Fresh herbs are always used in Persian cooking, especially in this Persian Salmon Stew with Cilantro and Tamarind, known as Ghalieh Mahi.
Try some of my other wonderful Persian recipes.
You are probably seeing a lot of green on the world-wide-web this time of year. And frankly, it’s not just for St. Patrick’s Day where everyone is Irish once a year. There is actually another holiday that was green before St. Patty’s Day: It’s the Persian New Year, or Noruz, the first day of Spring. This year it lands on March 20th.
I have already given you all a history lesson of this beautiful celebration (you can read about noruz here) that dates back thousands of years. No, this post is something different.
To celebrate the rebirth of nature, the beginning of spring, Persians love to cook with anything green. And this typically means fresh herbs.
Jump to:
Recipe highlights
- Texture: This is a garlic and herb heavy stew that has a nice tang from the tamarind and lemon juice. A little tomato paste gives the stew a bit of body and it is served over basmati rice.
- Flavor: Persian stews are typically “soured” with the use of lemon juice or dried limes. Ghalieh Mahi uses tamarind paste. It is very unique, but adds a wonderful sour dimension to this dish.
- Unique: This incredible stew is served over aromatic Persian rice, making it a wonderful meal to entice all of your senses!
Ingredients needed
This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Read my full disclosure policy
- Tamarind paste: Tamarind offers a very unique tang to a dish. It is one of the key ingredients to this recipe, so you can’t really replace it with just lemon juice.
- Fresh herbs: This stew uses both cilantro and parsley. Fresh herbs give the best flavor.
- Fenugreek: I never find fresh fenugreek so I use dried fenugreek. It is very fragrant.
- Salmon: This dish is primarily made with salmon.
- Garlic: This is a key ingredient in this dish so use fresh garlic not powdered.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I cook almost exclusively with olive oil. You can use any other neutral vegetable oil.
- Onion: You can use a yellow or white onion.
- Lemon juice: This gives a different kind of sour to the dish. You can use fresh or bottled lemon juice.
- Pantry staples: Tomato paste, ground turmeric, salt and pepper.
Step-by-step directions
Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!
- Chop the herbs. Wash and spin dry cilantro and parley. Time off stems, especially the big woody ones, and discard. Purée In a food processor until finely chopped.
- Sauté onions. Sauté onions in hot oil until it softens. Reduce heat and cook until translucent, about 15 minutes. Stir in turmeric and garlic.
- Add herbs. Cook garlic for 5 minutes then stir in chopped herbs, dried fenugreek, salt and pepper.
- Add tamarind. Cook for an additional 10 minutes then add water, lemon juice, tamarind paste and tomato paste.
- Simmer. Cover pot, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 2 hours. At this point, the stew can be stored in a refrigerator until needed. The longer it sits, the more flavor the mixture will have.
- Add salmon. Submerge salmon into the hot stew. Cover pot and heat over medium-low heat until fish is done, about 15-20 minutes.
Expert tips and recipe FAQs
I first tried this dish when I was visiting family in Northern California and my family took me to a Persian restaurant that highlights food from the Caspian region. Many dishes from this region use a lot of garlic and are sour.
Apparently, you do not smell the garlic as much in this humid area and the sourness does not affect one’s constitution as harshly, either.
Persian stews are so incredibly delicious and worth all the work involved in preparing them. Traditionally, all Persian stews, including galieh mahi, are served on a bed of fluffy basmati rice. You can also serve it without rice, with some lavash or even on a bed of brown basmati rice.
And no matter what holiday you choose to celebrate this March, make it a green one!
This Persian stew is herb based, versus many of the other tomato based stews we have. You should also try my ghormeh sabzi (Persian herb stew) and my celery stew (khoresh karafs).
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store any leftover stew in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.
Like most Persian stews, ghalieh mahi can be made days ahead, and it tastes even better the next day. Just prepare the vegetables part of the stew ahead of time, and store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve. Add the salmon to the stew 15-20 minutes prior to serving to keep the fish fluffy and not over cooked.
Persian Salmon Stew with Cilantro and Tamarind (Ghalieh Mahi)
Ingredients
- 9 oz fresh cilantro
- 3 oz fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ medium onion diced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 4 large garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoon dried fenugreek
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cup water
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 lb boneless salmon cut into 4 equal pieces
Instructions
- Wash and spin dry cilantro and parley. Time off stems, especially the big woody ones, and discard. Once herbs are dry, purée In a food processor until finely chopped.
- In large pot over medium-high heat add olive oil. When oil is hot, add onions and sauté until onions start to soften and reduce heat to medium-low.
- Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes until vegetables are translucent, then stir in turmeric and garlic.
- Cook garlic for 5 minutes then stir in chopped herbs, dried fenugreek, salt and pepper.
- Cook for an additional 10 minutes then add water, lemon juice, tamarind paste and tomato paste.
- Cover pot, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 2 hours.
- At this point, the stew can be stored in a refrigerator until needed. The longer it sits, the more flavor the mixture will have.
- About 20 minutes prior to serving, submerge salmon into the hot stew.
- Cover pot and heat over medium-low heat until fish is done, about 15-20 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.
You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Sign up for my eMail list, too!
Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
Hi,
Great post. Although the Caspian Sea region has a lot of delicious dishes, Ghalieh Mahi is not one of them. It originates in Southern Iran
Thank you for the clarification. I was first served this dish from my cousin who told me it was from the Caspian.
Laura
Hi, Great post and awesome dish, but actually Ghalieh-Mahi is originally from southern parts of Iran like Boushehr or Bandar-Abbas. In northern parts they use pomegranate extract in order to make their dishes sour but the main sour part of this dish is Tamarind which is more common in the south. In addition, most fish common in north will disintegrate in this dish while fish from the south are more rigid and can withstand this recipe. The most traditional form of this dish also include some cayyene to make it hot but that’s optional in my opinion.
There is no need to denigrate one culture to highlight another. As a reader in Ireland, where 17’th of March (St.Patrick’s or Paddy’s Day not Patty!) is our National Holiday and where elements of the day long predate Patrick (Irish Culture can match most in it’s antiquity).
Your’s Sincerely
Born and Bred Citizen of Ireland
“And frankly, it’s not just for that silly Shamrock Day where everyone is Irish once a year.”
There isn’t really any need to belittle another person’s heritage/beliefs to show your own in better light. Very unprofessional and offensive. Just because many people abuse the concept of St. Patrick’s day in the US, it does not mean that there are not more people worldwide who actually take this religious holiday very seriously.
I’m sorry you were offended, as that was not my intention. But, considering how many thousands of people who have read this post and were not offended, perhaps you read something in my post that just wasn’t there.
I love love love cooking with herbs. Your pics are beautiful. I am inspired to create something vegetarian from this idea! Thanks!
I just love this recipe Laura. The only change I will make when I make this tomorrow is to sear my salmon so it is medium rare and serve it atop a puddle of this delicious and healthful Ghalieh Mahi.
The fritatta looks wonderful! I just made one on Sunday…should have added more herbs since my garden is bursting 🙂 And the stew looks fantastic as well 🙂
Aren’t fritattas the best?! I really should make them more often!
What a great holiday! I love that it incorporates so many yummy, herby dishes!
Thank you! I find myself using fresh herbs in everything I prepare. So aromatic and delicious!
Love herbs but I have never tried a herb quiche fritatta. How wonderful is this??
I’ve got the herbs in pots and I’ve got eggs – I’m in business!
I hope you like it! I really enjoy it all year round, and not just for Spring.
Great post Laura! I have to say I’m not too familiar with herbs. Compared to other cuisines, we don’t really put herbs in traditional Japanese food (we have different kinds). But I enjoy all kinds of herbs and hope not to be shy on using them (sometimes I’m not sure how I should combine multiple herbs). Your herb fritatta looks amazing!!!! Have a great weekend!
Nami, you are such a talented cook, I’m sure you’ll come up with something fabulous!