Khoresht-e Sib - Apple Chicken Stew Ingredients: (4 servings) 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, butter, or ghee 2 small onions, peeled

and thinly sliced 1 pound skinless,boneless chicken leg,or duck breast, or meat (lamb, veal, beef) , cut into thin strlps 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground saffron threads, dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water 5 tart cooking apples 1 cup pitted, dried tart cherries Directions: In a medium pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sti r-fry 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the chicken and fry for 15 minutes longe r, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the salt, pepper, and cinnamon . Add 2.5 cups of water, the lime juice, brown sugar, and saffron water and brin g to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes over low heat, stirring nccasionall y. Meanwhile, peel and core the apples and cut them into wedges. In a large skillet , heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat and fry the apples for 10 to 15 minute s, stirring occasionally, until all sides are golden brown. Preheat the oven to 350E Transfer the khoresht to a deep ovenproof casserole. Arrange the apples and cherries on top. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, until the apples and meat are te nder. Taste the khoresht: It should taste sweet and sour. Adjust seasonings, adding su gar or lime juice if necessary. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve. Serve hot with saffron steamed rice. Variation: Instead of dried cherries, you may use 1/2 cup yellow split peas. If you do, cook the split-peas in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes, drain, and add ju st before placing in the over. ------------------------------------------Ingredients 2 pounds shoulde of lamb, or New Zealand leg of lamb 1 large onion, grated 3 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon saffron 1 can beef bouillon or consomm cup water 2 teaspoons salt teaspoon pepper cup lemon juice cup yellow split peas

3 pounds firm cooking apples cup sugar Perisan, Khoresht-E Sib-E Derakhti, Stewed Lamb With Apples Procedure Have your butcher bone the lamb. Trim off the excess fat, and cut the meat into bite-size pieces. If desired, render the fat and use it instead of the butter. S aut the onion in the butter or rendered fat until golden brown. Add the meat and saut until brown. Stir in the saffron. Add the bouillon, water, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the yellow split peas, cover again, and simmer for another hour. Peel and halve the apples; core and cut each half into 3 or 4 pieces. Add the ap ple pieces and sugar to the stew, cover, and simmer gently for an additional 20 minutes. Serve with rice. If the apples are sweet, reduce the amount of sugar; i f very tart, increase the sugar to taste. --------------------------------------------Khoresht-e Sib--Using Empire apples.