All posts tagged: Herbs

Mercimek Köftesi – Turkish Vegan Red Lentil Kofte

Mercimek Köftesi – Turkish Vegan Red Lentil Kofte

Looking for the ultimate fresh, vegan finger food for your next party, buffet, or brunch? Then you absolutely need to try my Mercimek Köftesi – Turkish Vegan Red Lentil Kofte, deliciously seasoned, plant-based Turkish red lentil patties! I love bringing these to family gatherings and special occasions. Because of their beautiful, vibrant presentation, they are always a massive hit—and they easily win over even the meat-lovers in the room! Trust me, they are simply “kofte-licious” and vanish within minutes. Guests literally crowd around the platter and just can’t keep their hands off them. Packed with flavor and wholesome ingredients, this healthy vegan crowd-pleaser is also the perfect addition to your summer picnic basket or a quick weekday snack. Want to impress your family and friends this Easter? Serve up this fresh, crisp, and vibrant Mediterranean delicacy!

Panir Hendevaneh – Persian Watermelon and Feta Skewers

Panir Hendevaneh – Persian Watermelon and Feta Skewers

Looking for a light, colorful, and refreshing appetizer that comes together in minutes? These Persian Watermelon Feta Skewers, known as Panir Hendevaneh, are the perfect summer snack for barbecues, picnics, garden parties, or family gatherings. The combination of sweet watermelon, salty feta cheese, and crisp cucumber is simple but incredibly delicious. Finished with a fresh mint leaf, these bite-sized skewers are cooling, beautiful to serve, and always a crowd favorite. Whether you’re hosting friends to watch football, enjoying a sunny afternoon in the garden, or preparing an easy appetizer for your next cookout, these Persian-inspired skewers are guaranteed to disappear quickly.

Cake Morgh – Sandwich Cake with Chicken Spread for Your World Cup Party

Cake Morgh – Sandwich Cake with Chicken Spread for Your World Cup Party

Looking for a unique and delicious recipe for your World Cup party, game day gathering, birthday celebration, or summer picnic? This Persian Chicken Sandwich Cake, known as Cake Morgh, is a beautiful make-ahead party dish that is guaranteed to impress your guests. Popular throughout Iran, Cake Morgh is a savory sandwich cake made with layers of soft bread, creamy chicken filling, fresh vegetables, and a decorative topping. It is traditionally served at family celebrations, birthdays, garden parties, and special occasions, where it often becomes the centerpiece of the table.

Easy Falafel Wrap with Creamy Homemade Tahini Sauce

Easy Falafel Wrap with Creamy Homemade Tahini Sauce

Imagine biting into a warm, freshly toasted flatbread. Inside, golden falafel—crispy on the outside, tender and fragrant on the inside—meets a rich, creamy homemade tahini sauce. Add a refreshing tomato-cucumber salad, a bright pop of red sumac, and aromatic Middle Eastern spices. This isn’t just a quick lunch or dinner. It is a journey for your senses, bringing the vibrant flavors of street food markets straight to your kitchen. Best of all? This healthy falafel wrap recipe is 100% vegan, naturally dairy-free, and easily gluten-free. It is budget-friendly, incredibly simple to make, and tastes a million times better than anything store-bought because you control exactly what goes into it.

The Viral Turkish Pasta Recipe aka Yalancı Mantı

The Viral Turkish Pasta Recipe aka Yalancı Mantı

What if you could enjoy all the flavors of The Viral Turkish Pasta Recipe aka Yalancı Mantı, without spending hours folding tiny dumplings? This viral Turkish pasta with ground beef, garlic yogurt, and paprika butter delivers exactly that. It’s rich, creamy, comforting, and surprisingly easy to make. No complicated techniques. No special skills. Just bold, authentic flavor in under 30 minutes. It’s easy to see why Lazy Manti (Yalancı Mantı), also known as Turkish pasta with yogurt and paprika butter, has taken social media by storm. This shortcut version keeps everything we love about classic manti — the savory meat, the creamy yogurt, and the aromatic butter — but swaps handmade dumplings for pasta. The result? Pure comfort food made for real life. Watch my prep video on Instagram

Easy Vegan Sheet Pan Persian-Style

Easy Vegan Sheet Pan Persian-Style

It’s about time I finally introduce you to our all-time favorite dish. The one that shows up again and again in our kitchen, no matter the season, the mood, or the contents of the fridge. Easy Vegan Sheet Pan Persian-Style is simple at heart — just vegetables roasted in the oven — but don’t let that fool you. This is the kind of food that fills the kitchen with warm aromas, draws people in without trying, and somehow always tastes like comfort. In Persian, we call it Khorak-e Sabzijat dar Fer (خوراک سبزیجات در فر) — oven-roasted vegetables. Nothing fancy in name, yet everything about it feels thoughtful, generous, and full of love. It’s the dish we make when we want something nourishing but light, when we don’t feel like standing in the kitchen forever, and when we crave those deep, oriental flavors that make simple ingredients shine. One pan, a hot oven, and a little Persian magic — that’s all it takes.

10 Popular Persian Recipes from Iran You Must Try

There are cuisines that taste good, and then there are cuisines that feel like a warm hug. Persian cuisine clearly belongs to the second category. It is sensual, aromatic, deeply rooted in tradition, and full of delicate details that make every dish something truly special. Saffron, pomegranate, dried limes, fresh herbs, and slow-simmered stews tell stories of family, hospitality, and time. This blog post is a small culinary journey through 10 Popular Persian Recipes from Iran You Must Try. These are meals that regularly appear on Iranian family tables and are also deeply loved around the world. Perfect for anyone eager to try something new and fall in love with a different food culture.

Spaghetti al Limone with Shrimp

Spaghetti al Limone with Shrimp

At the end of May, I set off with I Love Fruit & Veg from Europe to explore the enchanting Campania region in Italy. The sun sparkled on the sea, lemon trees filled the air with their fragrance, and my heart skipped a beat with every bite we tried – and believe me, we tried a lot. But one day in Sorrento truly stole the show. We wandered into L’Antica Trattoria in Sorrento, a charming, traditional spot brimming with homemade warmth. There, I discovered Tagliolini al Limone e Gamberi – lemon tagliolini with prawns – and instantly fell in love. The fresh citrus, silky sauce, tender prawns, and that unmistakable aroma that screams “summer by the sea” made me know one thing: I had to recreate this at home. Back in Germany, I experimented tirelessly – switching pasta types, trying gluten-free options, adjusting ingredients – until I perfected my gluten-free version. The only thing I skipped was the creamy spinach. My family was delighted anyway, and now this dish has become a regular in our …

Koofteh Tabrizi – Persian stuffed Meatballs for Mehregan

Koofteh Tabrizi – Persian stuffed Meatballs for Mehregan

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

Shirazi Salad – Authentic Persian Recipe with 3 Dressing Options

Shirazi Salad – Authentic Persian Recipe with 3 Dressing Options

*Sponsored post featuring the Tormek T-1 Kitchen Knife Sharpener* Craving something fresh and light? Then my Shirazi Salad – Authentic Persian Recipe with 3 dressing options is just what you need. This traditional Iranian salad wins you over with its simplicity, fresh ingredients, and a flavor that instantly reminds you of warm summer days. But let’s be honest: have you ever tried dicing tomatoes with a dull knife? Instead of neat little cubes, you end up with squashed pieces and tomato juice all over your cutting board. It doesn’t just ruin the look of your salad – it changes the taste, too. Here’s the secret: the magic is in the details. The finer and more evenly you chop, the more beautifully the salad comes together. Since I started using my Tormek T-1 Kitchen Knife Sharpener*, this has completely changed. My knife glides effortlessly through cucumbers, tomatoes hold their perfect shape, and even onions are easy to chop without tears. Cooking feels almost like meditation – and the salad not only looks stunning, it tastes so …