This Abgoosht Buz Qorme Saffron Recipe is a Kerman dish of slow-cooked mutton, chickpeas, onion, garlic and kashk. The tender meat and chickpeas are mashed into a thick stew, then finished gently with saffron and optional walnuts.
The name is also written boz ghormeh or buz qorme. Older versions may use goat, but this recipe keeps the 500 g sheep meat specified in the original post.
Ingredients
- 500 g bone-in mutton or lamb shoulder
- 1 cup dried chickpeas
- 1 cup liquid kashk
- 2 onions
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 to 3 tablespoons concentrated saffron infusion
- Neutral oil, for frying
- Crushed walnuts, optional, for finishing
- Salt, only after tasting the kashk
Kashk is a salty fermented dairy ingredient sold as a thick liquid or paste. Brands vary, so do not salt the stew early.
Soak the chickpeas
Cover the chickpeas generously with cool water and soak for 12 to 24 hours. Change the water two or three times, then drain and rinse.
Put them in a saucepan with fresh water and half the cumin. Bring to a boil, skim the surface and cook gently until tender, usually 60 to 90 minutes. Drain, reserving a cup of the cooking liquid.
Cook the meat until tender
Finely chop one onion. Warm 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy pot and cook the onion over medium heat until golden.
Add the meat, half the turmeric and the black pepper. Turn the pieces until their surfaces lose their raw colour, then add enough hot water to cover by about 2 cm.
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the meat separates easily from the bone. Lift out the pieces, remove every bone and return the meat to its strained cooking broth.
Build the onion and garlic base
Thinly slice the second onion and chop the garlic. Fry the onion in a separate pan with 1 tablespoon oil until deep gold. Reserve a spoonful for garnish.
Add the garlic, remaining turmeric and remaining cumin. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the cooked meat and chickpeas. Cook together for 7 to 8 minutes so the aromatics coat everything.
Simmer the buz qorme
Transfer the mixture to the meat broth. Add enough reserved chickpea liquid to keep the solids just submerged and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
The chickpeas should be completely soft before mashing. If one remains chalky at the centre, continue cooking with a little more liquid.
Mash to the traditional texture
Use a potato masher for a rustic texture or a stick blender in short pulses for a smoother one. Do not turn it into a thin purée; small pieces of chickpea and meat should remain.
If the mixture is too thick to move, add hot broth a few tablespoons at a time. Buz qorme should sit thickly on a spoon but still be served from a bowl.
Add kashk and saffron gently
Check the kashk label. Pasteurised ready-to-use kashk can be stirred smooth with a little hot broth. If using a traditional product that requires boiling, simmer it separately for 10 minutes as the original recipe instructs.
Lower the stew heat and add the kashk gradually, stirring. Mix in the saffron infusion and optional crushed walnuts, then cook at the gentlest simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
A hard boil can make kashk separate. Stir often and add salt only after tasting the finished stew. Our guide to brewing saffron explains how to prepare the concentrated infusion.
Serve the Kerman stew
Spoon the boz ghormeh into warm bowls. Finish with the reserved fried onion, a few crushed walnuts and a small saffron streak.
Serve with flatbread, fresh herbs, radishes and pickles. Keep the accompaniments sharp and fresh because the kashk and slow-cooked meat are rich.
Common problems
- Chickpeas stay firm: finish cooking them before they meet the salty kashk.
- Stew becomes gluey: pulse the blender briefly or use a hand masher.
- Kashk separates: lower the heat and add it gradually without a hard boil.
- Dish tastes too salty: wait until the kashk is incorporated before seasoning.
Storage
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 days. Reheat slowly, stirring in a splash of water if needed, until steaming throughout. This recipe contains dairy and optional walnuts.
