Pistachio Soup

Name: Pistachio Soup (Sup-e pesteh)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Cuisine: Iranian
Ingredients: ½ cup (120 ml) bitter orange juice or mixture of 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice and ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 2 tablespoons raw shelled pistachios, picked over and any shell bits removed; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1 cup (170 g) raw shelled pistachios; 8 cups (1.9 l) homemade chicken broth (recipe); 2 tablespoons oil or butter; 1 shallot, peeled and thinly chopped; 1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced; ⅓ cup (50 g) barberries, picked over and rinsed thoroughly with cold water; 1 tablespoon oil; 1 teaspoon grape molasses or sugar; 1 leek (white and green parts), washed thoroughly and finely chopped; 1 tablespoon rice flour; ½ teaspoon cayenne; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; ½-inch (1 cm) fresh ginger, peeled, grated

Sup-e pesteh

Preparation info

Makes
4
servings

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
1 hr 25

Appears in

Food of Life

By Najmieh Batmanglij

Published 2011

About

The word “pistachio” comes from the Persian word pesteh. One ancient nickname for the Persian people was “pistachio-eaters.” According to a Greek chronicler, when King Astyages of the Medes gazed from his throne over his army, which had been defeated by Cyrus the Great, he exclaimed, “Woe, how brave are these pistachio-eating Persians!”

Ingredients

Garnish

1 tablespoon oil
⅓ cup (50 g) barberries, picked over

Asia
Iran
Southeast Asia
Soup

Method

To make the garnish: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium-sized skillet over low heat. Add the barberries and grape molasses, and sauté for 1 minute (be careful, barberries burn easily). Add the pistachios and sauté for 20 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.
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