Khoresh-e Rivas

the ancient Persian rhubarb and lamb stew: braised lamb slow-cooked with fresh Rheum ribes stalks, green herbs, saffron, and dried mint, a khoresh whose tart, herb-laden character predates European stalk-eating by twelve centuries

Origin: The Sassanid Persian Empire — Persia and the Iranian Plateau

From the journey of Rhubarb.

Khoresh-e rivas is one of the great curiosities of global culinary history: a dish that uses the rhubarb stalk as a souring agent in a braised meat preparation, centuries before any European cook thought to taste a rhubarb stalk at all. When British gardeners in the 1770s were cautiously experimenting with the idea of eating a plant previously known only as a root medicine, the cooks of the Iranian plateau had been stewing lamb with rīvās (the Persian name for the native species Rheum ribes) for well over a thousand years. The explanation for this divergence lies in how different culinary traditions understand sourness. The Persian khoresh genre (the slow-braised meat stews that are the centrepiece of the Iranian table) is built around balance: fat and lean, rich and tart, savoury and aromatic. The agent of tartness changes from dish to dish (pomegranate molasses in khoresh-e fesenjān, sour plum in khoresh-e alu, unripe grape in some preparations, dried limes in the Gulf tradition), but the structural principle of the sour counterpoint is constant. Within that framework, the native Persian rhubarb, Rheum ribes, with its tender stalks and bright acidity, was an obvious candidate from the moment it was first encountered: it performed precisely the same function as the other souring agents, and it was available fresh in spring when dried fruits and preserves were at their most depleted. This is a spring khoresh, made when the rīvās stalks first become available in the markets after the Iranian new year (Nowruz). The flavour is clean and herbaceous rather than heavy: lamb, green herbs (parsley and mint in large quantity), and the rhubarb's acidity, lifted by saffron and tempered by a small amount of sugar to balance. It is served, as all khoresh are, with a mound of white rice and a dish of fresh herbs on the side.

Ingredients

Khoresh

700 g bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into 5 cm pieces
2 medium onions, finely diced
3 tbsp neutral oil or clarified butter
0.5 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp fine salt
0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
250 ml water or weak stock
0.5 tsp saffron threads, steeped in 3 tbsp hot water for 15 minutes

Herbs

80 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 1 large bunch)
30 g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
2 tsp dried mint

Rhubarb

300 g rhubarb stalks, cut into 4 cm pieces
1 tbsp caster sugar, or to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice (optional, to sharpen if rhubarb lacks tartness)

Method

In a wide, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the lamb pieces all over, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Do not crowd the pan. Remove and set aside.
In the same pot, reduce the heat to medium and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15–18 minutes until deep golden and soft. Add the turmeric and stir for 1 minute.
Return the browned lamb to the pot. Add the water or stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 45 minutes.
While the lamb simmers, warm 1 tbsp oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the fresh parsley and fresh mint. Fry, stirring frequently, for 8–10 minutes until the herbs are wilted, darkened, and fragrant and most of their moisture has cooked off. Stir in the dried mint. Add the herb mixture to the lamb stew and continue to simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the saffron-infused water, the rhubarb pieces, and the sugar to the pot. Stir gently. Simmer, uncovered, for 15–20 minutes until the rhubarb has softened and is beginning to dissolve into the sauce but is not entirely collapsed. The sauce should be thick and herb-laden, not watery.
Taste and adjust. The khoresh should be savoury, herbal, and distinctly tart with a background sweetness that balances rather than sweetens the sourness; add lemon juice if the rhubarb was not sufficiently sharp, or a little more sugar if it is very tart. Serve over a mound of saffron rice (chelo) with fresh herbs, radishes, and yogurt alongside.

Notes

In Iran this khoresh is made with the native Rheum ribes, which is somewhat smaller and softer-stalked than the European garden rhubarb used in this recipe. Garden rhubarb (especially forced rhubarb) is a very good substitute, though the flavour will be brighter and more overtly tart than the gently sour Persian original. Some families add a small amount of dried sour cherries (albaloo) or a teaspoon of pomegranate molasses to round the acidity further. The khoresh is at its best when made a day ahead and reheated; the herbs and rhubarb integrate more fully overnight.

The Gastrographer

Name: Khoresh-e Rivas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: The Sassanid Persian Empire — Persia and the Iranian Plateau
Ingredients: 700 g bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into 5 cm pieces; 2 medium onions, finely diced; 3 tbsp neutral oil or clarified butter; 0.5 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp fine salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 250 ml water or weak stock; 0.5 tsp saffron threads, steeped in 3 tbsp hot water for 15 minutes; 80 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 1 large bunch); 30 g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped; 2 tsp dried mint; 300 g rhubarb stalks, cut into 4 cm pieces; 1 tbsp caster sugar, or to taste; 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional, to sharpen if rhubarb lacks tartness)

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