Persian Pomegranate Soup Food

PERSIAN POMEGRANATE SOUP

Steps:

• In a 6 quart saucepan, bring water, consomme powder, tumeric, and salt to boil over high heat.
• Add rice and shredded beets.
• return to a boil over medium/high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the parsley, cilantro, dried mint, and pomegranate juice to soup. Return to a boil over medium/high heat.
• Transfer soup to serving bowl and garnish with sour cream (parve), caramelized onions, and/or pomegranate seeds.

PERSIAN POMEGRANATE AND PISTACHIO MEATBALL

Steps:

• To make the meatballs: Pulse all the ingredients, except the meat and egg, in a food processor until you have a grainy paste.
• Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the meat and egg. Lightly knead with your hands for a few minutes (do not over mix).
• Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 500?F. Generously oil a wide, nonreactive baking dish (wide enough to fit 24 meatballs, about 12x14 inches) and set aside.
• Remove the paste from the refrigerator and shape into bite-sized balls (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, you can use an ice cream scoop) and place the meatballs in the baking dish and brush well with oil. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients for the glaze. It is important that you taste the glaze and be sure that it has a good balance between sweet and sour-add more honey if the pomegranate molasses you have used is too sour.
• Reduce the oven to 400?F. Glaze the meatballs and bake for another 5 minutes to infuse them with the flavor of the pomegranate. Adjust seasoning to taste. If too sour add more honey; if too sweet add more pomegranate molasses. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
• Place the meatballs with its sauce in deep serving dish and garnish.

ASH-E ANAR (PERSIAN POMEGRANATE SOUP)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a heavy stockpot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in split peas; cook until peas take on a bit of color, about 1 minute.
• Pour chicken stock into the pot. Add pepper, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, fennel seeds, and cinnamon stick. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until peas are tender, about 20 minutes.
• While soup is simmering, prepare meatballs. Mix lamb, minced onion, mint, parsley, and garlic together. Form into walnut-sized meatballs. Drop meatballs into the simmering soup. Cook until no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes.
• Discard cinnamon stick from the soup. Add basmati rice, parsley, mint, pomegranate molasses, and honey. Cook until rice softens, about 20 minutes.
• Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with pomegranate seeds and cream.