What it means
آبگوشت (âbgusht) is one of the oldest everyday Iranian dishes: a slow-simmered stew of lamb on the bone, white beans, chickpeas, potatoes, onion and tomato. The name is a transparent compound of آب (âb), “water,” and گوشت (gusht), “meat,” so it literally means “meat broth.” It is very often called دیزی (dizi), after the stone or clay pot it is cooked and served in, and the two words are used almost interchangeably in restaurants.
How to use it
- ناهار آبگوشت میخوریم. (nâhâr âbgusht mikhorim.) “We’re having âbgusht for lunch.”
- این آبگوشت خیلی خوشمزهست. (in âbgusht kheyli khoshmazast.) “This âbgusht is really delicious.”
- گوشتش رو با گوشتکوب له کن. (gushtesh ro bâ gushtkub leh kon.) “Mash the meat with the masher.”
- یه دیزی برای من بیار. (ye dizi barâye man biyâr.) “Bring me one dizi.”
Cultural note
Âbgusht has a special way of being eaten. First you pour off the broth into a bowl and soak torn pieces of flatbread (نان, nân) in it to make تیلیت (tilit), then you mash the meat, beans and potatoes together with a wooden or metal masher called a گوشتکوب (gushtkub) and eat that thicker part with bread and raw onion. It is classic comfort food, cheap and filling, and the small dizi houses that serve it are a familiar part of old-city life in Tehran and other Iranian cities.