Persian dawn breakfast · Overnight broth
Kaleh Pacheh Recipe (Persian Lamb Head and Trotter Soup)
Clean thoroughly. Blanch first. Never boil hard.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenKaleh pacheh is the early morning feast of Tehran: lamb head and trotters cooked all night into a rich broth, eaten with bread, lemon and cinnamon. It smells strong and the broth turns cloudy when the parts are not cleaned and blanched. The fix is scrubbing, blanching and discarding the first water, then simmering gently with onion and garlic.
The 3 laws of kaleh pacheh
Why this recipe works
Quick rinse
Cleaning removes odour.
One pot water
Blanching clears the broth.
Rolling boil
Boiling clouds the broth.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Pot
To serve
The NineFoods broth gauge
Is the broth ready?
Check the meat and a cooled spoon of broth.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Clean and blanch
- Scrub head and trotters, blanch in boiling water 10 minutes and discard the water.
Simmer
- Cover with fresh water, add onion, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
- Simmer very gently, skimming. Use the gauge above.
Serve
- Separate meat, tongue and cheek; serve with broth, bread, lemon and cinnamon.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Not cleaned or blanched.
Fix next time
Scrub and blanch, discarding water.
Why
Boiled hard.
Fix next time
Keep at a bare simmer.
Why
Too short.
Fix next time
Cook at least 6 hours or pressure cook 2.
Why
Fat not skimmed.
Fix next time
Chill and lift off the fat.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Lamb head | Traditional | Trotters only (pacheh) |
| Long simmer | Time | Pressure cooker, 2 hours |
| Cinnamon | Aroma | Allspice |
| Sangak | Bread | Any flatbread |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Bread, lemon, cinnamon, raw onion and hot tea.
Store
Fridge 3 days; broth sets like jelly.
Reheat
Gently until liquid again.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the broth ready) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Kaleh Pacheh FAQ
What is kaleh pacheh?
A Persian soup of lamb head and trotters.
When is it eaten?
Traditionally at dawn as a winter breakfast.
Is it like Pakistani paya?
Similar, but kaleh pacheh is mildly spiced with cinnamon and lemon.
Can I use a pressure cooker?
Yes, about 2 hours.