Persian Celery Stew

This Persian Celery Stew (khoresh karafs) is made with a fragrant base of mint and parsley, tender beef, and slow-simmered celery. A touch of rhubarb adds a tangy twist to this beloved Persian comfort dish, served to perfection over fluffy basmati rice.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Persian

Keyword celery stew, karafs, karafs stew, khoresh karafs, khoresht karafs, persian celery stew

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 15

Servings

Calories 392kcal

Author Laura Bashar | Family Spice

Ingredients

2 lb beef stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
1 ½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoon all-purpose flour optional
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion chopped (approximately 1 cup)
2 cup beef broth
¼ cup lemon juice
2 dried limes quartered
3 cup parsley packed
¾ cup fresh mint packed
2 bunches celery chopped into ¼-inch slices (about 11 cups)
2 stalks of rhubarb chopped into ¼-inch slices (optional)
½ teaspoon ground saffron

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Instructions

In a large bowl mix together stew meat ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon turmeric and 2 teaspoon flour until meat is coated evenly.
Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When oil is hot, add chopped onions. Cook until onions start to soften, approximately 7 minutes and add ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon turmeric.
Cook for a 2 minutes, then raise the heat to medium-high, add stew meat and brown all sides, approximately 7 minutes.
Stir in beef broth and lemon juice. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up browned bits of meat from the bottom of the pot.
Add dried limes to the stew, reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer for 2 hours, stirring the stew every 30 minutes.
Using a food processor (or chop finely with a knife) chop parsley, mint and spinach.
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Sauté chopped greens for 5 minutes then add to the meat mixture
Add another 1 tablespoon olive oil to the hot skillet and sauté the chopped celery.
Season celery with ½ teaspoon salt then add to the stew, along with ground saffron.
Cook stew covered over low heat for another 45 minutes.
If using rhubarb, stir in chopped rhubarb during the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Notes

Serving Suggestions: This is one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day. Serve with basmati rice.

Another way to serve khoresh karafs is with artichoke hearts, not the oily marinated variety. Once the stew is done, transfer it into 9x13 oven safe dish and top with the artichoke hearts. Let it bake for 20-30 minutes at 350ºF and then serve.

Cooking Tips: This dish can also be made vegetarian by omitting the meat and substituting whole mushrooms. Also use vegetable broth instead of beef.

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

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