Hearty soup with tender beef, barley, lentils, and fresh herbs, topped with tangy sour cream and fragrant mint-fried onions.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.1 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 0.8 inch cubes
→ Grains & Legumes
02 - 0.5 cup pearl barley, rinsed
03 - 0.5 cup dried lentils, rinsed
04 - 0.5 cup dried white beans or cannellini beans, soaked overnight and drained
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 medium carrots, diced
07 - 2 stalks celery, diced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Herbs & Greens
09 - 0.5 cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 0.5 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
11 - 0.25 cup fresh dill, chopped
12 - 0.25 cup fresh chives, chopped
13 - 2 tablespoons dried mint for garnish and fried onions
→ Dairy & Garnishes
14 - 7 oz sour cream or Persian kashk
→ Pantry & Spices
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - 1 tablespoon butter for fried onions
17 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
18 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
19 - 1.5 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
20 - 8.5 cups beef or vegetable stock
# Steps:
01 - In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides, approximately 5 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
02 - Add remaining olive oil to the pot. Sauté chopped onions until golden, approximately 6 minutes. Stir in garlic, turmeric, black pepper, and salt; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add carrots and celery to the pot, cook for another 3 minutes.
04 - Return beef to the pot. Add barley, lentils, soaked beans, and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Add chopped parsley, cilantro, dill, and chives to the soup. Simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
06 - In a small skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add a thinly sliced onion and cook until deeply golden and crisp, approximately 10 minutes. Stir in dried mint and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat.
07 - Ladle the soup into bowls. Swirl 1 to 2 tablespoons of sour cream into each serving and top with mint-fried onions. Serve hot with crusty bread or Persian flatbread.
