khoresh-e aloo esfenaj is one of the traditional and delicious Iranian stews, which is usually served with Persian rice.
The most time to consume this stew is during the cold seasons of the year, autumn and winter when spinach is abundant. Spinach is also used in Nargesi recipe.
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and Western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either fresh, or after storage using preservation techniques by canning, freezing, or dehydration. It may be eaten cooked or raw, and the taste differs considerably; the high oxalate content may be reduced by steaming.
Sourced: wikipedia
Another reason why this stew is cooked more often in the cold season is its ability to boost the body’s immune system so that you are less likely to suffer from viral diseases such as influenza or colds.
My experience table:
My level of interest is from 1 to 10 | 6 |
The ease of cooking | Medium |
Served for | Dinner, Launch |
Suggest for | Daily meal |
What is served with? | Mast o khiar, mast o musir |
Aloo esfenaj recipe
khoresh-e aloo esfenaj is cooked with spinach and golden plums and can be prepared as sour or mashed. Mutton meat is used in this stew.
This stew, along with khoresh ghormeh sabzi , is made with vegetables. Also with this stew serves Salad Shirazi.
The presence of spinach in this stew, along with its sour taste, which is caused by plums, helps to absorb the iron in spinach and makes this stew very useful, which is recommended for growing children and teenagers.
To see the complete and step-by-step tutorial on how to prepare Persian vegetarian dish stay with us.
For: 4 people
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cook for:2 hours
Ingredient :
Spinach | 2.2 pound |
Mutton | 8.8 ounce |
Onion | One pcs |
Bukhara plums | Ten pcs |
Turmeric powder and curry spices | as needed |
Salt, black pepper and cinnamon powder | as needed |
Instruction :
1. To prepare a delicious Middle Eastern spinach stew, in the beginning, we wash and peel the onion. Then, we cut it into small gems. Next, we take a suitable pan and put it on the heat with a bit of oil until it gets hot.
2. Then add the onions and fry them until they become light and golden. Then add the meat and saute until the meat juice is drawn and its colour changes. At this stage, we add spices to the pan except for salt.
3. Then we saute it well until its aroma and smell come out. Then add enough water to cover the meat and let it cook for 2 hours with a low flame.
4. Note that all the above steps can be done in the pressure cooker and reduce the cooking time to 1 hour. Now, the spinach is washed, and after the water is removed, we chop it. Then, we pour the spinach into a pan.
5. Then, we put it on the heat until the spinach juice is completely drained. After that, when the spinach juice is well drained, add some salt to it and allow the spinach to brown and darken with low heat.
6. The point that we should pay attention to when cooking this delicious Spinach and prune stew is that the more spinach is fried, the tastier it is, but the mineral salts and its properties decrease. Add the fried spinach to the stew.
7. At this stage, if needed, add a little more boiling water. Then, we let the stew cook completely and reach the right consistency. Then, we give about 30 to 40 minutes until the spinach is cooked.
8. When you see a layer of oil on the stew, we add washed steamed plums and salt, and after the plums are cooked, we serve them in a suitable dish. This stew can be prepared and served with any kind of rice or chicken.
Notes:
Studies show that plums deliver a good dose of antioxidants to help reduce inflammation and protect your bod from free radical damage.
They’re especially high in polyphenol antioxidants, which benefit bone health and may help reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Sourced: https://greatist.com/
Properties :
Due to its ingredients,khoresh aloo esfenaj is a stew full of properties and nutrients. Among its benefits and properties, the following can be mentioned:
- Fix digestive problems:
The most important advantage of this stew is for people who have digestive problems. The high fibre content of this stew helps people who suffer from chronic constipation a lot, and it will prevent them from having hard bowel movements.
- Fixing and improving anaemia:
A lot of iron and folic acid in spinach has a great effect on anaemic people and helps to treat them. The plum in this stew is also a rich source of iron, which adds to its properties.
- High protein:
As you know, protein is beneficial for the growth and proper functioning of muscles, and its deficiency causes the body to face problems. The meat in plum and spinach stew is considered a good source of protein for the body.
- Source of vitamin A:
The spinach in this stew is rich in vitamin A, which is very useful for eye health and helps maintain its health.
- Strengthen the immune system:
As mentioned before, infectious diseases spread in autumn and winter, and the only way to deal with them is to have a robust immune system.
Spinach stew with antioxidants and various vitamins is one of the foods that is very effective in strengthening the immune system.
- Tahchin esfenaj and Borani esfenaj are among the most related Iranian dishes to this stew.
FAQ:
- What is the right drink with aloo esfenaj stew?
Vitamin C helps a lot in the absorption of iron, so it is better to drink drinks like natural orange juice and this delicious Spinach and prune stew.
- What served with khoresht aloo esfenaj?
Along with aloo esfenaj served Mast o Khiar and Persian doogh
Did you like a recipe for khoresh-e aloo esfenaj?
- If you have experience eating Iranian spinach and prune, please share your comments.
- If you are looking for vegetarian food, I suggest you try spinach stew without meat because this stew is full of iron and vitamins.
- You can ask me questions about Middle Eastern spinach stew in the comments. I will answer your questions as soon as possible.
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I love any food or stew with plum ❤
I am like you, and mostly because of the wonderful properties of spinach and the sour taste of plums, the combination of these two really provides an excellent meal.