Ash-e anar

Method

1. 1 Soak the yellow lentils for 8 hours, then cook them with rice and turmeric for 40 minutes.
2. 2 Shape the minced meat into small, pea-sized balls and add them to the pot, cooking for 12 minutes.
3. 3 Squeeze the pomegranate seeds to extract the juice, then pour it into a pot along with the concentrated pomegranate syrup.
4. 4 Pomegranate juice should only be added at the end; simmering it for too long will turn the sweet and sour taste of the pomegranate into bitterness.
5. 5 Sauté the chopped herbs separately for 10 minutes until they darken, then add them to the pot.
6. 6 Add sugar to balance the sourness, then sprinkle fresh pomegranate seeds on top of the bowl.

With an appliance

• Pressure cooker 1 hr 4 min

  Replace step 1: cook the soaked lentils with rice and turmeric under high pressure for 12 minutes, then release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes; this reduces the cooking time to about 18 minutes compared to the usual 40 minutes. The lentils and rice will be tender, and the broth will thicken naturally without needing to add more water. The meatballs, pomegranate juice, and vegetables from steps 2–5 should still be added after opening the lid to prevent them from becoming mushy or bitter.