Are you searching for something unique to serve at breakfast or brunch? This recipe is for you! Kaka Kadu Halvai – Persian Pumpkin Pancakes – are low carb, light, fluffy, healthy and gluten-free. Whether you share them with friends or enjoy them just for yourself, these golden pancakes bring a touch of Persia right to your table.
Pumpkin is my ultimate fall favorite. It’s healthy, versatile, and turns any meal into a cozy, feel-good dish. Even better: Easy Airfryer Pumpkin Puree. It’s quick, energy-efficient, and requires almost no effort. You just halve the pumpkin, skip the tedious seed removal, and pop it in the Airfryer. The skin stays on—no peeling needed. The result? Buttery-soft, flavorful pumpkin you can scoop out and blend into creamy puree. Perfect as a base for soups, desserts, cakes, or my favorite Kaka Kadu – Persian pumpkin pancakes where the puree is the real star. Watch my preparation reel on Instagram
Pumpkin always tastes good in autumn and winter, especially when it’s filled and comes out of the oven. Why not give this stuffed nut pumpkin in a Persian version a try. Today, I prepared Dolmeh Kadu Halvai – stuffed pumpkin دلمه کدو حلوایی with flavorful oriental ingredients. The nutmeg pumpkin is filled with savory ground lamb, aromatic rice, crunchy yellow split peas, golden saffron, fresh herbs, and oriental spices. The stuffed pumpkin is topped with sweet and sour pomegranate syrup for a tangy touch. Bake it in the oven until the nutmeg pumpkin is soft and tender, allowing the flavors in the filling to blend. This savory recipe is perfect for Shabe Yalda or your Christmas dinner. Comfort Food at its Best!
BOO! HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Are you searching for a recipe for Halloween and your horror party? Why not bake my Pumpkin Donut Ghosts and Monsters for Halloween? My monsters and ghosts look more cute than scary and are perfect for the softies among Halloween fans. You need pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, olive oil, flour, baking powder, and homemade Pumpkin Spice for this. The spices I use for the homemade Pumpkin Spice are Cinnamon, Nutmeg, powdered cloves, and powdered ginger. Just mix them and add to the dough. For this recipe, you need pumpkin puree from a nutmeg pumpkin. Since I tend to make lots of pumpkin puree on hand and freeze it, I can start baking the donuts right away. If you don’t have pumpkin puree on hand, you can find the recipe here.
Happy World Bread Day 2023! Zorra from Blog Kochtopf has invited to bake bread as usual. I celebrate this great day here and here with many other bloggers and prepared Nan-e Keshta – Skillet Pumpkin Flatbread. The skillet pumpkin flatbread doesn’t require any yeast or baking powder, which makes it just rise a little bit. This bread is a traditional street food from Gilan, in the north of Iran, by the Caspian Sea. The bread is called Nan-e Keshta (نان کِشتا) in Gilani and is also known as Nan-e Khorfe (نان خُرفه) or -Kholfe (خُلفه). In addition, I have a stuffed version of pumpkin flatbread for you today. The filling is with ground walnuts, powdered sugar, and cinnamon. So you get two dishes from one dough. This way, both team sweeties and team savory can enjoy the meal.
Autumn is knocking on the door, and happily, it’s also the start of pumpkin season. If you’re looking for autumnal recipes with pumpkin, this is the place to be. In autumn, we crave colorful comfort food to beat the gray days. My Khoresht-e Kadu Halvai – Pumpkin Chicken Pan خورش کدو حلوایی is a feast for the eyes with its warm yellow-orange hue, makes your tummy feel good, and is great for the soul. In any case, it’s a quick and easy one-pan comfort food that you should try. Watch Video on Instagram
Prepare Koofteh Tabrizi – Persian stuffed Meatballs for Mehregan, the joyful Persian autumn and harvest festival. This traditional dish hails from Tabriz, a historic city in northwest Iran, and it delights with its fruity, tangy, and savory flavors. Unlike German potato dumplings (Klöße), which serve as a side dish, Koofteh Tabrizi takes center stage as a main course. I made my version with rice, ground beef, yellow split peas, saffron, tarragon, spring onions, turmeric, and sumac in a fragrant, simmering broth. Some meatballs I stuffed with hard-boiled eggs, while others I filled with dried Mirabelle plums (Aloo Bukhara), walnuts, and barberries. Families often personalize their Koofteh with different spices, nuts, herbs, and dried fruits. Sometimes, they even cook one giant meatball and share it among everyone at the table! Watch my preparation video on Instagram
Every autumn, when the air turns crisp and markets overflow with colorful fruits and vegetables, many families in Iran begin their pickling season. Pickling is more than just a way to preserve food—it is a tradition, a ritual, and a burst of flavor carried through the winter months. In Persian, the word torshi means “sour.” When you add the word sir (garlic), you get Sir Torshi—Persian Pickled Garlic, one of the most beloved pickles in Iran. Imagine sweet cloves of garlic slowly transforming into deep, tangy, caramel-colored bites after resting in vinegar for months or even years. A spoonful can turn a simple meal into something special. Watch my preparation video on Instagram
Let me introduce you to one of the most loved comfort foods from Persian kitchens: Kotlet – Persian Meat and Potato Patties, or as some say, Kotelett. These are delicious, golden-brown patties made from a simple but flavorful mix of ground meat, potatoes, onions, eggs, and spices. They’re wonderfully aromatic, with a perfect contrast in texture – crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. Kotlets are quick to make and taste just as good cold as they do warm, which makes them perfect for everything from quick dinners to picnics or even lunchboxes. In our family, we love to enjoy them in different ways. Sometimes we serve them as a main dish, other times as a side to Salad-e Olivieh – a creamy Persian chicken and potato salad. But my absolute favorite? Wrapped in soft Lavash bread or tucked into a crusty baguette with a few simple toppings: fresh herbs, crunchy onions or scallions, juicy tomatoes, salty pickles, and a spoonful of creamy yogurt. It’s a flavor-packed sandwich that brings back so many childhood …
