All posts tagged: Main Dish

Valak Kuku - Wild Garlic Omelette

Valak Kuku – Wild Garlic Omelette

Valak Kuku is a delicious quick pan-fried egg dish blended with tasty wild garlic, eggs, crunchy walnuts, and tart barberries. Spices like coriander, cinnamon, and turmeric add this irresistible sweet and sour flavor. I soak the walnuts and barberries in boiling water, which gives the walnuts a nice fresh touch and makes them less floury, so try it out. For Sabzi Khordan – a Persian herb dish, I also soak the walnuts and enjoy the fresh taste. Do you want to learn more about wild garlic? I have posted about it here.

Valak Polo ba Mahi – Wild Garlic Rice with Marinated Salmon

Valak Polo ba Mahi – Wild Garlic Rice with Marinated Salmon

Finally, it’s wild garlic time, and you can only find it on the market a few weeks of the year, so I prepared several Persian recipes with wild garlic. I made Valak Polo today, a traditional Persian Rice Dish with Wild Garlic, Sumac, and Saffron. We serve Chicken or meatballs with this dish in Iran. I prefer to fish with Valak Polo, so I made it with salmon in a lemony marinade. The marinade is to die for and consists of rose petals, ground dried lime, bay leaves, sumac, cinnamon, grated zest of a lemon, lemon juice, and lemon pepper tossed in olive oil. Salmon tastes best when you marinate it for about 2 hours. If you like wild garlic, you might also like my creamy One Pot Past with green asparagus and wild garlic, as I also show you the place near my home where wild garlic grows. Watch Video on Instagram (Wild Garlic Rice Preparation) Watch Video on Instagram (Marinated Salmon Preparation)

Puff Pastry Carrots with Turkish Carrot & Garlic Yoghurt Filling

Puff Pastry Carrots with Turkish Carrot & Garlic Yoghurt Filling

With a ready-made puff pastry from the fridge, these golden crispy puff pastry carrots are quick and easy to prepare. You only need Cream Horn molds to shape them into perfect puff pastry carrots*. A spicy, creamy, and crunchy filling of a Turkish carrot-yogurt salad (Yoğurtlu Havuç salatası) gives the delicious finger food that special something. A stalk of dill provides great taste and replaces the carrot greens. A true eye-catcher on your buffet or Easter brunch and also truly tasty. Not only the vegetarians at the table will be delighted by the Puff Pastry Carrots with Turkish Carrot Garlic Yogurt Filling. A real feast for the palate!

Sabzi Polo – Persian Herb Rice سبزی پلو

Sabzi Polo – Persian Herb Rice سبزی پلو

Monday was the beginning of spring and the same time as our New Year Norooz. On this day, many dishes are prepared with fresh herbs traditionally, for example, Sabzi Polo – Persian Herb Rice سبزی پلو ، Sabzi Polo ba Mahi – Persian herb rice with orange stuffed trout, Kuku Sabzi – Persian Herb Frittata , Ashe Reshteh – noodle soup with herbs, and Sabzi Khordan – Persian herb platter. Sabzi means herbs, and polo means rice, that is herbed rice. Tender fresh herbs are the first signs of spring, and in my Sabzi Polo, chopped dill, parsley, cilantro, scallions, a whole bulb of garlic, ghee, and saffron add a delicious touch to the rice. As in many Persian dishes, the herbs in Sabzi Polo vary, and each family has its favorite recipe. Watch Video on Instagram

Kuku Sabzi - Persian Herb Frittata کوکو سبزی

Kuku Sabzi – Persian Herb Frittata کوکو سبزی

Just eight more days to Norooz! I would love to know, what do you prepare for the Persian new years feast? For me and the most iranian people Kuku Sabzi – Persian Herb Frittata کوکو سبزی is an aromatic herbal omelet and is a Must-Eat at Norooz. Persian Kuku announces spring for the many green herbs included in as parsley, cilantro, dill, chives, spring onions, dried fenugreek leaves, ground walnuts, and barberries. The herbs symbolize rebirth and the eggs fertility. The red barberries give the Kuku Sabzi a slight sour taste. Imagine fragrant herbs wafting through your kitchen as you spend a quiet afternoon concocting the Persian herb frittata. Give this Persian vegetarian dish a try! Watch preparation video on Instagram

Salt Baked Sea bream

Salt Baked Sea bream

*Ad book review The Breton Cookbook*. We are about to celebrate the Persian New Year Norooz, and for this special day we prepare fish and herb rice. I’m quite experimental in my kitchen, and every year I prepare the fish a little differently, see here, here and here. This year I decided to choose one of my favorite methods of preparing fish. I got inspiration from the Breton cookbook* with Commissioner Dupin’s favorite dishes by Jean-Luc Bannalac. I serve it with Mamie Fouesnant’s Shallot Cream Sauce. Salt Baked Sea bream and the Breton Cookbook are must-haves for Foodies and fish lovers. Cooking the whole fish in a salt crust inside an oven, the Dorade gets tender, juicy, flavorful and even low in calories. A healthy way of preparation, easy, with little effort and simply delicious. My husband and our youngest sit at the dining table and wait to see the salt crust cracking, and the tasty secret unveiled. Try this recipe, and you will be thrilled. Bon appetit!

Kabab Tabei Morgh – Easy Pan Chicken Kebab کباب تابه ای مرغ  

It is impossible to imagine Persian cuisine without Kabab, as Kababs of all types are the most popular dishes in Iran. Kabab Koobideh beats all other Kabab dishes on the scale of preference. Kabab Koobideh typically is made with ground beef or lamb or a mixture of both. Also very popular is Djudje Kabab, which like the other kababs, is best grilled on skewers. Today I have a kabab version made with minced chicken, which doesn’t require skewers. It’s easy to prepare in a pan, in the oven, or even in the Airfryer. For Kabab Tabei Morgh – Saffron Chicken Mince کباب تابه ای مرغ, chicken mince is combined with onions, saffron essence, and lemon and coated with a butter saffron essence. It is also great with salads or wraps. An incredibly delicious recipe that you should try.

Mash polo – Rice with Mung Beans and Meatballs ماش پلو

Mash polo – Rice with Mung Beans and Meatballs ماش پلو

Mash polo rice with mung beans and meatballs ماش پلو is a typical dish from the city of Isfahan. It is also known as Kate Mash or Dampokhte Mash. You need for mashpolo mung beans, rice, saffron and dried dill. Soak the mung beans overnight or for at least 4 hours in water, which makes them cook faster. Mash Polo is a delicious vegetarian and vegan dish by itself. I served meatballs as a side dish along with it, feel free to serve chicken, fish or even fried eggs instead. Give it a try with a topping of caramelized onions, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts. A tahdig of lava bread completes the delicious dish. If you like Adas Polo you will also like Mash Polo.

Ghorme Sabzi - Persian beef and fresh herb stew

Ghorme Sabzi – Persian beef and fresh herb stew

Ghorme Sabzi – Persian beef and fresh herb stew is a popular flavorful Persian dish. There are 7 different fresh herbs in Ghorme Sabzi, and each family uses its own favorite herbs. In my Ghorme Sabzi, I combine aromatic herbs like spinach, flat leaf parsley, cilantro, dill, chives, fenugreek leaves and scallions, also crunchy red beans, juicy beef and tart dried limes. Ghorme Sabzi tastes lemony, herby and much better the next day. Ghorme Sabzi smells to me like springtime in Persia. Perfect with Persian rice , Salad Shirazi and Dugh. Watch my preparation video on Instagram

Big Bean Burger Plant Based

Big Bean Burger Plant Based

It’s Veganuary and I made vegan pinto bean burgers with smokey flavors. Now you probably think a burger without meat, but does it taste good at all? Well, everyone here in this house is absolutely blown away. The vegan option is made with very simple ingredients and lots of flavor. A savory patty made of pinto beans, mushrooms, walnuts, parsley and chickpea flour is packed into the burger buns. Special spices provide a wonderful smoky aroma. They are topped with crisp lettuce, fresh tomatoes, and sour burger pickles. They become juicy with pickled red onions or with a delicious onion jam. Add some ketchup or burger relish on top and the vegan delight in a healthier fast food version can begin. The vegan burger is plant-based, gluten-free, and simple and inspires vegans, vegetarians, and all those who find vegan not so great.