A Vegan Persian Stew Made with Oyster Mushrooms
This recipe for Vegan Khoresh Gheymeh is a Persian-inspired stew made with trumpet mushrooms, green split peas, and dried limes. Traditionally featuring lamb or beef, this vegan version swaps the meat for extra split peas, offering a hearty, protein-rich alternative. The stew is flavored with aromatic spices like turmeric, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and is served over basmati rice with crispy fried potatoes. The dried limes, a key ingredient, add a unique tangy and smoky depth to the dish, making it a comforting and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
For the Stew:
- 1 cup green split peas soaked for 1 hour (traditionally yellow split peas)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 white or yellow onions finely diced
- 4 cups of water
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp cardamom or 4 cardamom pods
- 2-4 dried lemons limo amani
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 10 oz trumpet mushrooms stems sliced into rounds
- Cooking oil for sautéing
For the Fries:
- 3 large potatoes peeled and cut into fries
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil spray
- Olive oil for frying option
For the Rice:
- 3 cups white rice
- 5 cups water
- 1/4 tsp ground saffron dissolved in 2 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp butter or cooking oil
- Flatbread pieces optional
Instructions
Prepare the Fries:
- Soak the peeled and cut potatoes in cold water for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
- Season the potatoes with a dash of salt and turmeric powder. Spray with olive oil.
- Air Frying Option: Air fry the potatoes until crispy. Set aside for garnishing.
- Frying Option: Heat a pan on medium-high heat and add enough olive oil for a shallow fry (about 1 inch in depth). Fry the potatoes in batches until golden brown, avoiding overcrowding the pan. Place the finished fries on a baking rack over a paper towel-lined baking tray and season with salt and pepper. Alternatively, place them on a paper towel-lined serving platter.
Cook the Stew:
- In a large pot, heat some cooking oil over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onions for 2 minutes until soft.
- Add the sliced trumpet mushroom stems and sauté for another minute. Cover the pot and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and sprinkle turmeric, salt, and nutmeg. Stir well.
- Add the tomato paste and soaked green split peas. Stir for a minute, then add the water.
- Pierce the dried lemons (limo amani) with a sharp knife or fork, then toss them into the pot along with the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods (in a tea sachet or cloth for easy removal).
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 35-45 minutes. Adjust the seasoning at the end.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods at the end.
Prepare the Rice:
- Wash and rinse the white rice several times. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil, add the drained rice, and cook on medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Drain the rice.
- Add 3 tablespoons of butter or cooking oil to the pot. Place flatbread pieces on the oil (optional) and return the drained rice to the pot.
- Cover the pot and cook on the lowest heat setting for about 20-25 minutes.
- When the rice is cooked, take 3 tablespoons of the cooked rice and mix it with the dissolved saffron water. Use this saffron rice to garnish the top of the rice plate.
Serve:
- Garnish the mushroom stew with the crispy air-fried or shallow-fried potatoes.
- Serve hot with the prepared rice, garnished with saffron rice.
Notes
- If you don’t have cardamom pods, you can use ground cardamom powder instead.
- Yellow split peas are essential to this dish as they add great texture and protein. Make sure to get quick-cook split peas to cut down on cooking time. The quick-cook version does not require pre-soaking. If you can’t find the quick-cook version, cook regular yellow split peas according to package instructions. Many standard grocery stores carry them, but you can also find them in Middle Eastern or Indian grocery stores or online.
- Since split peas need more time to cook, either soak them for longer hours or cook them separately and add them 10 minutes before the end of cooking the stew. Ensure they are cooked but not mushy.
- Pierce the rind of the dried lemons (limoo amani) with a sharp knife or fork before adding them to the stew to draw out their flavor and tartness. Be careful, as the rind is very hard. If using lemons with no rinds (as some may prefer), it works well too.
- Serve the stew with hot rice to enjoy the dish in its traditional style.
Nutrition
Calories: 950kcalCarbohydrates: 187gProtein: 30gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 229mgPotassium: 1915mgFiber: 23gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 573IUVitamin C: 68mgCalcium: 149mgIron: 7mg