Abgoosht ‘Dizi’
Abgoosht is not just a Sunday feast, but an entire history in each bite.
We recommend viewing this page on a big screen, PC/Laptop/Tablet
“The once peasant dish gradually found itself as a crown favourite, its rich flavours and aromas captivated the nation and transformed it into a cultural icon, a ceremonial feast, a festival of flavours, a joyous meal which brings families and friends together.”
Khash Kohan dives into the history of Abgoosht ‘Dizi’ an ancient Persian dish
Dating back to ancient Persia, it’s clearly evident that Abgoosht has emerged from humble beginnings. Peering into the recipe's simple nature reveals a pattern — its use of common ingredients and ease of preparation suggests that it was a staple for the common folk. We can better appreciate this delicious dish by considering its historical roots. What might a similar feast have looked like centuries ago?
The traditional method of preparing Abgoosht involves slow-cooking the mix of ingredients in a stoneware or terracotta crock for 4–12 hours in the oven. This alone could push the date of this dish hundreds to thousands of years into the past. While its exact beginnings are a mystery, Abgoosht probably evolved from earlier stews containing meat, legumes, and water—a likely consequence of herding and a nomadic way of life*. Among the earliest documented instances of Dizi is a report from a 17th-century French traveller Jean Chardin who noted a dish closely resembling contemporary Abgoosht.
*(The Persian people were originally steppe nomads from the Iranian Plateau who settled in southwestern modern-day Iran around 600 BCE.)
Throughout the centuries, this humble dish stayed with the people. The recipe differed from region to region, mainly based on the environment and livestock. Over the years, Aabgoosht became a staple of Persian cuisine. It is said that Ali Akbar Khan e Ashpazbashi (The crown chef) used to make 14 different versions of Dizi from fresh herbs and lamb meat for Naser al-din Shah Qajar (the fourth Shah of Qajar empire) during his majestic travels through the Alborz mountains. This alone indicates that once a peasant food, Aabgoosht slowly became a crown favourite.
To this day, the pillars of the recipe remain strong, a good cut of lamb, potato, chickpeas and white beans, preserved lime, tomato, onion and spices. The recipe demands precise preparation and a specific order for adding each ingredient. Once the terracotta crocks are full, they go into the oven for the slow cooking process. The most important part, however, is to make sure that the water (stock) is not evaporating. These traditional crock pots are similar in function to today's Dutch ovens; they retain the heat incredibly well and disperse it from all directions. Once cooked, the heat fully dissolves the lamb's fat into the stock, leaving it fabulously tasty and the meat beautifully tender.
Old Tehran residents recall the Dizi first appearing in the bustling coffeehouses (ghahve khaneh) of old Tehran, near the Meydoon Shoosh (Shoosh square), which was once the heart of Tehran's commerce, a lively centre filled with the chatter of merchants. The irresistible aroma of simmering Dizi would waft through the entire district. Even the less fortunate of the passerby found it hard to resist the lure. It is said that they would change their path to avoid the temptation of stepping into the ghahve khane, as it was almost inevitable to fight the urge to sit down for a Dizi for lunch. Sangak bakeries also cooked Dizi in their ovens, prepping the dish from the previous evening, and beginning the cooking process first thing in the morning after firing up their pebble filled bread ovens. Dizi would then be ready for the neighbours by midday.
And today, Abgoosht has become more than a dish, but a culinary icon in Iran. For decades, traditional restaurants have specialized in Abgoosht and Abgoosht only. Basically, that is all they serve; these restaurants are called ‘Dizi sara’ (The house of Abgoosht). As one enters the building, the aroma of simmering Abgoosht tingles the olfactory sensors, a testament to generations of cooks who have honed their skills, perfected their recipes, and passed down their culinary secrets. In today’s Tehran, you can find the most authentic Dizi saras at around the grand bazar of Tehran. It's worth noting that Dizi saras have become some of the most popular tourist spots in Tehran.
Dizi's cultural influence is so significant that it's even referenced in Persian literature; a prime example is the well-known saying, "Dare Dizi baze, hayaye gorbe kojast?”
Translating into, ‘The lid of Dizi is open, where has the cat’s manners gone?’
Usually, referred to when someone crosses their boundaries.
Now, let’s talk about Dizi as the food itself: Aabgoosht is on itself both the entrée and the main course. Once out of the oven, traditionally, we begin with the broth and the bread - (Usually Sangak as its sturdy texture prevents it from falling apart/dissolving in the liquid) in this instance; however, we serve the Aabgoosht with taftoon as a good Sangak is almost impossible to come by in Australia. Begin by pouring the majority of the broth into a bowl. Next, tear the bread into small pieces, add them to the broth, and let them soak for a few minutes before eating. This process is called tilit. You can enjoy the tilit with the sides, torshi, sabzi khordan, salad shirazi and maast e chekideh.
For the main course, we’re left with the main ingredients and perhaps a 5th of the broth in the crock pot. This part is called goosht koobide, or mashed meat. The fun part!
We mash the lamb, potatoes, tomatoes, and beans together with a masher, gradually adding broth to create a smooth, moist mixture. Season the goosht koobideh to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. The goosht koobide is served after the tilit, alongside the sides, torshies, sabzi khordan, salad shirazi and maast e chekideh. You can make it into small sandwiches, with the sides complementing the taste.
The sides are designed to cleanse the palate and contrast the richness of the main course.
For dessert, it is common to have chai (traditional Persian black tea) and shirini (traditional Persian sweets). Shirini could be anything sweet in this instance, Aabgoosht is a very filling dish, so it is more common to go for a lighter option such as dried fruits, or nabat (sugar sticks) or small sweets like Baghlava, Ghotab or cookies. In the old days, they used to say that a glass of chai and something sweet would help with the digestion.
That is how Abgoosht (Dizi) has become one of the most beloved and cherished dishes in the Persian food culture. The simple recipe evolved throughout the centuries. The once peasant dish gradually found itself as a crown favourite. Its rich flavours and aromas captivated the nation and transformed it into a cultural icon, a ceremonial feast, a festival of flavours, a joyous meal which brings families and friends together.
And it truly was an event. Recalling my childhood in Tehran, the word ‘Aabgoosht’ always brought a wave of childish excitement; it meant a family gathering, even if it was only Mom, Dad, my brother and me. It brought anticipation, the constant questioning of mom and dad ‘is it ready yet?’! It meant sitting around our big wooden dining table, that special aroma of dizi filling the entire house, with bowls and mashers already laid out, the whole table set up with the sides, torshis, fresh herbs, shirazi salad and freshly baked sangak bread that dad had picked up a bit earlier from the bakery, waiting for mom and dad to carefully pull the hot Dizi from the oven with their thick oven mitts and place them on the table.
We waited patiently as they poured the scalding broth, the rich scent making our mouths water, then mom or dad would say, ‘grab your bread, break it up, and enjoy.’ And of course, when we had finished the tilit, dad would grab a bowl, empty the crock pot into it and start mashing. Year after year, we would ask to let us have a go, at first it felt like mashing gravel, we would try and give up after a minute, breaking a sweat. Yet as we grew up, we could mash our own goosht koobide, an achievement on its own.
