Ash-e Anar

Yellow split-pea and rice soup with pomegranate and herbs.

Preparation: 15 min · Cooking: 50 min · Total: 1 hr 5 min · 2 servings

Ingredients

• 60 ml Dry basmati rice, measured BEFORE rinsing
• 1 tsp Dried mint
• 120 ml Dry yellow split peas, NOT lentils or chickpeas
• 240 ml Unsweetened pomegranate juice
• 2 tbsp Pomegranate molasses
• 80 ml Fresh parsley, measured AFTER chopping
• 80 ml Fresh coriander, measured AFTER chopping
• 80 ml Fresh scallions, measured AFTER chopping
• Small raw onion, prepared as directed — 1
• 0.75 tbsp Ghee FOR ONION BASE
• 0.25 tbsp Ghee RESERVED FOR MINT
• 720 ml Initial hot soup cooking water
• 2 tbsp Ready-to-eat pomegranate arils, optional garnish (optional)
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• Additional boiling water ONLY if needed; measure additions (optional)

Instructions

1. Rinse the dry split peas and rice with clean water.

   Rinse the dry split peas and rice with clean water. Wash and chop herbs, measuring 80 ml each parsley, coriander and scallions AFTER chopping.

2. Fry chopped onion in only the 0.75 tbsp base ghee over medium heat from 5 minutes until soft.

   Fry chopped onion in only the 0.75 tbsp base ghee over medium heat from 5 minutes until soft. Reserve the separate 0.25 tbsp for mint.

   First check: 300 seconds

3. Stir split peas, rice and black pepper into the onion over medium heat from 1 minute.

   Stir split peas, rice and black pepper into the onion over medium heat from 1 minute. Do not substitute lentils or chickpeas for the specified yellow split peas.

   First check: 60 seconds

4. Add the 720 ml base hot cooking water and bring to a boil.

   Add the 720 ml base hot cooking water and bring to a boil. Cover normally and simmer from 25 minutes, continuing until split peas are fully tender before adding acidic juice or molasses.

   First check: 1500 seconds

5. Add all measured juice, molasses and chopped herbs only after the peas are tender.

   Add all measured juice, molasses and chopped herbs only after the peas are tender. The molasses amount remains fixed at every scale, not an unmeasured extra pour.

6. Simmer uncovered over low heat from another 15 minutes until rice and peas are fully tender.

   Simmer uncovered over low heat from another 15 minutes until rice and peas are fully tender. Add only separately measured boiling water if needed to avoid drying.

   First check: 900 seconds

7. Add salt to taste to the soup.

   Add salt to taste to the soup. Warm dried mint in its reserved 0.25 tbsp ghee over low heat from about 10 seconds until fragrant, not blackened.

   First check: 10 seconds

8. Garnish bowls carefully with the mint mixture away from bubbling liquid.

   Garnish bowls carefully with the mint mixture away from bubbling liquid. If using the optional arils, divide the measured 2 tbsp across the whole base batch.

Tips

• Cup = 240 ml; tbsp = 15 ml; tsp = 5 ml. Ingredient amounts scale exactly; instruction amounts describe the base 2 servings. Process waters, retained cooking water, infusion and derived liquids are separate, not guaranteed consumed yields. Times are first checks; keep the same method across scales.

Common mistakes

• Do not restore old draft ingredients or treat colour, fixed times, meat fat percentage or stirring direction as safety guarantees. Keep raw foods and used tools away from ready-to-eat portions.

Substitutions

• Only explicitly listed alternatives are included. Check package ingredients, allergens and required cooking; use pasteurized dairy and the specified dry/cooked pulse states.

Storage

Cool promptly in shallow portions, ideally refrigerating within 1 hour at 4°C or colder. Use within 24 hours. Follow any shorter product use-by limit; this selected household limit is not validated shelf-life evidence.

Reheating

Reheat only the portion needed, at most once, to 74°C throughout. Rice must have been chilled promptly and used within 24 hours; reheating does not rescue mishandled food.

About this recipe

Ash-e Anar is presented as the owner's Iranian household version or stated adaptation. Ancient origins, royal exclusivity, therapeutic benefits and universal customs are not independently authenticated.

Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.