Tas kebab (Persian all in one pot stew)

A  flavorful, delicious Persian stew that is very easy to make and suitable for many occasions.

I make this dish when quince is in season, which is in the fall – but I happened to come across some in a store in Stockholm and came to think of this dish, which is incredibly easy to do. You peel and cut all the ingredients, layer everything in a saucepan, and boil on low heat for two hours. Feel free to serve Persian bread with Sabzi Khordan or Pickles or natural yogurt. Take either pickles or yogurt; never mix these two. I think yogurt is a good compliment because most Swedes like it.

The quince is an old fruit that has fallen into oblivion. One reason may be that the quince is challenging, and one cannot eat without cooking it. You can make all sorts of things with quinces – such as marmalade, jelly, compote, and chutney. The rather funny detail is that the yellow quince changes color when you cook it. The change of color is because it contains vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium. Prepare the quince at once or keep it in the refrigerator in a plastic bag that closes well; otherwise, there is a risk that everything in the fridge will have the same aroma as the quince. If you have difficulty finding quince, replace it with solid cooking apples.

Each family has its variation of Tas Kebab, some like serving rice with it, which I think is unnecessary because the dish also contains potatoes. Some have eggplant; others do not. I have everything I like, which means I use the eggplant. It is also one of the few dishes I make with red meat. It will not be as good with another kind of meat. But, of course, you can exclude meat totally, then you get an excellent vegetarian/vegan variation.

You can use both plums and apricots. You especially have plums used in Iran – but if you have difficulty finding Persian dried plums, you can use prunes without seeds.
You cannot fail if you follow the recipe😊 I also mix a special kind of seasoning for the meat that you can find here on my blog.

If you prepare this dish for many people, layer the items (see below – under method) and repeat the procedure. 

 I also use a unique, aromatic spice mixture, especially for meat. You can use this seasoning in many dishes containing beef, lamb, or poultry. You can also use it in vegetarian dishes. (Recipe at the end of this post). 

Ingredients for 2 -3 servings

300 grams of red meat (I use veal)
2 large tomatoes
2 – 3 solid potatoes or almond potatoes
2 big yellow onions
1 pc. quince (if you cannot find quince, replace it with 3 pieces of green apples)
1 large eggplant
10 pcs. Pitted plums (I always take more because I love dried fruits)
10 pcs. Dried apricots (you can add more if you like dried apricots)
1 large carrot
1 tsp of flavoring agent for meat (recipe at the end of this post). 

Sauce:

1 large or 2 medium onions, cut in thin stripes
1 Tbsp turmeric
2 Tbsp tomato paste. (the more tomato puree, the “thicker” sauce).
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 – 1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cloves of garlic – pressed or finely chopped (optional)
3 1/2 dl water (add more if needed)

Method:

1. Start by peeling and cutting the onion (for the casserole) into pretty thick slices.
2. Next, cut the tomatoes and slice them.
3. Peel and cut the eggplants into thick slices.
4. Peel and take away the kernel of the quince or apples. Cut it into thick pieces. Please keep it in water with a few drops of lemon juice so that it keeps its color.
5. Peel and cut the carrots into relatively thick slices.
6. Peel and slice the potatoes into thick slices. If you use almond potatoes, you can use it as it is, but peel first. Then, divide the big ones into two parts.
7. Peel the onion for the sauce and cut it into thin strips.
8. Wash the meat in cold water and remove the tendons and fat. Wipe it with paper towels.
9. Cut the meat into slices which, beat them slightly. Then, divide the pieces of meat; they must not be too large; place them on a plate and store them in the fridge for the time being.
10. Start with the sauce, pour some oil into a saucepan or frying pan, fry the onion slices until it caramelizes; it takes between 7 – 10 minutes.
11. Add crushed garlic and mix. Continue to fry the onion and garlic for half a minute.
12. Add spices and mix well.
13. Pour over the water and mix.
14. Add the tomato puree and mix well. If the sauce is too thick, add water (a little at a time). If the sauce is too thin, add more tomato puree.
15. Bring to the boil and set aside.
16. Pour some oil into the bottom of a large and thick-bottomed saucepan.
17. Start by adding a layer of onions, then sliced ​​eggplants.
18. Add a layer of meat and then a layer of carrots.
19. Now add a layer of thick slices of tomatoes.
20. Strain the water from the quince or apples and place a layer on top of the tomatoes.
21. Add a layer of plums before topping it all with thick slices of potatoes.
22. Pour over the sauce you have prepared. Bring to the boil – lower the heat and simmer for 2 hours.
23. If you think there has been too much liquid, you can remove the lid and cook for a short while to reduce the sauce. Otherwise, you can spoon some of the sauce and put it in a separate bowl, mix one tablespoon cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and mix well – then add it to the sauce, whisk and pour the sauce back into the pot. Then let it simmer for 5 – 10 minutes before serving.
24. If you want a firmer texture on the potatoes, add the slices for the last 40 minutes.

Serve Persian Sabzi Khordan and Yogurt.

.Enjoy!

Flavoring agent for meat
2 Tbsp turmeric
 3 tsp ground cumin
 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
 1 tsp ground bay leaf
 1 tsp black pepper
 1 tsp of chili powder
 1 tsp grind coriander
 1 tsp garlic powder
 1 tsp grind ginger
 1 tsp of peppers
 3/4 tsp ground cardamom
 1/4 t ground clove

Crush the bay leaves roughly and put them together with the rest of the ingredients in a mix well. Pour into a jar and keep the jar in a dark and cool place.