Ash-e Reshteh
with Smoked Cheese Pitas and Garlicky Lemon Yoghurt
This gorgeous soup is inspired by a lovely, family-run Persian restaurant in Leeds. It is packed with healthy beans, spinach, onions and fresh herbs and delicately spiced with earthy turmeric. The Greek yoghurt (in Persian cuisine they use a kind of creamy whey) really brings all the flavours together and adds a layer of temperature and textural contrast. And the smoky, cheesy pita gives you something to dip!
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the conflict in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
1 unit(s)
Onion
3 unit(s)
Garlic Clove
½ tbsp
Ground Turmeric
1 unit(s)
Chilli Flakes
2 tbsp
Mint
2 tbsp
Flat Leaf Parsley
3 unit(s)
Spring Onion
1 tin(s)
Mixed Beans
2 tbsp
Flour
(ContainsCereals containing gluten)2 tbsp
Baby Spinach
1 unit(s)
Vegetable Stock Pot
(ContainsCelery, Sulphites)½ unit(s)
Lemon
½ pot(s)
Greek Style Yoghurt
(ContainsMilk)4 tbsp
Smoked Cheese
(ContainsMilk)2 unit(s)
Wholemeal Pita
(ContainsCereals containing gluten)
Thinly slice your onion into half moons. Tip: To slice the onion into half moons, cut down the middle through the core and peel off the papery layers. Put the onion cut side down and trim off the papery tip. Using the root end to hold onto, slice the onion as thinly as possible. Peel and thinly slice two of your garlic cloves, peel and finely chop the other clove and set this aside.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan over low-medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and sliced garlic (not the finely chopped bit - this is for later!). Cook for about 10-15 mins, stirring occasionally, until soft. Tip: Add a splash of water if they start to catch. They should be very soft and lightly golden when done. Then add your turmeric, chilli, ¼ tsp of salt and a good grind of pepper and cook for 1 minute.
While the onion and garlic is cooking, roughly chop your mint and parsley. Cut the spring onion in half lengthways and finely chop them - use both white and green parts.
Drain and rinse the beans and add to the cooked onion, turn the heat up to medium and cook for 2 mins. Add the flour and cook for another 2 mins, stirring frequently.
Add the chopped mint, parsley, spring onions, spinach, vegetable stock pot, 700ml of water and 1/4 tsp of salt to the pan. Raise the heat to high to bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally. Just before serving the soup, taste it for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
While the soup is cooking, juice half the lemon and add to a small serving bowl. Mix in the Greek yoghurt, a pinch of salt and some of the finely chopped garlic you saved earlier. Tip: The amount you add is up to you here, it depends on how garlicky you like things!
Turn on the grill and grate your cheese. Toast the pitas on one side for 30-60 seconds, then remove from under the grill, turn over, cover with the grated cheese and grill until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Remove from the oven and slice each pita into quarters.
Serve the soup garnished with big dollops of the lemon garlic yoghurt and the melty pitas to dip in it.