What it means
خورش (khoresh) is a thick, slow-cooked stew that you spoon over plain rice. It is a native Persian word, built from the present stem of خوردن (khordan, “to eat”), so it literally points to “something to eat with rice.” It names a whole family of dishes, from خورش قورمه سبزی (khoresh-e ghormeh sabzi) to خورش قیمه (khoresh-e gheymeh). A close cousin is آبگوشت (abgusht), but that one is a thinner, brothier dish, while a khoresh is dense with meat, herbs, or beans in a deep sauce.
How to use it
- امشب خورش قورمه سبزی داریم. (emshab khoresh-e ghormeh sabzi darim.) “Tonight we are having ghormeh sabzi stew.”
- این خورش خیلی خوشمزه شده. (in khoresh kheyli khoshmaze shode.) “This stew turned out really delicious.”
- خورش رو روی برنج بکش. (khoresh ro ruye berenj bekesh.) “Serve the stew over the rice.”
- کدوم خورش رو بیشتر دوست داری؟ (kodum khoresh ro bishtar dust dari?) “Which stew do you like more?”
Cultural note
A khoresh poured over fluffy white rice is the centerpiece of everyday Iranian home cooking. Most khoresh dishes simmer for hours, which is why classics like ghormeh sabzi and gheymeh are tied to memories of slow weekend meals. Iranians often spell the names as khoresh-e or khoresht-e in print, and you will hear both forms in conversation.