Moraba-ye Beh - Persian Quince Jam with Cardamom and Rose Water

Recently, a reader left a comment on my blog asking for a recipe for quince jam and that's when I decided to make this gorgeous colored, delicious and fragrant jam while quinces are still available in the market. مربای به Quince jam was part of the typical Persian sobhaneh (breakfast) back home in Iran and it included freshly baked warm bread (barbari, taftoon or sangak) right out of the tanoor, a fresh brewed hot cup of chai (tea), sarshir (breakfast cream), panir (my fave, lighvan), butter and honey. Among the many different kinds of jams, quince jam added color, flavor and aroma to our busy breakfast table. I suggest making a large batch since this is the kind of jam that you just want to eat right out of the jar. I wish I could say how long quince jam would last when refrigerated but past a 2-3 month time period I wouldn't know. It never lasts beyond that time in our fridge. It's truly amazing to see the transformation of this light yellowish colored, tart, firm and woody fruit into a sweet fruit jam that is a rich stunning shade of red and soft enough to melt in your mouth.

This time of year, when quince is in season, it is the best time to make the hearty one-pot meal known as tas kabab with layers of sliced quinces or the fall recipe khoresh-e beh (quince stew).  Quince has a thin skin and there's usually no need to remove it, just rinse it well and with a sharp knife gently remove the core but don't throw away the seeds which are used for medicinal purposes. As I have mentioned before in one of my previous posts, a teaspoon of quince seeds mixed with a cup of hot water can help soothe a minor sore throat and chest pains. Nothing of this fruit goes to waste!

Moraba-ye Beh - Persian Quince Jam

Ingredients:
Makes about 4 pint jars 

7 medium sized quince, rinse well under water and pat dry, remove any brown spots and core, slice or cut into bite-size pieces
3 cups sugar (can be adjusted to your liking)
3-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or use 2-3 whole cardamom pods (I used green cardamom)
1 tablespoon rose water *optional
Water, 4 cups

Method:

1.  Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice over the quince slices.
2. In a large heavy-bottom saucepan combine the sugar and water, bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, uncovered. Reduce the heat and boil for another ten minutes on medium-low heat or until it thickens a little bit. 
3. Add the ground cardamom and quince slices to the sugar syrup, bring back to a boil on medium heat. Pour in the rest of the lemon juice and add a little more water if needed.
4. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours on low heat. It is recommended not to remove the lid during the cooking to ensure that the quince slices develop the desired rich ruby red color. You can wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel. I didn't wrap the lid with any cloth and a few times I gently stirred the content.
5. Add a tablespoon of rose water and simmer for another few minutes.
6. Remove from heat and let cool.
7. Ladle the jam into sterilized jars. Cover tightly and refrigerate.

Serve with butter, cheese, thick yogurt and/or as a topping with vanilla ice cream. 

Enjoy!

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!

Tas Kabab

تاس کباب Tas kabab is a hearty one-pot beef or lamb stew made with onions, tomatoes, carrots, quince, and potatoes. Traditionally enjoyed in autumn and winter when quince is in season. I love Tas Kabab so much that  I make it year-round, sometimes swapping quince for tart Granny Smith apples when quince isn't available; they make a great substitute.

This flavorful stew can also be made without quince or apples and will still be delicious. Some people even add eggplant for an extra layer of taste and texture. Tas kabab is an all-in-one meal that doesn't require rice. It's best served with warm bread, yogurt, and torshi. 

Tas Kabab

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

-1 pound beef or lamb, cubed
-3 medium onions, peeled and sliced into rings

-4 medium carrots, sliced 

-4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced

-2 large quince, cored and sliced

-2 large tomatoes, sliced
-2 tablespoons tomato sauce 

-A handful of pitted dried plums (aloo Bokhara) 

-2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

-1-2 teaspoons dried lime powder (limoo amani )

-1/2 teaspoon turmeric

-Pinch of cinnamon

-Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. In a large heavy pot, add 2-3 tablespoons of oil, and spread a layer of sliced onions on the bottom of the pot. And sprinkle with turmeric.
2. Layer the meat over the onions. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and turmeric. Then layer the sliced tomatoes, carrots, and quinces in that order.
3. Add the potatoes and dried plums on top. 
4. Season with salt, pepper, lemon powder, and a pinch of cinnamon. Add the potatoes and plums on top. 
5. Add the tomato sauce and pour in 1-2 cups of water. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour or until the meat and vegetables are tender. 
6. Transfer to a serving platter with warm bread, fresh herbs, yogurt, and torshi.

Enjoy!