Instructions: Soup instructions:
In large pot, brown onions in oil. Add salt, 1/4 tsp. of the pepper, and turmeric. Pour in water and add kidney beans. navy beans, and chickpeas.

Cover and simmer 45 minutes. Add lentils and broth. Cook 35 minutes.

Add scallions, dill, parsley, spinach, and beet. Stir occasionally and cook 20 minutes or until done. Correct seasoning(add the rest of the pepper if needed) and add more water if too thick. Add noodles, flour and cook until noodles are done-about 10 minutes.

If using kashke or sour cream, set aside a heaping Tbsp. for garnish.

Stir 2 Tbsp. of soup into remaining sour cream. Stir this mixture slowly into soup. Reheat just before serving, adding more water if its too thick.

Gheimeh:
About 1/2 hour before serving, prepare gheimeh garnish. Brown meat, onion, and garlic in oil. Stir in water and split peas. Cover and cook 20 minutes over low heat. Add tomato paste, saffron, and salt. Simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Mint:
While gheimeh is simmering, prepare mint garnish. Brown onion and garlic in oil. Remove from heat. Crush mint flakes in hand and stir into onion.

Pour soup into tureen, garnish with gheimeh and mint garnish and reserved sour cream by floating them on top.

This is a Persian recipe, but is similar to the aush I have had in an Afghan restaurant. Ash-e means soup in Farsi. Persian noodles

(Reshteh) are available in Middle Eastern food shops. The author notes that liquid kashke(whey) is available, but the quality isnt always good, so she uses sour cream. She also suggests making the soup a day ahead of serving.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.