

The recipe for this hearty Garbanzo Bean (chickpea) Potage (Pottage) or Tandir Aashi is from my home town of Tabriz in Eastern Azerbaijan, Iran. The word Tandir is Azeri for Tandoor oven, and Aashi means Aash in Azeri, which describes many thick soups in Azeri/Persian cuisine. This particular aash is thicker than most and is cooked with garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, called “Nokhod” in Azeri and also in Farsi. The background history of Tandir Aashi is that back in the day many Perisan homes had a built in tandoor oven and the yearly Lavash bread for the household was baked in these ovens by hired professional bakers in early morning hours for 2-3 consecutive days. They used to cook this aash in heavy pots inside these Tandoors. The pot was lowered into the hot coals and after a few hours of baking the Tandir Aashi would be cooked and ready to eat.



Onion is actually the main ingredient in this recipe and when it cooks up, the same onion that makes your eyes water when you peel and cut it, melts into the pottage and gives it a mild sweet flavor. The other important purpose for using so many onions in this recipe goes back to decades ago when in cold Tabriz winters there was a scarcity of fresh vegetables with the exception of a few, including onions.

In present day Tandir Aashi is still a favorite aash because it is extremely comforting and inviting in cold weather. It is also loved because of the health benefits associated with onions that are high in vitamin C and also believed to lower blood pressure and inflammation with potential benefits to immune system.



To make this pottage super healthy, I recommend using home cooked garbanzo beans that are a healthier alternative and taste better than the canned variety. I have posted easy instructions for cooking garbanzo beans on this blog previously, and you will find it here. For a vegetarian version of Garbanzo Potage substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock.



Tandir Aashi can be cooked in a pressure cooker or regular stockpot with a heavy lid; I have included both methods in the recipe below.

This recipe needs very few ingredients and packs a big load of nutrients and taste. Add all the ingredients to a pressure cooker or a regular stockpot with a good lid that will not allow too much loss of moisture. If using a stockpot make sure you stir it occasionally so the ingredients do not stick to the pot. If there is not enough liquid in the pot more chicken stock (vegetable stock, or water) may be added in small amounts to maintain a nice thick consistency.

Once all the ingredients are tender and the potage has thickened, remove the pot from the heat and use a immersion blender to blend some of the garbanzo beans but leaving some whole for texture.

Ladle the Garbanzo Potage into individual bowls and top each bowl with one or two cubes of butter and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. Enjoy this warm and buttery comfort food with some crusty bread and salad.



