| Ash reshteh | |
| Alternate Name: | Persian: آش رشته, ash reshteh, ash-e-reshteh, aashe reshteh, ash e-reshteh, āsh e reshteh, aash-e-reshteh-e |
| Course: | First or main (optional) |
| Type: | Thick soup/ pottage |
| Main Ingredient: | Herbs, beans, lentil, water, noodles and turmeric |
| Variations: | Pinto Beans can be replaced with kidney beans |
| Other: | A vegan dish if served without kashk |
Ash reshteh or ash-e-reshteh (Persian: آش رشته) is a type of āsh (Iranian thick soup) featuring reshteh (thin noodles) and kashk (a sour dairy product, made from cooked or dried yogurt) commonly made in Iran. [1]
There are more than 50 types of thick soup (aush) in Iranian cooking, this being one of the more popular types.[2] The ingredients used are reshteh (thin noodles), kashk (a whey-like, fermented dairy product), herbs such as parsley, spinach, dill, spring onion ends and sometimes coriander, chick peas, black eye beans, lentils, onions, flour, dried mint, garlic, oil, salt and pepper.[3] This is a soup that is vegetarian but can easily be made vegan by omitting the kashk; alternatively, meat can be added.
Ash reshteh has its origins in the distant past, with the recipe evolving and transforming over the centuries. By the year 500 A.D., the addition of noodles to the dish helped to shape it into a form much closer to the version we know today. The soup's history is one of gradual adaptation, as each generation of cooks left their mark on this timeless culinary creation.[4]
It is cooked most in autumn and winter.[5] Traditionally, aush reshteh is served at special Iranian events, like Nowruz, Sizdah be-dar, or during winter time.[6] The noodles are supposed to symbolize good fortune for the new year.[7] [8]