Kale Pache Recipe: Traditional Persian Sheep Head Stew

Kale Pache is one of the traditional and popular dishes in Iran and the Middle East regions, which includes different parts of the sheep’s body such as the tongue, legs, eyes, brain, ears, and face.

The preparation of offal has certain principles and rules so that the meat of all parts is well cooked and soft, and most importantly, their unpleasant smell is also removed.

Kale pache is a complete, heavy, and of course energy-giving meal. If you don’t have blood pressure or blood fat problems, it is an excellent meal for breakfast.

Consuming too much of this food causes blood fat and is not recommended for heart patients.

Usually, Iranians do not prepare this food at home due to its time-consuming and bad smell when cooking, and eat it in restaurants.

But today I have prepared an excellent recipe for this traditional Iranian dish for you to prepare easily and with minimal effort at home.

So, stay with me until the end of this article to have a great experience of cooking traditional Iranian kaleh pacheh.

What is kale pache?

Kale Pache is a traditional Persian dish made from the head, feet, and other parts of a sheep, slowly cooked with spices to create a flavorful and nutrient-dense meal.

It is often accompanied by Sangak bread and lemon juice, making it a distinctive breakfast in Iran and Afghanistan.

The broth is consumed as a starter, while the meat is enjoyed as the main part of the meal. With its rich taste and high-calorie content, Kale Pache is considered a complete meal that is best consumed in the morning.

Nutritional Benefits and Considerations

Kale Pache is packed with high-quality protein, B vitamins, zinc, and iron. The protein content supports the growth and repair of body tissues, making it beneficial for all age groups.

The brain and tongue of the sheep are especially rich in vitamin B12, which is crucial for blood formation and nervous system health.

Additionally, the legs (Pache) are believed to help with blood circulation, osteoporosis, and increasing breast milk production.

However, it is important to note that the brain and other fatty parts are high in cholesterol, equivalent to consuming multiple egg yolks, which can be harmful to those with cardiovascular issues.

Therefore, Kale Pache should be enjoyed occasionally as a special treat rather than a regular meal for those with health concerns Source: American Heart Association.

Preparation and Cooking Time:

• Preparation Time: 2 hours
• Cooking Time: 10 to 12 hours
• Calories per 100g: 350 calories

Ingredients for 5 Servings:

Step-by-Step Guide to Cooking Kaleh Pacheh:

1. Buying and choosing :

The most important thing in cooking is to buy the correct and moral sheep head first. Pay attention to this important point when buying it to distinguish goat kale pache from sheep.

For this, look at the sides of the eyes. If there is a hole next to both eyes, this is a sheep’s head.

2. The correct and principled method of cleaning sheep head:

You can get it cleaned at the markets. It seems like you’re halfway there if you get this. But even if it is clean, you still have to clean it.

The method of cleaning this food is to first roast the various parts of it on a gentle gas flame until the hairs on and under the skin are removed and the skin is slightly roasted.

3. Correct and accurate washing :

One of the most important points in preparing delicious food is to wash it properly. Even if you have bought a clean one, put it in a pot, leave it in water for 15 minutes, and wash it.

Pour this food into the water and change the water until the water is clear. Put the nose, ears, and tongue under water and rinse well.

Clean the teeth with a clean toothbrush and water. When you are completely sure that it is cleaned, start cooking it.

It is better to cut the head from the side of the tongue with a knife and pull it from both sides until it is half-cooked better.

4. Cook the delicious leg of sheep along with its head:

First, we choose a suitable and big pot. We place 5 cleaned sheep’s feet on the bottom of the dish. Then we place the cleaned sheep’s head on the feet.
We pour water on the number of people who want to eat this food.

For example, if there are 5 of you, we will pour 5 water bowls. Then increase the heat and cover the pot until the water and ingredients boil.

6. we go to chop three onions. We cut the onions into slices. Then we go to the garlic peel them and cut them in half.

7. After the water boils take the foam kale pacheh with a big spoon.
After this, we go to add spices. First, we add one and a half teaspoons of turmeric and then one teaspoon of black pepper.

8. Cut a cinnamon stick in half and add it to the pot. I always add cinnamon sticks instead of cinnamon powder because cinnamon powder makes the water cloudy.

9. Next, add chopped onion and garlic to the pot. Cover the pot and let it cook for 10 to 12 hours.

10. Separation and cleaning of cooked Kale Pache

After this time has passed and the giblets are completely cooked, there is a yellow oil on them. Transfer this oil with a spoon to another bowl and add it to the giblets at the end.

11. At this stage, we add two teaspoons of salt and let it cook with the ingredients for 10 to 15 minutes before eating.

12. At this stage, we separate the offal from onion, garlic, and cinnamon powder put it in another container, and let it cool a little.

13. First, we easily separate the cartilage from the leg and place it in a large copper or metal container.

14. Then we go to the ear and separate its flesh from the face and separate the yellow tissue inside the mouth and the cartilaginous part of the ear.

15. Then go to the eye and easily break the bones around the eye and separate the eye from the sheep’s head. With finger pressure, remove the black part of the eye that cannot be eaten and cut the eye itself or a knife in half.

Then we take out the lower jaw and separate the meat under the jaw which can be eaten and put it in the dish.

16. Then we go to the brain and there is black skin on it, we remove it and put the brain in a dish to serve.

After that, we go to the sheep’s tongue and take the skin on it, which is not edible, and use scissors to divide the tongue into two parts.

17. We put all these ingredients in a copper or iron container that you can heat and pour a little of the juice, a teaspoon of cinnamon, and the oil on the ingredients and heat it on a low heat.

Our Kale Pache is ready and you can enjoy it with Iranian tea Sangak bread and fresh lemon.

How to Serve and Enjoy Kale Pacheh

• First Step: Pour the broth into a bowl and dip Sangak or Barbari bread in it.
• Second Step: Enjoy the tender legs, ears, tongue, and brain, seasoned with lemon juice.
• Some variations include adding chickpeas for extra flavor and texture.
• For a rich sauce, melt the reserved fat with a cinnamon stick on low heat and drizzle it over the meat before serving.

Health Benefits and Risks of Eating Kaleh Pacheh

Various components of this food are a rich source of B vitamins, zinc, iron, and protein. The protein in this food helps in the growth and repair of many body tissues. Eating one meal of kaleh pache per month can provide most of your body’s vitamin needs.

In general, it can be said that the pache and tongue are the useful parts of this food, while the brain and eyes are the most harmful parts of this food.

For more information on the benefits of offal, visit sciencedirect.com.

Lamb brains are an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids with 629 mg per 3-oz serving. This represents 39 percent daily value. Omega-3 is an essential polyunsaturated fat, meaning that the body cannot make it and needs to obtain the fatty acid from food.

sourced:https://www.livestrong.com/

The Cultural Importance of Kaleh Pacheh :

Kale Pache is a traditional dish with ancient origins which is between 3,000 and 4,000 years old.

Archaeological discoveries near the city of Sankhasat in North Khorasan province show that eating this food was popular in ancient Iran, and Iranians have had a special interest in eating this delicious food since that time.

The results of the excavations in this city are 2 graves that date from 3,700 to 4,200 years ago, and in each of them, there were the remains of a hand.

This show was probably the popular food of the people of that time, which was given to them after death.

Of course, apart from this historical discovery, we can also refer to the poems of poets such as “Abu Ishaq Atameh,” one of the poets of the 8th and 9th centuries of Hijri.

Poems tell us that at that time this food was considered one of the foods of the Iranian people. In addition to Iran, this food has many fans in Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

Of course, its names are also different in different countries. For example, in Iran and Turkey, it is called Kaleh pache; in Arab countries, it is called Pache; in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, it is known as Khash.

This food is one of the delicious Iranian dishes that many people love. Like many Iranian dishes, this popular dish also has its history, and according to historical documents, it dates back centuries.

Today, this Persian breakfast has become a common food in some countries, and throughout history, it has influenced the tastes of various ethnic groups and cultures, from Turks and Kurds to Arabs and Caucasus countries.

Notes :

Conclusion:

Kale pache is a meal full of energy and one of the most traditional Iranian dishes, which is mostly consumed in breakfast due to its high calorie and fat content.

This traditional dish, contrary to its ugly appearance, has a great and delicious taste, and I suggest that you definitely try this very popular Iranian dish and share your opinions with me.

FAQ :

1. When should we eat sheep heads?

It is better to eat in the cold seasons of the year or for breakfast.

2. What should we eat for digestion?

Saving helps digestion.

3. How many calories is kale pache?

The amount of calories in 100 grams of kale pache is 350 calories.

4. Where does Kale Pache come from?

This food is 3500 years old, and this food comes from Iran.

5. Is Kale Pache good?

This Persian food is rich in vitamins and proteins and, at the same time, has a lot of calories. For this reason, it should be consumed in the breakfast and not suitable for dinner.

Did you like this?