Book of Days Tales

Today is the birthday (1201) of Khawaja Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Hasan Tūsī (Persian: محمد بن محمد بن الحسن طوسی‎‎), better known as Nasīr al-Dīn Tūsī (Persian: نصیر الدین طوسی‎)‎; or simply Tusi in the West, a Persian polymath and prolific writer – an architect, astronomer, biologist, chemist, mathematician, philosopher, physician, physicist, scientist, and theologian. The Muslim scholar Ibn Khaldoun (1332–1406) considered Tusi to be the greatest of the later Persian scholars.

Pomegranate soup, or āsh-e anār, is a Persian and Mesopotamian dish (āsh) made from pomegranate juice and seeds, yellow split peas, rice, spices, and vegetables. It likely has ancient roots. It is generally more flavorful if you can find pomegranate syrup, but the pure juice will do.

Pomegranate Soup

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
¾ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (or mint)
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 leek, washed and sliced thin
8 cups light stock
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup basmati rice, uncooked
⅓ cup yellow split peas, soaked overnight
¼ cup pomegranate syrup
2 tbsp sugar
salt
freshly ground black pepper
pomegranate arils to garnish

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy stock pot on medium heat. Add the parsley, cilantro, spinach and leek, and sauté for 10 minutes to wilt. Do not allow them to take on color.

Add the stock and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Add the rice and split peas. Cook on a low heat until the rice is done (about 30 minutes). The split peas will cook at about the same time.

Add the pomegranate syrup and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Pour the soup into deep bowls and garnish with about 1 tablespoon of pomegranate arils per bowl.

Serve with flatbread.