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1
Soak the kidney beans overnight in cold water so they soften evenly through to the centre and will cook in step 5 without turning to mush on the outside while still hard within; drain and set aside. Pierce each dried lime in four or five places with a skewer so the braising liquid can enter the fruit and carry its bitter-sour juice back out into the stew. Both preparations may be done the previous day.
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2
Heat 30 ml of the oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the meat cubes in a single layer, in batches if necessary, turning until each surface is a deep mahogany — crowding the pan would steam the meat and you would lose the crust that gives the braise its body. In the same pot, reduce heat to medium, add the diced onion, and cook until soft and golden, 10–12 minutes. Return the meat, add the turmeric and black pepper, stir to coat, pour in the warm water or stock, bring to a simmer, cover, and braise gently for 1 hour.
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3
While the meat braises, heat the remaining 50 ml of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the chopped parsley, coriander, green onion, and dried fenugreek leaf, frying and stirring frequently for 20–30 minutes so the moisture drives off and the herbs concentrate into something roasted and deep rather than raw and grassy. Continue frying until the mass is very dark — almost black-green — and smells deeply concentrated and fragrant rather than grassy; insufficiently fried herbs will produce a pale, vegetal stew, and this is where the dish lives or dies.
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4
Stir the fried herb mass into the braising pot and add the pierced dried limes, pressing them lightly beneath the liquid so they begin to absorb the braise and give back their bitter-sour character rather than floating and flavouring only one side. Cover and continue to braise over low heat for a further 1 hour. The stew colour should already be a deep, dark green.
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5
Add the drained, soaked kidney beans, cover, and simmer for a final 45–60 minutes until the beans are fully tender but intact and the lamb yields without resistance when pressed. The dried limes will have swelled and softened; press them gently against the side of the pot to encourage further release of their bitter-sour juice into the braise, which gives the finished khoresh its characteristic sharp depth. Taste and adjust salt.
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6
Remove from heat and, for best results, cool completely, refrigerate overnight, and reheat slowly over low heat the following day so the dried lime flavour deepens and the herbs fully integrate during the rest in a way no amount of extra simmering on the day can replicate. The finished khoresh should be a deep, almost black-green, with a concentrated, bitter-sour aromatic depth that is neither simply acidic nor simply herbal.