MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

      Title: Ash-E Jo (Barley Soup)
 Categories: Persian, Soup
      Yield: 8 Servings

    250 g  Dried chickpeas
    500 g  Lamb with bone
      1    Onion; peeled
      1 ts Turmeric
      2 ts Pepper
      2 c  Fresh herbs (dill,
           -coriander, flat-leaf
           -parsley, and chives in
           -about equal proportions);
           -chopped
           Salt
    500 g  Pearl or pot barley *
           Oil
      4 tb Kashk or sour cream
      1 tb Dried mint
           Salt

  * Pot barley is even better.

  Wash the chickpeas and soak overnight in a generous amount of cold
  water. Rinse in one change of fresh water before using.

  Wash the lamb and pat dry. Place it in a large pot with the onion,
  turmeric and pepper. Add 2 L water and bring to a boil. Simmer,
  covered, for 1 hour.

  Wash and shake dry the herbs. Remove and discard all the stalks, then
  finely chop the herbs and set them aside.

  Add the barley, drained chickpeas, and herbs to the meat, pour in 500
  ml water, bring back to a boil, and simmer everything gently for 2
  hours.

  Lift out the lamb, remove the meat from the bone, then pound with a
  pestle in a large mortar or in a sturdy bowl.

  Return the pounded meat to the pot, season to taste with salt, and
  gently simmer over a low heat for a further 30 minutes.

  Meanwhile, tip the jar of kashk into a small saucepan with 250 ml
  water and cook, uncovered, over low-to-medium heat for about 30
  minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the kashk from sticking.

  Stir the kashk (or sour cream) into the barley soup, cover, and keep
  warm over the lowest heat (do not allow it to come back to a boil).

  Just before serving, crush the dried mint to a fine powder between
  your fingers. Heat 2 tb oil in a small pan, sprinkle in the mint, and
  stir briefly until the scent rises. Immediately remove the pan from
  the heat so that the mint does not turn black

  To serve, transfer to a soup tureen and serve with the saut‚ed mint
  sprinkled on top.

  Tip: While the barley soup is cooking, keep on adding water as
  necessary until you achieve the consistency of a thick soup.

  Recipe by The Persian Kitchen by Neda Afrashi, 2006

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