All posts tagged: Persian Traditions

Baghali Polo ba Mahiche - Braised Lamb Shanks with Dill Rice and Fava Beans

Baghali Polo ba Mahiche – Braised Lamb Shanks with Dill Rice and Fava Beans

PERSIAN LAMB SHANKS FOR EASTER OR NOWRUZ Celebrate Easter with a delicious oriental dish: Baghali Polo ba Mahiche – Braised Lamb Shanks with Dill Rice and Fava Beans. This dish consists of slow cooked lamb shanks infused with Advieh Khoresti spices, served alongside fragrant dill rice and fava beans. The blend of coriander, aniseed, dried rose petals, saffron, nutmeg, pepper, and cumin (Advieh Khoreshti) creates a festive flavor perfect for Easter or Nowruz. While not excessively laborious, this dish does require patience as the lamb shanks simmer for at least 2-3 hours until they are tender and almost falling off the bone. To ensure availability, please order lamb shanks in advance from your butcher. This slow braising process guarantees a melt-in-your-mouth experience. Take advantage of the simmering time to prepare your starter and dessert for a complete and satisfying Easter feast. Watch preparationsvideo on Instagram

Reshteh Polo ba Morgh – رشته پلو با مرغ

Reshteh Polo ba Morgh – رشته پلو با مرغ

Reshteh Polo ba Morgh – رشته پلو با مرغ is a traditional and popular Persian rice dish from the cities of Tehran, Mashhad, and Kermanshah. The dish immediately takes me back to my grandmother’s house, when the whole family gathered for the Norooz festival at her home, where we lived together for many years. It is an aromatic composition of rice, roasted noodles, caramelized onions, raisins, and dates, refined with aromatic spices such as saffron, turmeric, and cinnamon, and topped with rose petals and pistachio sticks. The brown noodles in the batter provide a crunchy Tahdig. Top it with a slowly braised saffron chicken fillet or without chicken for a filling vegetarian dish. Reshteh polo has warm properties. Watch Preparation Video on Instagram 

Breshtok-e Shokolati - Chocolate Halva بروشتک

Breshtok-e Shokolati – Chocolate Halva بروشتک

Happy Nowruz! Nowruzetoon Pirooz! Sending you lots of love and warm wishes for a beautiful Persian New Year. My Nowruz bakery is going ahead, and for our Persian New Year celebration, I made this no-bake gluten-free treat using a mixture of chocolate and halva. Have you ever heard of Breshtok-e Shokolati – Chocolate Halva بروشتک? If not, it’s about time, as this treat is a must-have for Nowruz, especially for all Esfehanis! My father was born near Isfahan, and my grandma loved to prepare this treat for Nowrooz. In Isfahan, Breshtok is made with chickpea flour and egg whites, topped with pistachios, and then cut into diamonds or rectangles. Nowadays, it comes in different shapes and flavors and is very easy to prepare at home, like my Breshtok-e Shokolati – Chocolate Halva بروشتک. Yes, you heard right – you can make this treat yourself and give your friends and family an extra surprise. Have fun and enjoy! Watch my preparation video on Instagram

Cake Yazdi - Cardamom Rose Water Muffins کیک یزدی

Cake Yazdi – Cardamom Rose Water Muffins کیک یزدی

Nowrooz is coming and I have a simple, quick, and foolproof recipe to share with you, without any fancy decorations or embellishments. This recipe is for Cake Yazdi – Cardamom Rosewater Muffins کیک یزدی, which is perfect for baking beginners. Although these muffins are made from simple ingredients, they have a unique and special taste. They are fluffy and delicious due to the yogurt and oil in the batter, and have a delicate aroma of cardamom and rosewater. You can garnish them with chopped pistachios and rose petals, but traditionally in Persia, they are sprinkled with sesame seeds. You can choose whichever you prefer. They are best enjoyed with a hot brewed Persian tea (Chai). I hope you enjoy making and eating them! Watch my preparation video on Instagram

Salad-e Anar ba Morgh- Pomegranate Chicken Salad سالاد انار و مرغ

Salad-e Anar ba Morgh- Pomegranate Chicken Salad سالاد انار و مرغ

If you want to prepare a unique chicken salad to delight your taste buds, I recommend my Salad-e Anar ba Morgh – Chicken Pomegranate Salad (سالاد انار و مرغ). Here, the flavors of the world come together. The bright red pearls give the salad a sweet and sour note and a nice crunch. The chicken, eggs, pickled cucumber, and cilantro are a treat to the taste buds. I chose cilantro for this recipe, but if you don’t like it, you can use parsley or mint instead. The recipe is easy and quick to prepare, perfect for Shab-e Yalda, a festive menu, or New Year’s Eve. You can find more typical dishes for Shab-e Yalda here. We like to serve it as an appetizer, which we call Mazeh (Mezze).

Shabe Yalda - Yalda Night

Shabe Yalda – Yalda Night

We celebrate the longest and darkest night of the year, known as Shabe Yalda – Yalda Night, in Iran. After this night, the days become longer again, the nights shorter, and light triumphs over darkness. Yalda signifies the birth of light and the sun. Friends and family gather on this night at the home of the oldest family members to celebrate the Festival of Joy until dawn. Here are my recipes for Shab-e Yalda; enjoy preparing and celebrating!

Sharbat-e Khakshir Nabat – Persian Summer Drink

Sharbat-e Khakshir Nabat – Persian Summer Drink

Do you crave for a refreshing summer drink on hot summer days? We drink Sharbat-e Khakshir Nabat – Persian Summer Drink in Iran when it’s hot. A healthy and delicious Persian refreshment drink made from Sophia herb seeds, fresh spring water, rose water, lemon juice (optional), ice cubes, and saffron candied sticks. This drink cools you from the inside, is quick to prepare, tastes delicious, and will quench your thirst. The seeds are heavy, and sink to the bottom of the glass and should be stirred just before drinking. The stirring makes them dance their way to the top. If you travel to Iran, you should try Sharbat-e Khakshir Nabat – Persian Summer Drink in a Ab Miveh Forooshi (juice bar), you can get this cool refreshing drink at every corner. Find here some more Sharbat recipes on my blog.

Soup-e Esfenadj - Spinach Soup for Tirgan

Soup-e Esfenadj – Spinach Soup for Tirgan

Tirgan Mobarak! Happy Tirgan! Like all our Persian festivals, at Tirgan, there is a lot of dancing, singing, and reciting poems. It’s tradition to splash water on each other (Ab Pashi) on this day. We also eat certain foods, such as my Soup-e Esfenadj – Spinach Soup for Tirgan. The recipe is super simple! The soup includes fresh baby spinach, potatoes, onions, and oriental spices. It’s vegetarian, as I made it with vegetable stock, but you can also use chicken stock. Add a blob of Greek yogurt, fresh mint, and a few drops of good olive oil to garnish. This creamy, healthy, and delicious soup is on your table in no time.