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4.8 from 75 votes

Persian Celery Stew - Khoreshte Karafs

Persian celery stew also known as khoresht karafs is a delicious Iranian stew made with celery stalks and herbs. This easy Persian stew can be made vegetarian as well.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 206 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Persian

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 7-8 celery stalks chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 cup fresh mint finely chopped*
  • 1 1/2 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 1 large yellow onion finely diced
  • 1 lb lamb stew meat (cut into 1 inch pieces)
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 Persian dried limes
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat  2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
  2. Add celery, mint, parsley and saute until herbs start getting dark and release their aroma. Set aside. 
  3. In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil.
  4. Saute onion until golden. 
  5. Add in lamb meat stew with turmeric and black pepper. Saute until lamb is brown. 
  6. Add in sauteed celery and herbs to the lamb and onion mixture. 
  7. Cook for about a minute. Add in water and bring to simmer. 
  8. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes to and hour until the lamb is fully cooked and tender. 
  9. Pierce the dried Persian limes with a fork and add them to the stew. Cook for about 10-20 minutes until they soften. Press against the pot so they release their sour juice.  
  10. Season with salt. 
  11. Serve warm with Persian style white rice or saffron rice. 

Notes

  • Too much mint makes the stew bitter, so don't overuse it.
  • To make this stew vegetarian, use kidney beans or pinto beans instead of lamb. If using canned red kidney beans, rinse them.
  • If you cannot find dried lime, feel free to use lemon/lime juice.

Nutrition Information

Calories 206kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 16g (32%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 49mg (16%) Sodium 461mg (19%) Potassium 389mg (11%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 1603IU (32%) Vitamin C 24mg (27%) Calcium 58mg (6%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 206

% Daily Value*

Calories 206kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 5g 2%
Protein 16g 32%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 49mg 16%
Sodium 461mg 19%
Potassium 389mg 8%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 1603IU 32%
Vitamin C 24mg 27%
Calcium 58mg 6%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.