Ash Reshteh

1. Thinly slice 2 onions. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and ghee over medium heat in a large pot. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add minced garlic cloves and cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon dried mint, 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, and salt. Add 8 1/2 cups water, chickpeas, pinto beans, and lentils.

2. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Stir in spinach, parsley, and cilantro. Return mixture to a simmer. Cook over low heat, covered, until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons dried mint and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir mint into soup. Season soup to taste.

4. Stir together flour and 1/3 cup water in a small bowl; add to soup. Increase heat to medium. Add reshteh and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender and soup is thickened, about 12 minutes.

5. For toppers, slice remaining onion. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer onion mixture to a plate.

6. Reduce heat to medium. Stir minced garlic bulb into the skillet and cook, adding more oil as needed, until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes. Transfer garlic to a bowl. Add remaining 3 tablespoons dried mint and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer sautéed mint to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Stir together kashk and remaining 1/2 cup water in a small bowl.

7. Top soup servings with sautéed onion, crispy garlic, and fried mint; drizzle with kashk mixture.

Notes

Reshteh

Look for these thin flour noodles in Persian or Middle Eastern groceries—or use fettuccine and add 1/2 teaspoon salt in Step 3.

Ghee

A type of clarified butter, ghee is commonly used in Middle Eastern and South Asian cooking. You can substitute butter if you don’t have ghee.