Āsh-e Jo [Barley Pottage| vegan option]

Classic Barley Pottage | vegan option

Origin: Pan-Iranian Classic

Long before long-grain rice took over everyday kitchens, drought-hardy barley (jo) fed Iran’s central plateau. That history lives on in Āsh-e Jo, a classic, comforting winter pottage. As the pearl barley simmers, it releases starch into a thick, velvety broth packed with chickpeas, white kidney beans, lentils, and chopped greens. Finished with a swirl of tangy liquid kashk, caramelized onions (pīyāz dāgh), and warm mint oil (na’nā dāgh), it’s a hearty meal perfect for cold nights.

Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 20 minutes (plus 8-12 hours soaking)
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Fresh Produce

• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 6 oz (170g) fresh baby spinach
• ½ cup fresh dill fronds

Dairy

• ⅓ cup (80 ml) liquid kashk

Pantry

• 1 cup (7 oz / 200g) pearl barley
• ½ cup (3.5 oz / 100g) dried chickpeas
• ½ cup (3.5 oz / 100g) dried white kidney (cannellini) beans
• ½ cup (3.5 oz / 100g) dried green or brown lentils
• 3½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp dried mint
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 3 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil

Preparation

• Pick through and rinse the dried chickpeas and white kidney beans. Place them in a large bowl, cover with cold water by at least 2 inches, and soak overnight, then drain and rinse.
• Rinse the pearl barley under cold water, cover with cold water in a separate bowl, and soak for 2 hours, then drain. Pick through and rinse the lentils.
• Wash and finely chop the fresh parsley, cilantro, and dill. Wash the baby spinach.
• Thinly slice the yellow onion.

Instructions

1. Simmer the grains and legumes. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, combine the drained chickpeas, white kidney beans, pearl barley, and rinsed lentils with 8 cups (1.9 L) water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the beans and barley are tender.
2. Add the greens. Stir the chopped parsley, cilantro, dill, baby spinach, 3½ tsp kosher salt, and ½ tsp black pepper into the pot, adding 1 cup hot water if needed to maintain a thick, spoonable pottage consistency. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the greens are soft and the broth is thick and cohesive.
3. Prepare the garnishes. While the āsh finishes simmering, heat 3 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté for 12–15 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp (pīyāz dāgh). Stir in ½ tsp ground turmeric and cook for 30 seconds, then remove the skillet from the heat, crumble in 2 tbsp dried mint, and swirl for 15 seconds until fragrant (na’nā dāgh).
4. Serve. Ladle the hot āsh into serving bowls, drizzle with ⅓ cup (80 ml) warm liquid kashk, and top with the caramelized onion and mint oil mixture. Serve with warm flatbread.

Tips

• To make this dish fully plant-based, omit the liquid kashk.
• If fresh dill is unavailable, substitute 2 tbsp of dried dill added alongside the fresh greens in Step 2. Canned, rinsed chickpeas and cannellini beans (1 cup of each) can also be substituted and added in Step 2 to shorten the cooking time.

🥛 The Expert Choice > While Kashk is an optional topping here, its fermented tang provides an essential finish. Commercial versions work, but authentic homemade m is better. My recipe is available exclusively to subscribers.