Dopiazeh

I learned to cook this recipe several years ago from one of the mothers at my daughter's Persian school. We were there to pick up our children and our conversation turned to what we were going to make for dinner that night. I said something like "I don't have much time and I don't know what to make." That's when she introduced me to this simple and delicious Shirazi food and gave me the recipe. Luckily, I had all the necessary ingredients for making the dish at home. Ever since that day I added دوپیازه dopiazeh to my list of monthly menus. "Piaz" is a Persian word for onion and "do" means two. The name of this dish means two onions which refers to the fact that this recipe calls for two large onions added at two different times during the cooking process.

Dopiazeh (Dopiaza) - دوپیازه

Ingredients:
Serves 4

1 pound ground beef, lamb or turkey
2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 medium-sized potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil
Water

Method:

1. In non-stick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of oil on medium heat, add the chopped onions, saute until golden brown. Take half of the the fried onions and set aside.
2. Add turmeric, stir, add the garlic and fry for two minutes.
3. Add the ground beef, cook until brown. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes, add salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper. Add 1/2 cup of water. Stir.
4. Add the cubed potatoes and the remaining fried onions to the beef and potato mixture. Stir well, cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve warm with rice or warm bread and salad shirazi.

Enjoy!