Khoresh Karafs - Celery Stew

خورش کرفس Celery stew (Khoresh Karafs) is another healthy and delicious Iranian dish. It's a combination of meat, evenly sliced celery, finely chopped parsley, a little bit of mint (preferably fresh), freshly squeezed lime juice, and the right amount of seasoning. In my opinion, what makes Iranian food tasty, especially for most of the casseroles and stews (khoresh), is the slow cooking process and the taking time to let the food simmer to bring out the flavors and as we say in Iran, (ja biofteh). Khoresh-e karafs like ghormeh sabzi and fesenjoon will be fully cooked in 1 1/2 to 2 hours. However, it is better to cook them on the lowest heat setting for an additional hour at least. Most of us Iranians agree that the next day khoresh leftovers usually taste better. So, you may want to plan ahead for your next meal and cook them in advance.

Khoresh Karafs - Celery Stew

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

1 pound meat (beef or lamb), washed and cut into cubes
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 head of celery, washed, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 bunch fresh mint, finely chopped or 2-3 tablespoons dried mint
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons lime/lemon juice (can be adjusted to your liking)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil
Water

Method:

1. In a large pot, saute chopped onions in 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until they become light golden brown. Add the garlic and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes. 
2. Add the turmeric and the meat, stir and brown the meat on all sides. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Then add 2-3 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook.
4. In a large frying pan, heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat, saute celery until soft, add parsley and mint, stir well and saute for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the sauteed vegetables to the pot, adjust the seasoning, add more water if needed, cover and continue cooking for another hour and a half or when the meat is fully cooked.
6. Add the lime juice toward the end of cooking.

Serve with rice and salad.

Enjoy!