Ash Reshteh Nabati (Persian Noodle and Herb Soup)
98 min · 11 steps
Hard: over 60 min or 12+ steps
About this dish
A fully vegan reading of this Persian noodle soup: lentils, beans and a generous quantity of fresh herbs simmer with reshteh noodles in a deeply savoury broth, finished not with kashk but with a lime-soured cashew cream, caramelised onion and mint oil, brighter and nuttier where the original is tangy and rich.
Allergy Info
Gluten, Tree Nuts
Diet Info
Vegan
Ingredients
Fresh Produce
- Onionone finely diced, one thinly sliced2 whole
- Garlic clovescrushed3 clove
- Fresh Spinachroughly chopped100 g
- Flat-leaf parsleyroughly chopped30 g
- Fresh Dillroughly chopped20 g
- Fresh Corianderroughly chopped20 g
- Spring onionsroughly chopped4 stalk
- Lime juicefor souring the cashew cream2 tbsp
Tins & Jars
- Chickpeasdrained and rinsed200 g
- Tinned Red Kidney Beansdrained and rinsed200 g
Dried Goods
- Dried Green Lentilsrinsed100 g
- Water1500 ml
- Reshteh noodlesbroken into short lengths150 g
- Cashew creamto serve120 ml
- Walnutscrushed, to serve30 g
Spices & Seasonings
- Ground Turmeric1 tsp
- Fine sea salt1.5 tsp
- Black pepperfreshly ground1 pinch
- Dried Mint1 tbsp
Oils & Condiments
- Vegetable Oil5 tbsp
Utensils
- Large saucepan
- Large frying pan
- Small saucepan
- Chopping board
- Sharp knife
- Ladle
Method
Finely dice one onion and thinly slice the second onion separately for the garnish.
Heat half the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the diced onion for 6 minutes, until softened.
Stir in the garlic and ground turmeric and fry for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add the dried green lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans and water, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat and fry the sliced onion for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelised, to use as a garnish.
Roughly chop the spinach, parsley, dill, coriander and spring onions.
Stir the chopped greens and reshteh noodles into the soup and simmer for 10 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
Season the soup with fine sea salt and black pepper.
Sizzle the dried mint in a small pan with a little of the caramelised onion oil for 1 minute, until fragrant, to make the garnish oil.
Stir the lime juice into the cashew cream to make a bright, tangy topping.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with the caramelised onion, a spoonful of the soured cashew cream, the mint oil and a scatter of crushed walnuts.