Persian Lamb & Yellow Split Pea Stew (Khoresh Geimeh)

Sauté chopped onion in 1 tablespoon oil until clear and beginning to brown.

Next, sear lamb in the onion mixture for just a minute or two. At this time, add turmeric and make sure you’ve coated your lamb with it. Add salt and pepper and remove from heat to put into slow cooker (which should still be off).

Drain yellow split peas, transfer to a shallow pan and sauté for 3 minutes until they begin to firm.

Add tomato paste, fresh and crushed tomatoes to slow cooker, along with yellow split peas, ground saffron, and the water. Turn slow cooker on auto or low (high only if you’re in a hurry).

Wait for 1 1/2 hours to pass. Poke 4 or 5 holes in your dried limes and add to slow cooker. Push them down so water begins to fill them and they aren’t floating to the top. Let cook on low for at least 5 hours.

Remove lamb bones and dried lime (neither are edible). Serve with Basmati rice and top with shoestring potatoes (optional).