Kosher Persian Inspired Beef and Yellow Split Pea Stew

This is a dirt simple recipe, perfect for stuffing into the crockpot on your way out the door to work. It works equally well with beef or lamb, depending on your preference, but use a cheap, tough cut! Otherwise, the meat will fall completely apart after cooking for 8 hours. If you use cheap stewing meat, it'll be deliciously tender without falling to pieces.

• 1 pound inexpensive stew beef or lamb, cubed
• 1 cup yellow split peas
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 fourteen point five oz can stewed or diced tomatoes
• 3 (newly emptied stewed tomato) cans of water
• 3 tbsp tomato paste (about half a 6 oz can)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
• 1 tbsp tumeric powder
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 lime, juiced

Mix everything BUT the time in your crockpot. Stir thoroughly. Leave the crockpot on low for at least 6 hours, preferably at least 8. Just before serving, juice 1/2 of the lime into the crockpot. Taste, and if it needs a little more lime, squeeze in the other half.

Don't put the lime in while cooking! The cirtus acids don't play nicely with the meat.

Serve with hot rice and/or pita bread.

Variations:

• If you can find them, use 2 - 3 dried persian sour limes instead of a single regular lime. Ethinic groceries might have them. If they're not available where you live, don't worry.
• Most versions of this recipe call for eggplant. I've never developed a taste for it, so I leave it out, but if you like eggplant, chop up a medium one and add it to the crockpot along with the rest of the ingredients. Eggplant lovers tell me it's a very tasty addition.
• A bay leaf added to the crockpot adds nicely to the flavor.