Good morning. It’s the new moon today and with it the start of Ramadan, one of Islam’s holiest months. We have loads of recipes for suhoor, iftar and, for planning purposes, the Eid al-Fitr holiday that will come at the end of March. To all those observing: Ramadan Mubarak.
Naz Deravian has a new recipe for an iftar meal: khoresh gheymeh (above), an Iranian stew of lamb and split peas topped with crispy onions. “Khoresh” is a Persian word for stews or braises; “gheymeh” refers to the size of the pieces of meat — small, almost minced. Spiced with turmeric, cinnamon and saffron, sweet with onion, rich with tomato paste and finished with either dried lime or a healthy pour of lime juice, it’s a dish I commend even to those who aren’t really sure what iftar is (it’s the meal eaten after a day of fasting). Serve over rice with a Shirazi salad.