Ash-e mast

Method

1. 1 Soak chickpeas for 8 hours, then cook them with rice and turmeric for 45 minutes.
2. 2 Beat the yogurt with one egg until the mixture is smooth and doesn't separate.
3. 3 Mixing eggs into yogurt is a trick to prevent yogurt from curdling when it comes into contact with a hot pan.
4. 4 Reduce the heat to very low, then pour in the yogurt mixture and stir continuously in one direction.
5. 5 Don't let the soup boil after adding the yogurt; boiling will cause the soup to separate immediately.
6. 6 Mix in the chopped herbs and mint, then drizzle with melted butter and fried onions.

With an appliance

• Pressure cooker 40 min

  Replace step 1: cook the soaked chickpeas with rice and turmeric under high pressure for 15 minutes, then release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes; this reduces the cooking time by about 20 minutes compared to the usual 45 minutes, resulting in evenly tender chickpeas and a thick broth without needing to be simmered. In steps 2–5, add the yogurt only after opening the container, over very low heat, as the pressure can easily cause the mixture to clump together.