We start pickling vegetables for the winter in late summer and autumn. Torshi Liteh – pickled vegetables ترشی لیته, which is very popular in Iran, is quite tasty. Torshi comes from the word torsh, which means sour, and so it is. If you like pickles, you’ll love my torshi recipe. The vegetables and spice mixes in torshi can vary depending on the region and preferences. The preparation is simple and quick as a flash.
Last week, I showed you the recipe for Shir Berenj – rice pudding with rose water and cardamom and served it with grape syrup. Today, I’ll show you how to make an easy Shir-e Angoor – Sugar Free Grape syrup شیره انگور. Shir-e Angoor is also called Doshab and is a grape syrup with a thick consistency made from grape juice with no additives. I used black grapes from the market, though it also works with white grapes or a mixture of white and black grapes. Shir-e Angoor tastes fruity and sweet, with a mild acidity similar to golden syrup (sugar beet syrup) but with a hint of caramel. When enjoyed in small portions, grape syrup has a lot of health benefits. The preparation is simple yet time-consuming.
Yatimcheh – Vegan Eggplant Stew یتیمچه is a vegan Persian recipe that you can prepare in no time. It is a popular and wide-spread traditional recipe from across the country in Iran. In addition, it is an inexpensive and tasty dish with simple ingredients, as we use everything from the fields and meadows. It tastes great in late summer with sweet, fresh tomatoes. Yatimcheh is a one-pot dish, and the ingredients are layered up in a pan or pot. The main ingredients are eggplants, tomatoes, multicoloured peppers, potatoes, onions and garlic. Turmeric provides for slightly sweet, spicy and tangy notes. The ingredients are similar to French ratatouille, but the taste is quite different. Well, do you like my healthy and shape-friendly dish now? Head to the kitchen and get started right away.
Do you see the jewels glowing in the rice? All ingredients in Javahar Polo – Persian Jeweled Rice, look like gems and make the rice shine. Barberries and pomegranate seeds shine like rubies, pistachios glow as emeralds, saffron rice, carrots shine like gold, and almonds like pearls. Be sure to try the recipe, a 1001 Night’s Dream.
Vavishka is a quick and easy Persian skillet dish, a speciality from Gilan at the Caspian Sea. In Gilan it is called “Vavij” or “Vabij” which means steaming. There are various versions of Vavishka. I prepared Vavishka from minced meat, onions, tomatoes, and seasoned it with turmeric, lemon juice, Advieh – a Persian spice blend and topped it with eggs. The unique flavor of this dish is the spice blend Advieh – the jewel among the spices of the Persian cuisine. It gives the dish a warm, sweet floral flavor. If you don’t have Advieh use these ingredients: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp mixed cardamom, 1 tsp rose petal powder, 1/2 tsp mixed saffron, 1/2 tsp mixed coriander, 1 tsp dried lime powder and some nutmeg. Vary the ingredients according to your own taste. It goes best with Nan-e Barbari – Persian flatbread, Nan-e Taftoon – Persian pan-fried Nan bread, Salad Shirazi – Persian tomato and cucumber salad and Sabzi Khordan – Persian herb platter, Sir Torsi – pickled garlic, Torshi – pickled vegetables or …
Zereshk Polo ba Morgh – Persian Barberry Rice With Chicken is a simple, aromatic and traditonal persian dish, and a must have on a festive table. Zereshk Polo ba Morgh is a dish of tender chicken drumsticks braised in saffron and served with fragrant saffron rice and caramelized sweet and sour barberries. In Farsi Zereshk means barberries, polo rice, and morgh is simply chicken. Some Persians add tomato paste to the chicken drumsticks, but I personally prefer the pure flavor of saffron and bay leaves. This recipe can also be cooked with chicken breast or even a whole chicken.
Bastani Sonati or the traditional Faloodeh are most popular ice cream delights in Persia. Also Yakh dar Behesht-e Anar – Persian Pomegranate Granité یخ در بهشت انار is one of the most popular ice creams, especially in autumn. We love preparing it for Shab-e Yalda (winter solstice), which is the longest night of the year. Yakh means ice, and Behesht means heaven, so freely translated it means ice in heaven. My granité is a heavenly ice cream made with pomegranate juice, fresh mint, lemon, water and sugar. You can prepare it without an ice cream maker, and it tastes sweet and sour at the same time, our absolute favorite flavor. We served it in a glass with a straw and spoon. An unique experience, as the crystalline in the ice cream melts softly on the tongue. Yakh dar Behesht is gluten-, fat- and dairy-free, so it’s perfect for people with allergies, vegetarians and vegans. Treat yourself with this ice-cold treat!
Are you also one of those who love oranges? Well, today I have a delicious Persian chicken dish for you. Khoresht-e Porteghal – Orange Chicken Legs خورش پرتقال is a typical dish from the north of Iran. Full of Persian flavors and a delightful combination of chicken and oranges in a Shomali style. In case you want to impress your guests at Christmas, you can also prepare this recipe with duck or goose. For a colorful effect just replace the oranges with blood oranges. It is super easy to prepare, but it should simmer for about 1 hour to ensure tenderness. The meat will fall off the bone. The recipe Khoresht-e Porteghal – Orange Chicken Legs خورش پرتقال is my post for my blog event #Kochenfueriran.
Musicians write songs, artists draw paintings against the injustices in Iran and I would like to be the voice of those who urgently need to be heard with my blog event #Kochenfueriran today. Namely, the voice of my fellow countrymen who have been fighting for democracy, human rights, justice and a free Iran on the streets of Iran for months. Today I invite you to cook or bake a Persian recipe to show our solidarity with the brave women and men of Iran. It can be an appetizer, main dish, dessert or drink, it is entirely up to you. The dish should be typical Iranian or a dish developed by you, but with an Iranian touch. For more visibility, against violence and oppression in Iran and for freedom. Zan Zendeghi Azadi. Find more details on my Blog. Zan Zendeghi Azad
Autumn has been mild so far in Germany, but now it’s here and it s time to heat the oven again. Pumpkin is one of the healthy autumn favorites! But it doesn’t always have to be the Hokkaido pumpkin, so why not try the butternut squash? When the aroma of Hasselback butternut squash with feta, pistachio pesto, and pomegranate seeds spreads throughout the kitchen, an autumn feel-good feeling is sure in very quickly. Doesn’t it look colorful on the plate? I love the colors. It is also proven that the more colorful it looks on your plate, the healthier your food is. My recipe is really easy peasy, quick to prepare, low carb, vegetarian and perfect as an after-work dinner.
