Advieh Ash
Advieh Ash is a hot, roasted, and slightly sweet spice blend that combines the earthy notes of coriander and cumin with black pepper, fenugreek, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon, prepared for Iran's thick soups and legume dishes called āsh.
Coriander and cumin create a strong, warm base, while fenugreek adds a dry and slightly bitter depth. Black pepper enlivens the blend; cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon provide a long finish with sweet spice notes. It can be used in lentil, bean, and chickpea soups, especially Āsh Reshteh; vegetable dishes, stews, meat casseroles, meatballs, and rice dishes.
Contents:
Coriander, cumin, black pepper, fenugreek, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon
Vegan
Our 100% natural, hand-blended products contain no preservatives, artificial or nature-identical flavors, colors, or aromas whatsoever.
Advieh Ash is Mama Ram's interpretation of the spice blends used for thick soups called āsh in Iranian cuisine. āsh is a broad family of dishes that can be prepared with various combinations of legumes, grains, noodles, vegetables, fresh herbs, fruits, meat, and sour ingredients. Therefore, it is suitable not only for watery soups as we know them, but also for thick legume and grain dishes eaten with a spoon.
“Advieh” in Persian generally means spice or seasoning. There are different types of Advieh blends depending on their intended use, such as Advieh Ash, Advieh Polo, and Advieh Khoresh. There isn't a single recipe that remains the same across families and regions.
Advieh Ash is primarily for thick soups, while Advieh Khoresh is prepared for stews and casseroles. You can also use Mama Ram Advieh Ash in stews and slow-cooked meats; however, the true character of the mixture emerges in thick soups made with legumes, grains, vegetables, and herbs.
Coriander seeds create a warm, slightly citrusy and woody start to the blend. Cumin deepens this structure with its strong earthy and roasted character. Together, the two spices balance the natural sweetness of legumes and slow-cooked vegetables.
Fenugreek forms a dry, herbaceous, roasted, and slightly bitter layer. When combined with green vegetables such as lentils, chickpeas, beans, spinach, and chard, it adds a long-lasting, appetizing depth to the dish.
Black pepper provides a direct and vibrant heat. Because the blend doesn't contain chili peppers, it's not burning; the sensation of heat comes largely from the combination of black pepper, cumin, and sweet spices.
Cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon form the sweet spice layer of the blend. This trio sets Advieh Ash apart from a typical cumin-based soup spice blend; it leaves a warm, woody, and slightly sweet aroma behind the legumes, meats, and vegetables.
Expect an earthy, roasted, warm, slightly bitter, woody, and sweetly spicy profile. It's important to measure the mixture carefully, as cloves, nutmeg, and fenugreek can easily become overpowering.
Advieh Ash contains no salt. Adjust the salt in the soup or dish separately; do not try to compensate for the lack of salt by increasing the amount of spices.
Coriander: Creates a warm, woody, and slightly citrusy start.
Cumin: Provides an earthy, roasted, dense, and long-lasting body.
Black pepper: Provides a vibrant, woody, and direct peppery heat.
Fenugreek: It forms a dry, herbaceous, roasted, and slightly bitter depth.
Clove: Provides an intense, warm, sharp, and slightly sweet top note.
Nutmeg: Adds a depth of sweet, woody, and slightly creamy notes.
Cinnamon: With its warm, sweet, dry, and woody character, it rounds off the mix.
Advieh Ash initially reveals the warm, earthy, and roasted character of coriander and cumin. Then, the vibrant sharpness of black pepper and the dry, slightly bitter depth of fenugreek become apparent. Cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon leave a warm, woody, sweet, spicy, and long-lasting finish.
Āsh Reshteh and Iranian Soups: Made with noodles, beans, chickpeas, lentils, and plenty of greens, it adds a warm, spicy layer to thick Iranian soups.
Lentil and Legume Soups: Can be used in soups prepared with green or red lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, mung beans, and black-eyed peas.
Thick Grain Soups: Compatible with rich soups and one-pot meals containing barley, wheat, rice, bulgur, and noodles.
Vegetable Soups: Spinach, chard, leeks, onions, pumpkin, carrots, celery, eggplant, and tomatoes add depth to soups.
Sour and Fruity Soups: Pomegranate, sour plum, sour cherry, sumac, lemon, or unripe grape can be used in moderation in sweet and sour Iranian soups.
Stews and Casseroles: While not claimed to be a substitute for traditional Advieh Khoresh, it can be used in long-cooking dishes prepared with beef, lamb, chicken, legumes, and vegetables.
Meatballs and Meat Fillings: Lamb or beef meatballs, lentil patties, and vegetable fillings acquire a warm, earthy character.
Eggplant and Root Vegetables: Eggplant can be used in baked or stewed dishes prepared with pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, and celery.
Rice dishes: It can be used in small quantities, especially in lentil, chickpea, dried fruit, or meat pilafs. For more floral and elegant Persian pilafs, Advieh Polo is a more suitable choice.
Plant-based proteins: Mushrooms, tofu, lentils, chickpeas, and beans add a warm and savory depth to vegan dishes.
For four to six servings of Āsh Reshteh or a similar thick Iranian soup, start with 1–1.5 teaspoons of Advieh Ash. Add the spice after the onions and garlic are cooked; stir for a few seconds and then add the legumes and cooking liquid.
For one liter of lentil, bean, chickpea, or vegetable soup, ½–1 teaspoon is sufficient. Start with a small amount, as cloves, nutmeg, and fenugreek will become more pronounced as they steep in the liquid.
For four servings of thick grain or noodle soup, start with 1 teaspoon . If it will be cooked for a long time, add the spice at the beginning; if it will be prepared quickly, add it in the middle of cooking.
For four servings of vegetable stew or casserole, you can use 1–1.5 teaspoons . In dishes containing tomatoes, pomegranates, sour plums, or lemons, the warmth of the spice balances the sour character.
For 500g of beef, lamb, or chicken, 1–1.5 teaspoons of Advieh Ash is sufficient. Mix the spice with oil and salt and spread it over the meat, or add it to the cooking liquid.
For 500g of meatballs or vegetable mixture, use 1–1.5 teaspoons of the mixture. After salting the mixture, check the seasoning balance by cooking a small portion in a pan.
For 500g of vegetables, mix 1 teaspoon of Advieh Ash with 1–2 tablespoons of oil. It pairs particularly well with eggplant, pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms.
For rice dishes, start with ½ teaspoon of spice for every 250g of raw rice . Add the spice to the sautéed onions or cooking water, ensuring it is evenly distributed throughout the rice.
Since Advieh Ash contains no salt, adjust the saltiness of the dish separately. Do not roast the ground spices for too long in an empty, very hot pan; cloves and fenugreek can burn and become bitter. If you are toasting the spices in oil, stir for a few seconds over low-to-medium heat and then immediately add the liquid or other ingredients.