Abgoosht or Abgusht is a homemade meal from a pot that is a rustic dish with healthy ingredients. This stew has been enjoyed by our Persian ancestors over the centuries and still remains one of the most popular foods in Persian cuisine. Abgoosht means “meat broth” word for word, but it is much more! It is a delicious combination of the most tender meat and potatoes, as well as vegetables, spices and legumes. Then there is the broth mixed with pieces of sangak bread or lavash; that’s the best part of the “meat broth” called, Tileet. There is another very old stew called, Persian Shorra, which is served similarly with the broth on the side. 
Tileet is a soup made with this tasty broth, mixed with bite-sized chunks of Persian flatbreads, sangak or lavash. The bread absorbs the broth and all its flavor. Tileet is served on the Abgoosht side and literally melts in the mouth. Meat and vegetables can be enjoyed whole, or crushed in what is called, goosht e koobideh, which is the traditional way of eating Abgoosht. Goosht e koobideh is made with a goosht koob, which looks like a meat pounder with a smooth surface. 
Different cooks add different ingredients to this traditional favorite. For starters, the cut of meat varies quite a bit, more than almost any other Persian stew. The meat is usually beef or lamb. Some use lamb reeds, others use stew meat, some use ribs (dandeh in Farsi). I’ve even had an Abgoosht made with goat meat, which was very delicious. Personally, I love the short ribs with bone that are large with lots of very tender meat, and the bones add flavor and richness to the broth. 
Most cooks in my family add okra and green pepper to abgoosht, but this recipe can be made without these vegetables. Personally, I love okra for all its health benefits and how thickens the stew. The type of legumes can also vary; Some cooks use white beans instead of chickpeas. The use of sour agents such as unripe sour grapes (ghooreh) or dried lime (limoo amani) is also a personal preference. In this recipe I have used the ghooreh from my vine, and I love the special flavor it adds to Abgoosht. I have also used amani slime in the past and it tastes equally wonderful. I also have a recipe for Tas Kabob, which is made with thin slices of beef or lamb stewed with onions, potatoes, and carrots that you can enjoy.
The short ribs are cooked in water with turmeric powder, ground black pepper, garlic cloves and onion until the meat is very tender. At this point, the bones can be easily extracted from the meat and discarded.
Next, tomato
paste, salt, tomato halves, sour grapes, okra, green peppers and chickpeas (chickpeas) are added to the pot with cooked meat and its rich broth. Optional saffron is added at this point. The pot is covered with the lid and Abgoosht is simmered until all the ingredients are tender. As expected, the rich broth is incredibly tasty and transforms pieces of bread into the delicious soup called Tileet! 
To serve Abgoosht, use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving dish. Then pour the broth over pieces of toasted flatbread into a bowl. Enjoy Abgoosht, this healthy traditional dish, with fresh herbs (Sabzi Khordan), raw onion slices, Torshi (pickled vegetables) and Roasted Sangak (Persian flatbread) or slices of pita bread.
You can also enjoy a cup of freshly brewed Persian tea after this healthy traditional meal for a total Persian experience!
