Khoresh-e Beh - Quince Stew

I like autumn mostly for its beautiful color changing foliage, crisp weather and also for its seasonal fruits such as pomegranate, persimmon and quince. Quince is one of  my favorite fall fruits. Of course, quince is basically used in cooking and making مربای به quince jam and is one of those kinds of fruits that all  parts of it is edible. It also has a warm and happy color too. I'm so tempted to take a quince with me to the paint store in my neighborhood and have them find the exact matching color. In the spring I am thinking of painting my kitchen quince yellow if there is such a color.

Anyhow, for this dish after washing and patting it dry, you can just slice it into wedges and there is no need to peel the skin off. In Iran the seeds are also used for treating coughs and chest pains by brewing them for few minutes.

Quince seeds and rock candy drink

خورش به Khoresh-e beh is a very tasty dish and very pleasing to the eye also This dish is a combination of meat (beef or lamb), yellow split peas, tomato sauce, and quince.

Khoresh-e Beh - Quince Stew

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

2 pounds meat (lamb or beef), washed and cubed
4  medium-size quince, washed, cored and sliced (could be cubed too), slice right before cooking.
1 cup yellow split peas, picked over and rinsed
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 -3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon liquid saffron
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 dried lemons (limoo amani) or juice of a lime
2 tablespoons sugar
A dash of cinnamon
2 cups of water
Vegetable oil


Method:

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. 
2. Add chopped onion and cook until golden brown, add turmeric powder and stir.
3. Place the meat in the pot and brown on all sides. 
4. Add the tomato paste and cook for five minutes. Stir.
5. Add the peas to the pot and give it a gentle stir, cook for 3-5 minutes.
6. Add cinnamon, saffron, dried lemons salt and pepper.
7. Pour water in the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and cook on a medium to low heat for an hour.
8. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a skillet and cook the slices of quince for 7-10 minutes over medium heat.
9. Sprinkle sugar over quince slices and stir well till sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
10. In an ovenproof casserole dish, pour in the meat mixture, adjust the seasoning and gently layer the cooked quince slices on top. 
11. Cook in the 350 degrees Fahrenheit preheated oven for 50 minutes. 

Serve with rice.

* I garnished the stew with some slices of a small and ripe khormaloo (persimmon).

Enjoy!