Ash, is part of Iranian cuisine, similar to soup but thicker, which is usually served hot. Depending on the type of the ash, it could contain different types of grain, legumes (chick peas, black-eye beans, lentils), vegetables, herbs (parsley, spinach, dill, spring onion ends, coriander, dried mint), onions, oil, meat, garlic, reshteh (in Ash Reshteh) and spices, such as salt, pepper, turmeric, saffron, etc. Depending on the ingredients it can be considered a full meal.
Ash Reshteh is one of the most famous types of ash, made so commonly in Iran. The ingredients used in cooking Ash Reshteh are reshteh, kashk, herbs such as parsley, spinach, dill, spring onion ends and sometimes coriander, chick peas, black eye beans, lentils, onions, flour, dried mint, garlic, oil, salt and pepper.
Pomegranate soup is an Iranian and Iraqi ash made from pomegranate juice and seeds, yellow split peas, ground beef, mint leaves, spices, and other ingredients. It is called Ash-e anār in Iran and Shorbat Rumman in Iraq.
The Iranian American novelist Marsha Mehran wrote a 2006 novel entitled Pomegranate Soup. The book contains a recipe for ash-e anar.
