Iranian Main

Khoresh Gheymeh

Khoresh Gheymeh is a Persian split-pea and meat stew sharpened with dried lime and topped with crisp matchstick potatoes. This version uses measured ingredients, clear visual cues and the traditional flavour balance that makes the dish distinctive.

Jump to recipe More Iranian food
30 minsPrep time
1 hr 50 minsCook time
Serves 6Servings
MediumDifficulty
Khoresh Gheymeh
About this dish

Khoresh Gheymeh: the story on the plate

Khoresh Gheymeh is a Iranian main with a clear sense of place. Khoresh gheymeh is a major Persian stew of meat, yellow split peas, tomato and dried lime, often crowned with fried potatoes. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Historical background

Khoresh gheymeh is a major Persian stew of meat, yellow split peas, tomato and dried lime, often crowned with fried potatoes.

Why it is famous

It is associated with both home meals and large-scale religious or charitable cooking, where it can be prepared in generous quantities.

Cultural significance

It is associated with both home meals and large-scale religious or charitable cooking, where it can be prepared in generous quantities.

Nutrition

Estimated nutrition per serving

These figures are estimates per serving. Actual nutrition can vary with the brands and exact amounts you use, how much oil, dressing or sauce is absorbed, any substitutions or added extras, and the portion size served.

A practical guide for comparing recipes and planning meals.

610Calories
40gProtein
64gCarbs
22gFat
Ingredients

What you need

  • 800 beef or lamb, cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 250 yellow split peas, rinsed
  • 240 onions, diced
  • 70 tomato paste
  • 4 dried Persian limes, pierced
  • 1.5 ground turmeric
  • 0.25 ground cinnamon
  • 500 potatoes, cut into matchsticks
  • 80 neutral oil
  • 1200 water or stock
  • 2 fine salt
Method

Step-by-step method

Follow the recipe in order, tasting and adjusting seasoning where needed.

  1. Cook onions in 25 ml oil until golden. Add turmeric and meat and brown for 5–6 minutes.
  2. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes until it darkens slightly, then add stock and pierced dried limes. Simmer covered for 50 minutes.
  3. In a separate pan simmer split peas in water for 15 minutes until partly tender, then drain. This helps control their cooking so they do not disappear into the stew.
  4. Add split peas to the meat and simmer another 35–45 minutes until both are tender. Add cinnamon and salt near the end and adjust dried-lime sourness carefully.
  5. Rinse potato matchsticks, dry very thoroughly and fry at 175°C until crisp and golden. Salt immediately.
  6. Serve gheymeh with rice and add the fried potatoes only at the table so they stay crisp on top of the stew.
Cook smarter

Tips, storage and serving advice

Shopping tips

Buy saffron threads rather than powder, Persian dried limes when possible, tart barberries and unsweetened pomegranate molasses. Rinse rice thoroughly so the grains steam separately. Check labels on compound ingredients such as sauces, spice blends, stocks, kimchi, fermented pastes and prepared breads when cooking for allergies.

Ingredient quality

For Khoresh Gheymeh, prioritise fresh or properly stored versions of beef or lamb, yellow split peas, onions, tomato paste; speciality seasonings should smell vivid rather than stale.

Common mistakes

Adding peas too early can dissolve them, wet potatoes do not crisp and crushed dried lime can turn bitter.

Chef’s tips

Part-cook split peas separately and finish them in the stew to control texture.

How to know it is cooked

Meat and peas are tender but still distinct, sauce coats the spoon and potato topping is crisp.

Plating advice

Spoon stew beside rice and make a generous nest of potato straws on top.

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