• 4 fresh thyme sprigs

• 4 fresh parsley sprigs

• 4 black peppercorns

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 1/2 pounds lamb shank

• 8 cups water

• 3 cups chopped onion

• 2 cups dried lentils

• 2 cups thinly sliced celery

• 2 cups thinly sliced carrot

• 1 cup chopped leek

• 1 cup dry red wine (or substitute)

• 1 Tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried thyme

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

• 8 tsp chopped fresh mint for garnish

• 8 tsp red wine vinegar for garnish

Place first 4 ingredients on a double layer of cheesecloth together; tie securely. Trim fat from lamb shank. Place cheesecloth bag, lamb, and next 11 ingredients (lamb through crushed red pepper) in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 2 hours or until lamb is tender. Discard cheesecloth bag.

Remove lamb from bone, and discard bone. Cut meat into bite-size pieces, and stir meat into soup. Spoon into shallow bowls, and sprinkle each serving with 1-teaspoon mint and 1-teaspoon vinegar.

A delicious blend of green vegetables, meat and beans, this longcooking stew varies across the region with more or fewer vegetables, different meats. Thanks to the blender or food processor, the massive chopping up of the vegetables becomes easier. No matter how you fix it, it is grand.

• fresh spinach (esfenAg) 2 pound bunch or 2 medium size package
• fresh dill (sheveed) 1 bunch (about 1 cup chopped)
• fresh parsley (ja`faree) 2 bunches (flat leaf is better- 2 cup packed)
• fresh cilantro (geshneez), 2 bunch, (2 cups packed)
• fresh leeks (tareh farangee) 2 pound bunch (use only the green stems).
• fresh chives or garlic chives(tareh) 2 bunches, or substitute stems of two bunches of scallions (piAzcheh) (about 1 cup packed)
• fresh fenugreek (shanbelileh) 2 bunches (about 1 cup packed), or substitute 2 tablespoons of dried shanbelileh
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 pounds stew meat (beef, lamb, veal, etc.), cubed
• 4-5 dried lemons (limoo amAnee) or,
• 2 tablespoons dried lemon powder (gard-e leemo amAnee).
• 2 medium onions, finely diced (2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons turmeric (zard choobeh) or Kuwaiti spice or mild curry powder
• 4 cups broth or water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
• 2 cups of pre-soaked dried beans, or substitute 20 ounces of frozen beans or 2 cans of drained and rinsed. Black eyed peas, small white beans or small red beans are traditional
• 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper and crushed red peppers (if you like it spicy).

Rinse the meat and let it drain.

Cut off the heads of the leaks and scallions. Rinse all the greens thoroughly, remove tough stems and strain very dry.

Finely chop the vegetables, using a sharp knife or food processor. Pulse the processor so you get fine pieces, not puree. The smaller the pieces the better.

Cook over high heat, stirring very carefully, until the greens dry out and lose the green color. Add two tablespoons of cooking oil and continually stir fry the vegetables until they turn a brownish color, adding a bit more oil if needed. Take the pot off and put it aside. The cooking should take about 15 minutes. When finished, the vegetables resemble dried ones with no water remaining in the pot.

In a large stewing pot, add about one tablespoon of cooking oil and the chopped onions and stir fry until they turn a golden brown color. Add the meat, stir fry for a few minutes, add salt, pepper, red pepper and turmeric and let the meat fry with the onions for a few minutes. If you are using dried soaked beans, at this point drain them and add them to the mixture. Turn the heat setting to medium. To add the dried lemons, poke a hole in each of the dried lemons and add them to the mixture (or add the powdered kind).

Add about four cups (32 oz) of broth or water, place the lid on the pot and let it boil for another 15 minutes. Add the fried vegetables into the mixture, turn the heat setting to medium-low and let it cook about 1 hour. Half way through this period, if you are using canned beans, add them into the mixture. Once the meat is separated when poked by a fork, and the texture is unformly thick, the stew is ready. This stew is served over white rice.

If you like a sour taste, you may add a tablespoon of lemon juice towards the end of cooking.