A recent visit to a local Persian restaurant inspired me to share an insight about this cuisine with all the readers. As most of us will correlate Persian cuisine with familiar kebabs but let me tell you, this is a vast spectrum of dishes - Caviar, pickle and smoked fish in the north, samosas, falafel and hot and sour shrimp in the south, noodles flatbreads and rose water scented ice cream across the country.
When looking at the world map, it is easy to understand why the scope of native Persian foods is so wide. Once the centre of the Persian empire, Iran neighboured former Soviet Union countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Arab states and Turkey. Although Iran is part of the Middle East, it has close ties to Europe, the far East and Africa, owing to its central place on the Silk Road trade route. The continuous invasions on Iran assimilated what the outsiders brought in.
Many coveted ingredients are native to Iran, including pistachio, almonds, walnuts, saffron, mint, oranges, pomegranates and grapes. Iran has a variable climate with four distinct seasons unlike other parts of the Middle East, where dry and harsh climate limits the growth of fresh produce. The ancient Persians transformed vast stretches of arid land into fertile oasis via underground aquifers that drew melted snow water into the dessert. A bright, sensory, vibrant, fruit and herb filled cuisine was born in the land.
The following are ten most popular and integral dishes of Persian cuisine. Pomegranate walnut stew (Fesenjan)- This iconic stew is an integral part of the Persian wedding menu, pairs tart pomegranate with chicken or duck. Ground walnuts, pomegranate paste and onions are slowly simmered to a thick sauce. Often saffron and cinnamon are added to colour and flavour it.
Eggplant and tomato stew (Bademjan)- This prized Persian dish is shimmering red golden coloured tomato cooked with turmeric, with a sheen of oil on top. The eggplant is fried to golden brown, then cooked with onions, lamb and tomatoes and seasoned. The stew is thick and is served with rice.
Kebab (Lamb, chicken, lamb liver, ground meat)- Koobideh is a ground meat seasoned with minced onion, salt and pepper. Kebab e barg- is thinly sliced lamb or beef flavoured with lemon juice, onion and basted with saffron butter. Joojeh chicken kebab is traditionally made with whole chicken, bones for more flavour.
Herb and cheese plate (Sabzi Khordan)- No Persian dish is complete without a dish of edible herbs or Sabzi Khordan. The plate can include mint, parsley, basil, cilantro, radishes, scallions, walnuts, feta cheese and Iranian flatbread. The plate stays at the table throughout the meal and the herbs are a crunchy palate cleanser between bites of stew and rice.
Fava and dill rice (Baghali Polo)- Chelo is rice prepared with butter and saffron, its cooked with other ingredients like polo. Polo can be made with herbs, vegetables, beans, nuts, dried fruit, meat and even noodles and acts as a centre of the meal. The dish is made with green dill and tender fava and is often cooked with every tender chunks of lamb.
Barberry Rice (Zereshk Polo)- Persians like sour flavours, barberries have a vibrant red colour and they are sour too. This classic rice dish is studded with the red berries, which are dried and then rehydrated before cooking. The rice is cooked with plenty of butter, which helps to soften the intensity of berries.
Green Herb Stew (Gormeh Sabzi)- This stew is made from herbs, kidney beans and lamb. This sour stew is seasoned with dried Omani limes. Fenugreek leaves, parsley, coriander and scallions.
Noodle and bean soup (Ash e reshteh)- A rich textured soup made with noodles, beans, herbs and leafy greens like spinach and beet leaves. It is drizzled with mint oil, crunchy fried onions and sour kashk, a fermented whey product eaten in the Middle East that tastes akin to sour yoghurt.
Crunchy Fried rice (Tahdig)- It is the soul food of the Persian cuisine, it’s the crisp, golden layer of fried rice at the bottom of the rice pot, and it tastes like a combination of popcorn and potato chips, but with the delicate flavour of basmati rice.
Jewelled Rice (rice with nuts and dried fruits)- This is a sweet and savoury dish dotted with brightly coloured dried fruits and nuts, like little jewels and shows some of the native ingredients of the Iranian cuisine including pistachio, saffron, almonds, candied orange peel, barberries and carrots. Sugar is added to balance the sourness of the barberries. This dish is popular at weddings, because the sweet elements symbolise a sweet life. Traditionally, served with chicken, which contrasts well with the sweetness.
Gormeh Sabzi
Ingredients
Serves 2
Lamb cubes 800 gm
Onion, chopped 1 cup
Cooking oil 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Water 2 cups
Lime juice 3 tbsp
Omani lemon 2 nos.
Kidney beans ¾ cup
Potato, diced 1 no.
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Green onion, chopped 1 cup
Spinach, chopped 2 cup
Parsley, chopped ½ cup
Cilantro, chopped 2 tbsp
Chives, chopped 2 tbsp
Fenugreek leaves, chopped ¼ Cup
Method
Wash and trim the lamb into ¾ “ cubes and keep aside
Fry the onions over medium heat until golden brown, add turmeric powder and stir well
Add lamb cubes and stir fry over high heat until the meat is browned, reduce heat
Add water, drained kidney beans add salt and pepper
Add pierced Omani lemon, cover and simmer over slow flame for about an hour or until the meat is tender
Fry diced potato over high heat in a separate skillet until golden brown
Add the potato to the lamb mixture, cover and simmer for 10 minutes
In a separate pan sauté the chopped vegetables until they wilt
Add the vegetable to the lamb and stir well
Serve hot with steamed basmati rice
* Chef Tarun Kapoor, Culinary Mastermind, USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]
SOUR: Gormeh Sabzi, a sour stew, is made from herbs, kidney beans and lamb. Photo by the author
