Āsh

Aush is a cherished dish in Iranian cuisine, famous for its hearty, thick soup or stew-like consistency. Served hot, Aush is also enjoyed in Afghan, Azerbaijani, Caucasian, and Turkish culinary traditions. The name has various English spellings, such as āsh, aush, ashe, or aash. In Persian, "aush" means "thick soup" and the term for "cook" is "aushpaz" combining "aush" with "paz" (meaning "one who cooks aush"). The word for "kitchen" is "aushpazkhaneh" blending "aushpaz" with "khaneh" (meaning house).

The ingredients for Aush can vary, but it typically includes flat wheat noodles, turmeric, vegetables, legumes, herbs, yogurt, and meats like lamb, beef, or chicken. Different variations of Aush might feature an assortment of grains, legumes, vegetables, herbs, onions, oil, and spices like salt, pepper, turmeric, and saffron. Aush can be served as a full meal or a first course and is available in Persian stores in canned, dried mix, or frozen forms.

In Afghan cuisine, Aush is prepared with noodles and vegetables in a tomato-based broth, topped with chaka (a yogurt sauce) and dried or crushed mint leaves. In Iranian cuisine, there are over 50 types of thick soups (āsh), with ash reshteh being a popular variety. Other well-known types in Iran include ash-e anar (pomegranate stew), ash-e jo (barley stew), ash-e doogh, ash-e sak (spinach stew), and ash-e torsh (beet/pickle stew). Iranian Aush is often garnished with fried mint oil, garlic chips, and/or shallot chips (na’na dagh).