Khoresh Bij Bij

Bij bij, a stew from the Caspian Sea region, was the first dish I ever made as a teenager. It’s one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. Flavorful but simple, it can be made in about an hour with minimal effort.

During my vegetarian years, I found creative ways to prepare bij bij, whether by using crumbled tempeh or homemade seitan—both excellent meat alternatives—or store-bought meat substitutes.