Khoresht karafs recipe: How to make Persian celery stew at home

Greens can be great

There is nothing less appealing, as a new mum over 40, than spotting a head of celery in the fridge. I had bought it, dutifully, to dice up in a salad after being told I was “obese” at my six-week check. Now it sat there, judging me, destined for the bin, if H hadn’t stepped in.

Being Persian, he has a way of making greens sound great. This time, he suggested we try something I had only ever made from a tin before: khoresht karafs. Sounds much more exotic than plain old celery stew, doesn’t it?

A recipe is a story

I’ve come to think of recipes as stories. At first glance, they look complicated, intimidating even. But once you know the code, they unfold like a narrative: a beginning where you prepare your ingredients, a middle as you move from prep to cooking, and an ending where everyone sits down to enjoy the final dish.

Khoresht karafs is just that, a story of celery, lamb, parsley, mint, lime juice and seasoning, served over rice. The only catch? It takes time. About three hours to coax the flavours out. But if you make enough, the leftovers are always better the next day.

Here’s the story in steps:

1. In a large pan, sauté chopped onions in vegetable or corn oil over medium heat until translucent.
2. Add garlic, sauté 2–3 more minutes, then stir in turmeric and the meat, browning it on all sides.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a larger pot, add three cups of water, bring to the boil, then reduce heat, cover, and cook for about an hour.
4. In a frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over low heat. Add parsley, mint and dill, frying gently, don’t let the herbs blacken. Set aside.
5. In the same pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat, sauté the celery until golden and tender.
6. Add the herbs and celery to the pot with the meat. Adjust seasoning and add more water if needed. Cover and continue cooking for another two hours, until the meat is tender and flavours meld.
7. Stir in lime juice just before serving.

Serve with Persian rice and, as H always says, nooshe joon.