Abgoosht (Dizi), Iranian food
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The main ingredients of Abgoosht are lamb, tail fat, onion, chickpea, white bean, potato and different seasonings especially dried lime and water. At first, Abgoosht was made of the combination of lamb and legume but by the import of potato and tomato to Iran during Qajar Empire, it was affected by these two items and was prepared with a new recipe and it can be said that today, potato is an inseparable part of this food.
Abgoosht is a ritual dish especially in the recent decades which was used in different ceremonies like mourning, wedding, birthday of a new-born baby and even religious creeds. Today, during Muharram and the mourning ceremonies of Imam Hussain, the third Shia Imam, some of the families prepare Abgoosht in a huge amount and distribute it among people.
A traditional simple kind of Abgoosht is cooked in a special dish called Dizi. It is commonly served in cafes. Dizi is a one-person small crock made of clay, stone or metal. Although by the advent of different pots, Dizi is used less than before for cooking Abgoosht, there are still people who believe that a real Abgoosht is the one which is prepared in Dizi.
Once Abgoosht is ready, it is served in two steps. First, its broth is poured in a bowl and chopped bread is added to it. This is called “Tirid”, serving Abgoosht in clay bowl is very pleasant and enjoyable. The solid ingredients including lamb, chickpea, white bean and other are mashed separately and are severed in the next step along with fresh bread, herbs, pickles, yogurt and onion. The Iranian usually serve Abgoosht with Lavash or Sangak breads. The common beverage along with this food is also Doogh (a cold savory yogurt-based beverage that is mixed with salt).
