Āsh-e Sāk [Spinach & Split Pea Pottage | vegan]

Spinach & Split Pea Pottage from Golestan | vegan

Origin: Regional Specialty (Shomāl)

Tucked between the Caspian Sea and the Turkmen steppe, Golestan province sits along old overland trade routes, and the name sāk is a cousin to the Hindi word sāg for cooked leafy greens. When I made Āsh-e Sāk for the first time and brought it to a gathering full of Persians at my sister-in-law’s house, none of them had ever had it before, and they loved it so much the entire pot disappeared. Fresh spinach and yellow split peas simmer together into a rich pottage thickened with a toasted chickpea-flour slurry, brightened with lemon juice, and topped with sweet caramelized onions and sizzled mint.

Serves: 6-8
Preparation time: 15 minutes (plus 2 hours soaking time)
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes