Absinthe (Saffron's Recipe)
1.5 oz Wormwood
1/3 oz Hyssop
1/3 oz Calamus Root (If you add more calamus, you will get a better buzz )
1/8 oz Fennel Seed
1 tsp Mint *
1 tsp cloves *
1 tsp coriander *
1/2 tsp Nutmeg *
2 Star Ansise fruits*

First, Grind the Fennel Seeds, Coriander, and Cloves with a mortar and pestle.

Mix with the rest of the dry ingredients (wormwood, hyssop, calamus, and mint) and pour them into an airtight container. Mix with a bottle of Everclear (750ml, 190 proof - or rum 151 might suffice - do not use regular-strength alcohols -- less than 100 proof). Allow mix to steep for at least two weeks (up to 1-2 months).

At the end of the two weeks (or two months), strain the liquid through a thin cloth (muslin or a handkerchief) to remove the solid matter.

Now Add:
1/2 Dropper full of Wormwood Essential Oil.*
1/3 - 2/3 Bottle of Anise Extract (To taste)
1 tsp Mint Extract *
2-10 shots Ouzo* (To taste)


The ingredients marked with a "*" are not completely necessary, but will help make the drink more palatable.

Kalila is the Herb You Seek

Initially Borzuy sought his king's permission to make a trip to Hindustan in search of a mountain herb he had read about that is "mingled into a compound and, when sprinkled over a corpse, it is immediately restored to life." The Shah gave his permission, equipped Borzuy fully for the journey and handed over to him a number of gifts, together with a letter for the Rãy of India, whom he requested to assist the physician in his search. On his arrival in Hindustan he was received with high honor and granted all facility for his task, including a retinue of local physicians to guide him on his way.
But when Borzuy locates and prepares the miraculous mountain herb and sprinkles it over various corpses provided for his experiments, alas — the magic potion does not work. He is sore distressed at his failure and angry at the false information that has led him so far astray, not to mention the shame which will descend upon him when he returns empty-handed to Persia and faces his king's displeasure. In desperation he asks the Indian physicians accompanying him what to do. Do they know anyone who can help him?
"With one voice they replied: 'There is an ancient sage here who surpasses us in years and wisdom and who in his science is superior to any of the great.
"They guided Borzuy to this man, whose mind was filled with contemplation and whose lips were ever ready for speech. Borzuy laid all his trials before him, speaking of the book which he had discovered and the words which he had heard from men expert in knowledge. When the ancient sage began to speak he discoursed on every branch of science.
I too have found this thing in books,' he said, 'and have moved eagerly, led by the same hopes. When nothing came to light after my travails, I had perforce to listen to a different interpretation. The herb is the scientist; science is the mountain, everlastingly out of reach of the multitude. The corpse is the man without knowledge, for the uninstructed man is everywhere lifeless. Through knowledge man becomes revivified. Happy is he who submits himself steadfastly to labor. In the king's treasury there is a book which the well-qualified call Kalila. When people become weary of their ignorance, the herb for them is Kalila, knowledge being the mountain. If you seek this book in the king's treasury you will find it, and it will be your guide to knowledge.'
"Borzuy rejoiced to hear this and all his past toil appeared in his eyes as empty wind. He blessed the sage and departed for the king's court, and, traversing the road like fire, he arrived in the Rãy's presence and lavished compliments upon him.
'May you occupy your throne as long as India exists!' he said. 'Rāy, you whose triumphs are widespread, there exists a certain book whose title in Hindu is Kalila. In your majesty's treasury it is sealed as precious and it contains guidance mingled with discernment and wisdom. That herb is a metaphor for this Kalila, nought else. I beg that your majesty, lord of India, may bid your treasurer consign the book to me, if you will not hold that to be irksome.
"The Rāy's spirit was rendered unhappy by this request and his body was agitated where he sat.
'Borzuy,' he said, 'no one has ever sought this of me, either recently or in times past. Yet were the emperor Nushirvān to demand my body and soul I would not withhold them from him, nor anything else. I have not any person noble or humble here. But read it in my presence here, lest some malevolent person hostile to me should claim that the book was written by a mortal. Read, understand and investigate it from every point of view.