Recipe from Esperanza Basson
Adapted by Joan Nathan
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus 1 hour for soaking rice
- Rating
- 4(46)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This is an Iraqi dish for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, with bitter Swiss chard, sweet beets and beef in a sweet and sour sauce. In Amara, a city near Basra in southern Iraq, the dish is called "mahshi" or "stuffed" in Arabic. It is traditionally made by stuffing Swiss chard leaves with beets, onions and sometimes meat. This version is called false mahshi, as the dish is made in layers. —Joan Nathan
Featured in: Sweet, Sour, Tasty: An Old Iraq New Year
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Ingredients
Yield:6 to 8 servings
- 1½cups long-grain jasmine rice
- 2pounds rib-eye steak, cut in 1-inch cubes
- Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
- 6tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2large onions, peeled and diced
- 2large beets (about 1 pound), peeled, 1 cut into ½-inch dice and 1 grated
- 1pound Swiss chard, leaves left whole and stems cut into 2-inch pieces
- 8teaspoons sugar, or as needed
- 4tablespoons fresh spearmint leaves
- 1teaspoon dried mint
- 4cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced
- Juice of 3 lemons (about ½ cup), or as needed
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
573 calories; 34 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 18 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 26 grams protein; 773 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Step
1
Place rice in a mixing bowl and cover with water. Stir, drain off cloudy water, and repeat until water runs clear. Cover rice with fresh water and let soak for about 1 hour.
Step
2
Season beef with salt and pepper to taste. Place Dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. When oil is shimmering, add beef and sauté until well-browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove beef and set aside. Return pan to low heat and add 2 more tablespoons of oil. Add onions and sauté until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add diced beets and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add two-thirds of the Swiss chard stems and continue cooking until onions are golden, about 5 more minutes. Stir in beef, cover, and remove from heat.
Step
3
Drain rice and return to a bowl. Sprinkle with salt to taste, 5 teaspoons of sugar, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh mint and dried mint. Stir to blend, and add garlic, grated beet, remaining oil and juice of 1 lemon. Spread one-third of Swiss chard leaves in Dutch oven, on top of beef mixture. Spoon half of rice mixture on top, and cover with another third of chard leaves. Spread with remaining rice, and top with remaining Swiss chard leaves and stems.
Step
4
In a small bowl, mix 1½ cups water with remaining 3 teaspoons sugar and juice of another lemon. Taste and, if necessary, add more sugar or lemon juice so mixture is both sweet and sour. Pour over Swiss chard and bring to a boil. Cook partly covered until chard begins to wilt, 3 to 5 minutes. Add ½ cup water if pan is very wide and there is little liquid on bottom. Poke handle of a wooden spoon into mixture in three places, making holes to let steam rise through chard. Cover, reduce heat to very low, and cook until rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with remaining lemon juice and remaining fresh mint.
Ratings
4
out of 5
46
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Cooking Notes
Susan
I made this once as directed, and the steak came out very well-done and tough. Since then I use stewing beef (like chuck), cook it covered with the onions for an hour or two, then add the beets and proceed. Everyone I've ever served it to LOVED it--even people who claim to hate beets. We call it Persian Purple Pilaf and serve it with a cucumber and yogurt salad on the side. (Or cucumber/pepper/tomato salad during Passover.)We also drizzle a bit of pomegranate molasses over the top. Delish
Mitch
It took a bit longer for the rice to cook than I anticipated, which resulted in the leaves wilting more than I had hoped, but it was an absolutely lovely meal.
speaco*ck23
If your beets come with their greens, use the beet greens instead of Swiss chard.
AMHJR
This was an amazing and subtly nuanced and balanced combination of flavors. Prepared exactly as written, the beef was tender and moist and the rice perfectly cooked. As with Persian rice dishes like some Iranian pilafs, the pre-soak makes the rice tender and keeps the grains perfectly separate from each other. We feared the lemon would overpower but it was barely noticeable. It is definitely greater than the sum of its parts.
Susan
I made this once as directed, and the steak came out very well-done and tough. Since then I use stewing beef (like chuck), cook it covered with the onions for an hour or two, then add the beets and proceed. Everyone I've ever served it to LOVED it--even people who claim to hate beets. We call it Persian Purple Pilaf and serve it with a cucumber and yogurt salad on the side. (Or cucumber/pepper/tomato salad during Passover.)We also drizzle a bit of pomegranate molasses over the top. Delish
Keri
I halved the recipe since I was cooking for myself. Delicious!!
DeltaZulu
I made this dish for Rosh Hashanah and everyone devoured it. Instead of cane sugar I used coconut sugar, which might have added complexity as a sweetener. My family can’t wait for me To make it again.
speckledgoat
Dish comes out pretty sweet. It needs a spicy element - harissa maybe? I’m gonna try it again with that next time. Otherwise it’s delicious!
j martin
This sounds unusual and it is, but wonderfully delicious.
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