Ash Reshteh Soup

We went to Patoug the other night. It is a Persian restaurant located on Horace Harding Blvd at Springfield Blvd, in Bayside, Queens. Hashgacha is by the Queens Vaad.

We had an incredible soup there called Ash Reshteh Soup. It was an amazing soup! All three of us there raved about the soup. We wondered just what was in the soup and how it was made. Look below and you will know, too.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup red kidney beans, soaked
1/4 cup navy beans, soaked
1/4 cup chickpeas, soaked
3 onions, finely sliced
3 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
10 cups water
1/2 cup lentils
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup chives or scallions, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dill weed, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, coarsely chopped
2 cups spinach (fresh or frozen), chopped
1 beet, peeled and chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 pound flat egg noodles or Persian noodles (Reshteh)
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup wine vinegar

Soup instructions: In large pot, brown onions in oil. Add salt, 1/4 tsp. of the pepper, and turmeric. Pour in water and add kidney beans. navy beans, and chickpeas. Cover and simmer 45 minutes. Add lentils and broth.

Cook 35 minutes. Add scallions, dill, parsley, spinach, and beet. Stir occasionally and cook 20 minutes or until done. Correct seasoning(add the rest of the pepper if needed) and add more water if too thick. Add noodles, flour and cook until noodles are done–about 10 minutes.

Simmer covered for 10 minutes. Mint: Prepare mint garnish. Brown onion and garlic in oil. Remove from heat. Crush mint flakes in hand and stir into onion. Pour soup into tureen, garnish with mint garnish.