Serves 6-8
- ⅓ cup walnut halves
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
- 2 lb Beef for Stew, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon dried mint
- ½ teaspoon crushed pepper flakes
- 1 cup canned crushed (finely diced) tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste or Pomegranate Molasses
- 8 cups Beef Bone Broth or vegetable stock
- ¼ cup long-grain white rice, rinsed well and drained
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Roughly chopped fresh cilantro and dill, for serving
Pulse the walnuts in a food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice, until nuts are finely ground with a few slightly larger pieces. Set aside.
In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add a drizzle more oil if the pot begins to look dry. Transfer the beef to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, carrots, garlic, and a pinch of salt to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 8–10 minutes. Add the paprika, fenugreek, coriander, mint, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in the tomatoes, tamarind paste, browned beef, and stock. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is very tender, about 1½ hours.
Stir in the ground walnuts, rice, salt, and a generous amount of black pepper. Continue cooking, covered, until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. (The amount of salt needed will depend on how salty the beef and stock are.) Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped cilantro (coriander) and dill.
Adapted from THE JEWISH COOKBOOK (Phaidon, $49.95 US/$59.95 CAN, September 11, 2019)
