Samira’s Persian Noodle Soup

 in Favorite Recipes by

Provided by Vida Erfani for the January 2019 issue of SouthwestNOW Magazine.

Serves 6.

  • 1/2 cup kidney beans
  • 1/2 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
  • 1/2 gallon water
  • 1 cup brown lentils
  • One bunch cilantro
  • One bunch fresh dill
  • One bunch parsley
  • One bunch spinach
  • One bunch chives or green onions
  • 5 Tbsp. olive oil (divided use)
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • Turmeric, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • Lemon pepper, to taste
  • 3 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. dry mint (divided use)
  • 1 1/2-lb. pkg. of dried noodles
  • Kashk, optional (This is a Persian dairy product like a very thick yogurt or sour cream. Find at Persian markets.)
  1. Wash and rinse all the beans well. Let them rest in cold water for 6-8 hours. Rinse beans well. 
  2. Soak lentils separately for 2 hours. 
  3. Add beans and 1/2 gallon water to a large pot; let them cook for 20-30 minutes.
  4. Be sure that the beans are half cooked before adding the lentils. Boil for an additional 15-30 minutes, until the lentils and beans are done.
  5. Wash the cilantro, dill, parsley, spinach and chives well. Chop them finely.
  6. Put 4 Tbsp. oil in a pan; add chopped onions, turmeric, pepper and salt. Let it fry for 5 minutes; add garlic. 
  7. After 4 minutes, add more turmeric. 
  8. Add lemon pepper; add 3 tsp. dry mint. Mix well, and add to the main pot that has all the beans. Let it cook for 1 hour. If you think it needs more water, you can add 2-3 cups of boiled water.
  9. Spread the noodles in the big soup pot. Let all the ingredients boil for another 30 minutes. Ladle into bowls.
  10. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to a pot; let it get warm. 
  11. Add 1 Tbsp. dry mint. After 1-2 minutes, turn the heat off. Drizzle this fried mint on top of your bowls to garnish.
  12. Add 4-5 Tbsp. of kashk to the same amount of boiling water. 
  13. Drizzle 1 Tbsp of this on each bowl of soup.