Sabzi Qovurma
SABZI QOVURMA (herbs and meat stew)
The word “sabzi” in the name of the dish came into Azerbaijani language from Iran. In the Persian language, “sabzi” means “green,” and it can refer to either herbs or vegetables.
*A full-sized picture of this dish is available in the Gallery.
Ingredients:
1½ lb (700 g) lamb or beef
1 large size onion
3 bunches of kever (garlic chives)
1 bunch of cilantro
1 bunch of dill
1 bunch of parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup fresh sour plums
3 tablespoons clarified butter
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Cut the meat into small pieces. Add 2 tablespoons of clarified butter in a saucepan, and cook meat over medium-high heat until lightly brown on all sides. Then, add approximately ½ cup of water and season the meat with a salt and pepper.
Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer over medium-low heat until the meat is cooked. Stir occasionally for evenly cooked meat. Add more water if needed.
2. Wash all the herbs and pat them dry with a towel to remove all water before cooking. Chop the herbs (not too finely). Before chopping the parsley, cilantro and dill, separate the small stems with leafy tops from the hard, lower stems.
3. Wash fresh sour plums.
4. Peel the onion, cut it in half, and slice it into thin half-rings. In a separate frying pan, melt one tablespoon of butter and fry the onion until it is lightly golden.
5. Add the onion, chopped herbs, lemon juice and alcha to the cooked meat and mix them together.
Simmer until the herbs are tender.
Serve Sabzi qovurma with rice/pilaf.
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