Expand your culinary horizon and learn about the wonders that Persian recipes have to offer.
Persian cuisine is all about well-balanced flavors, textures, and temperatures.
In one meal, you’ll get a combination of sweet, salty and sour, crunchy and tender, and hot and cold.
Somehow, the different components create a harmonious meal.
Riceis a crucial part of Persian cuisine. No meal is complete without it.
Fresh herbs, spices and dried fruits are also widely used
.
In this collection of recipes, you will learn how Iranians incorporate these ingredients into their daily cooking.
Delight your taste buds with the fantastic flavors of Persian cuisine! This list has you covered from appetizers to desserts.
1. Persian saffron rice
At the heart of every Persian meal is polo or rice, so it goes to the top of our list
.
Aromatic basmati is seasoned with spices, cooked in yogurt, eggs and oil, and layered with cranberries
.
Giving it a beautiful golden hue is sweet, earthy and quite expensive saffron.
Now, understand that polo is not so good without tahdig, a crispy crust formed at the bottom of the pot during cooking
.
This recipe knows what tahdig is all about. Aside from its flavor and color, it’s that amazing crunchy crust that makes it stand out.
2. Fesenjan
(pomegranate nut stew) Fesenjan
is a hot stew
eaten in the winter
.
This stew contains mainly pomegranate molasses or juice and ground roasted nuts
.
Lentils give it weight, while turmeric and cinnamon add heat
.
It may seem strange, but the combination of sweet and sour pomegranates and walnuts create a beautiful harmony.
The stew is already plentiful as it is, but it can also be covered with jasmine rice for a more filling meal.
3. Kuku
Sabzi Kuku
is Persian for frittata. It comes in many forms, but this variety is one of the most beloved.
Sabzi means herbs, and as you can probably see, they are the reason why this frittata is perversely green
.
Parsley, coriander, dill, scallions, the list goes on and on
.
In addition to the color, the herbal blend also gives this frittata a refreshing taste. The spices cardamom, cumin and cinnamon add a good punch, to boot.
Toasted walnuts and chopped blueberries add texture and color.
4. Persian chicken kebabs
Who’s to say no to perfectly roasted chicken skewers? I certainly can’t! This Persian masterpiece is a favorite in my house.
What makes these kebabs very special is the marinade, a delicious mix of mayonnaise, lemon juice, onions, garlic and spices.
Bathed in the mixture for 24 hours, the chicken absorbs all the lovely flavors, resulting in kebabs that are unique.
In addition to the chicken, large pieces of red onions and peppers are curled on the skewers to complete the set.
5. Shirazi
Salad Shirazi salad
is another staple of every Iranian meal. It’s like a Greek salad, only 10 times tastier.
Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and onions, are mixed with a dressing of lime and olive oil
.
Shirazi salad is as simple as it can be, but the taste and texture are perfect
.
What makes this salad a cut above the rest are the herbs and spices that go into the dressing.
Loaded with fresh parsley, coriander, dill, and mint, the dressing is in a garter of its own.
6. Mast or Khiar (
Persian yogurt cucumber sauce) Mast or Khiar
is a light and refreshing sauce made from yogurt and cucumber.
It is so versatile that it can be served as an appetizer with chips and pita bread, or as a sauce for main dishes such as ghormeh sabzi (herbal stew) and kabab koobideh (lamb or beef kebab).
The beauty of this delicious
sauce is
that it only requires two ingredients. As you might have guessed, it’s yogurt and cucumber.
Seasoned with salt and pepper, and maybe a little dried mint, your sauce is ready to dip
.
7
. Yogurt is a
common ingredient in many Persian dishes, but it is also widely used to make drinks
.
Ayran is a soft drink made from salted yogurt
.
The combination of salty and spicy takes a little getting used to, but once you do, you’re hooked for life
.
This thick and delicious drink is the perfect quenching to quench the thirst of your Iranian food. The best part is that it is very easy to do.
You will only need yogurt, salt and water!
8.
Persian baklava with walnuts and rose water
Now, let’s go to my favorite part of the meal:
dessert.
Baklava is probably the most popular dessert in Middle Eastern cuisine, and I understand that 100%.
Layers of crunchy, flaky pastry with chopped toasted nuts and syrup in between create the most phenomenal combination of flavors and textures.
The added rose water, cardamom and brown butter make this baklava truly exceptional.
You’ll think it’s such a complicated recipe, but thanks to store-bought filo pastry, it’s surprisingly easy
.
9. Persian Tea
Green tea may be the healthiest choice, but it’s all about relaxing and aromatic tea leaves, it’s team chai all the way
.
Chai or black tea is the morning, afternoon and evening drink for Persians
.
His choice of leaves includes Ceylon, Darjeeling, English Breakfast and Earl Grey.
This recipe teaches not only how to brew a perfect cup of chai tea, but also allows you to get into a cool technique on how to achieve a two-color look.
10. Persian rice crackers
Cookies are a universal dessert. They are as beloved in Iran as they are in the United States. Try these rice crackers and you’ll understand why.
These cookies are commonly served during Nowruz, or Persian New Year, and other special occasions.
Delicate and crumbly with just the right amount of sweetness, these treats are definitely vacation worthy.
There are many variations in cookies. For example, some add butter to dough for richness, while others prefer oil for moisture.
You can also add rose water or cardamom to give it flavor
.
However, they can vary, all recipes include rice flour, sugar and eggs as basic ingredients.
