Homa Movafaghi's Persian Noodle Soup

2 days ago 4

Democracy Dies successful Darkness

Homa Movafaghi grew up successful Mashhad, Iran, and moved to the United States 30 years ago. During the enactment week, she is simply a nationalist schoolhouse head for Arlington County. In the evenings and connected weekends astatine location successful McLean, she assumes her favourite role, that of tutor, and focuses connected her favourite subject, Farsi. She organizes poesy nights successful which each verse is recited successful Farsi, and she says that cooking is arsenic almighty a taste ambassador arsenic language. She makes this crockery for the picnic that is traditionally held for Sizdah Bedar, the 13th time aft the Persian New Year, successful the aboriginal spring. The crockery is finished erstwhile it is not excessively watery and not excessively thick. You should beryllium capable to spot each of the ingredients.

When Movafaghi archetypal came to the United States, it was hard to find kashk, the peculiar whey that traditionally is utilized to marque this soup, truthful she got successful the wont of utilizing sour cream. Kashk is acold much disposable today. We recovered it astatine Yas Bakery and Supermarket successful Vienna (703-242-4050).

Ingredients

10 cups water
6 1/2 cups homemade oregon low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cupful dried reddish kidney beans, soaked successful acold h2o overnight oregon successful boiling h2o for 3 hours and drained
1/4 cupful dried navy beans, soaked successful acold h2o overnight oregon successful boiling h2o for 3 hours and drained
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 mean onion, finely chopped
12 mean cloves garlic, minced
15 ounces no-salt-added canned chickpeas, specified arsenic Eden brand, drained and rinsed
8 ounces spinach, stemmed, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1 clump scallions, achromatic and light-green parts, coarsely chopped
1 cupful coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cupful coarsely chopped cilantro
1 cupful coarsely chopped dill
2 teaspoons crushed turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 spoon freshly crushed achromatic pepper
2 tablespoons dried mint
6 ounces reshteh (persian wheat noodles), breached into 3 pieces (may substitute good vermicelli wheat noodles)
1 cupful regular oregon low-fat sour pick oregon kashk (see headnote; bash not usage nonfat sour cream)
Freshly squeezed foodstuff from 1/2 citrus (2 tablespoons)
1 spoon crushed saffron threads mixed with 2 tablespoons blistery water

Nutritional Facts

Per serving

Calories
460
Fat
19 g
Saturated Fat
5 g
Carbohydrates
56 g
Sodium
1140 mg
Cholesterol
20 mg
Protein
19 g
Fiber
11 g
Sugar
6 g

This investigation is an estimation based connected disposable ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s oregon nutritionist’s advice.

Adapted from "One Big Table: A Portrait of American Cooking," by Molly O'Neill (Simon & Schuster, 2010).

Tested by Bonnie S. Benwick.

Published November 2, 2010

Updated March 13, 2026