If you are anything like me then you are praying for the winter to be over! I know, I know, embrace the seasons…. Tomorrow night we will have a low of 10 degrees Fahrenheit! Wish me luck! One of the ways I make it through the winter is to consume Organic Persian Abgoosht. Abgoosht (pronounced Ob-goosht) literally translates to “meat water”. It is referred to as peasant food, and if you ask me, the peasant are usually healthier and heartier! Persian Turks (which I am), are famous for their Abgoosht, hands down! This wonderful meal supports the immune system, balances the thyroid, and warms the body to the bone, giving you more life and vitality during those cold winter months.
As a Persian Turk, lamb is a mainstay of our culinary repertoire. Lamb is richer in iron than chicken, fish, and is extremely nourishing to a depleted or cold body. Being rich in high-quality protein, fats, vitamins and minerals, lamb can be an excellent component of a healthy diet. Remember, organic AND grass-fed lamb is what you are looking to purchase and consume. Ask and see if the grass the lambs are fed is organic. You are also looking for lamb shanks or a leg of lamb that is cut up with the bone in. You want lamb bone and marrow. Between the meat, the marrow, and the bones, you will render an amazing broth, or “meat water”.
Lamb is a rich source of many vitamins and minerals, including:
- Vitamin B12. Important for blood formation and brain function. Animal-derived foods are rich in this vitamin, whereas vegan diets lack it. Deficiency may cause anemia and neurological damage.
- Selenium. Meat is often a rich source of selenium, though this depends on the feed of the source animal. Selenium has various important functions in the body particularly in supporting the thyroid.
- Zinc. Zinc is usually much better absorbed from meat than plants. It’s an essential mineral important for growth and the formation of hormones, such as insulin and testosterone.
- Niacin. Also called vitamin B3, niacin serves a variety of important functions in your body. Inadequate intake has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
- Phosphorus. Found in most foods, phosphorus is essential for body growth and maintenance.
- Iron. Lamb is rich in iron, mostly in the form of heme iron, which is highly bioavailable and absorbed more efficiently than non-heme iron found in plants.
In addition to these, lamb contains a number of other vitamins and minerals in lower amounts.
Lamb meat is a high-quality protein source, providing all nine essential amino acids your body needs for growth and maintenance.
Tomato paste is essential for Abgoosht because the acidic nature of tomato’s helps to slowly and tenderly cook the meat at a low temperature rendering it tender and delicious! I love Bionaturae’s tomato paste! It comes in a glass jar and is made with no salt, just pure old fashioned tomato paste.
Organic Adviyeh – The Legendary Persian Spice Mix is essential in Persian cuisine. I encourage you to make it (so easy) and use it because it is full of so many medicinal qualities, AND it is bursting with flavor whatever dish you put it in. This particular Adviyeh is used for meat dishes.
Abgoosht also requires green beans, onions, and potatoes. My Mom has always loved using red potatoes in Abgoosht so that is what I was raised on, and I love it. As long as you don’t over consume grains and starches, red potatoes are a wonderful option for being mindful about your blood sugar levels. Red potatoes are much easier on blood sugar levels than say russet potatoes. Just the way nature made them. However, potatoes in general should be consumed very minimally.
Traditionally this meal is made with garbanzo beans which I will note in the recipe below, if you tolerate beans well. However, when I make Abgoosht for myself and my family I do not put in garbanzo beans because I don’t tolerate them well.
I share this recipe from my family to yours. Make a big pot and have several meals ready to go and keep you warm, strong, and healthy during these cold winter months awaiting the coming of Spring!
[tasty-recipe id=”2547″]
