All posts tagged: SPRING

Shirini-e Zaban – Persian Puff Pastry شیرینی زبان

Are you getting prepared for the Persian New Year Nowruz? Part of this is spring cleaning, making sabzeh, and baking cookies. Shirini-e Zaban – Persian Puff Pastry شیرینی زبان, is besides of Cake Yazdi and Nan-e Nokhodchi, a popular and nostalgic sweet to treat guests on celebrations. In Farsi, Shirini means sweet, and Zaban tongue, as they have the shape of a tongue. Shirini Zaban is a traditional sweet from the city of Qazvin in Iran. It’s a simple recipe, all you need is ready-made butter puff pastry, butter, honey, rose water, and cardamom. The golden Shirini-e Zaban is quick to prepare, flaky and crispy and not too sweet. Once they come out of the oven, brush them with the honey-rosewater-glaze, and sprinkle them with ground pistachios, grated coconut, or sesame seeds, depending on your taste. With Nowruz just around the corner, check out my blog for plenty of Nowrooz recipes and ideas. View Video on Instagram

Zereshk Polo ba Morgh – Persian Barberry Rice With Chicken

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.

Vegan Jeweled Rice Salad

Are you looking for a tasty side dish for a special occasion? How about a bright and fragrant Vegan jeweled rice salad? This rice salad is based on the warm Persian jeweled rice. It’s the perfect summer dish that can easily be prepared in advance. It’s just perfect for a picnic as well as for a special feast or party. The colorful bright jewels in the salad are made of emerald (pistachios), ruby (barberries and pomegranate seeds), gold (saffron rice and carrots), and pearls (almonds). Fragrant saffron and warm spices like turmeric, cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon add that special touch to my rice salad and will impress your guests. My Jeweled Rice Salad is a feast for the senses and transports you directly to the orient.

Baklava Cheesecake

Baklava and cheesecake fans check out, today I have a combination of these two classic desserts in one for you. A lighter version of the sweet and sticky oriental baklava, as well as the refreshing American cheesecake. In short, the best of both! Baklava Cheesecake is a delicious fusion between the East and the West. My family is thrilled with this both creamy and crispy cheesecake. The bottom and outside of the cheesecake are made of a crispy Filo pastry filled with crunchy caramelized nuts, cinnamon, and sugar. On top is a creamy light cheesecake filling made with cream cheese, eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla pudding powder. With vanilla and lemon zest, it has a hint of vanilla lemony flavor. The crowning touch is that it is garnished with roughly chopped pistachios and finely chopped rose petals. The recipe is also very simple and in any case, attracts all eyes to it. Watch my preparation video on Instagram

Sibzamini Tokhm-e Morgh – Baked Potato and Egg سیب زمینی و تخم مرغ

Sibzamini Tokhm-e Morgh – Baked potato and Egg Wrap سیب زمینی و تخم مرغ is typical street food from Urmia of northern Iran. It is also popular in Azerbaijan (Iran) and Tabriz, where it is called Yeralma Yumurta (یرالما یومورتا), which means wrapped with potato and egg. This wrap is found on any corner of the streets in Iran, as the ingredients are simple and very common. It is an all-time favorite for its taste and popularity. A feature of this dish is that the potatoes and sometimes the bread (Sangak) are prepared on small river stones. It can also be prepared with Lavash or Barbari Bread. In Iran, we call Street Food Ghazay-e Khiabani غذای خیابانی.

Kabab Looleh- Grilled minced meat skewers – کباب لوله

The most popular leisure activity of all Persians is to barbecue kababs. No wonder, as this is a lot of fun in the summer heat. Therefore, grilling time is also kabab time for us! So heat up the charcoal grill, for inspiration I have a delicious Kabab recipe for you today, it is nice and juicy, savory and spicy. Typical oriental spices such as cumin and cinnamon give my Kabab Looleh- minced meat skewers from the grill – کباب لوله a unique flavor. I used half lamb and half ground beef for the grilled skewers and seasoned them with some chopped fresh parsley. The ground beef is simply wrapped around the grill skewers and then grilled over the charcoal for a few minutes. For a special event or for even more flavor, you can also wrap the ground beef skewers around cinnamon sticks and then grill them. From the charcoal grill, however, the minced meat skewers taste best. You can grill them also in a grill pan, but then the roasted flavors and the smoky …

Morabayeh Gol – Persian rose petal Jam مربای گل سرخ

In a wind-protected corner of my garden grows a very special flower: the Damascene rose “Rose de Resht”. Every year I prepare something different from its petals with their strong rose fragrances, for example Sharbat-e Gol – rose lemonade or rose butter. This year I prepared Morabayeh Gol – Persian rose flower jam مربای گل سرخ from the petals of my Rose de Resht. Those who try rose jam for the first time are usually both excited and irritated at the same time, because for most it is a new eating experience. For me, the rose petal jam is an essential part of an expansive Persian breakfast. It requires to butter a piece of Arabic or Lavash bread, then adding some rose jam on it and top it with Sar Sheer. Since the jam is a bit syrupy, it should be eaten teaspoon by teaspoon. To do this, put some of the spread on the bread, take a bite and repeat. Sar Sheer is just as clotted cream and in turkey known as kaymak. Do …

Road Trip along the German apple wine route “Route du Äppler”

*Culinary Press Trip “Route du Äppler” in cooperation with Gourmet Connection and Hessentourismus* Let me take you on my Culinary Press Trip “Road Trip along German apple wine route “Route du Äppler” as plenty has happened in the Hessian apple wine scene. I would like to give you an idea of a fruity and fresh taste experience by sharing some facts about the “Äppler”, the German apple wine. The apple wine route passes over 250 km through the state of Hessen, starting in the south at the “Kelterei Krämer” and ending in the north at the “Brennerei Döhne” where about 12 local producers produce the delicious apple wine also called Stöffche. Join me on the part of the “Route du Äppler” around the region of Odenwald and Taunus outside of Frankfurt. The journey leads along beautiful meadow orchards and picturesque Hessian timber-framed houses. From Frankfurt to the Odenwald to Beerfurth, Reichelsheim, Michelstadt and ends in Oberursel in Taunus. The weather is on our side, too, and we are enjoying truly summer-like temperatures this spring. “The …

Summer pudding with labneh and orange blossom water

Finally we have strawberries in Germany and this summer pudding with labneh and orange blossom water, is packed to the top with them. Ok, the orange blossom labneh is not typically British yet, but I think it goes perfectly with it. Summer pudding is really easy peasy to prepare, you just need fresh strawberries, some raspberries and blackberries, chopped pistachios, some powdered sugar and brioche. The dessert should be refrigerated for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. The next day, when the summer pudding is cut, it reveals its inner beauty. In the best case, the fuchsia colored filling from red summer fruits will run on your plate. We, at least, loved the combination of fruity cold dessert with the creamy orange blossom labneh. It’s so easy to prepare and tastes really delicious. A wonderful way to enjoy a nicely sized portion of ripe fresh fruit.

Labneh Cheesecake with rhubarb and strawberry compote

Each region of the world has its own take on the best way to make Cheesecake. Germans use quark, while the Americans bake it with cream cheese, the Swiss with hard cheese, the Italians with ricotta and the French with goat cheese. We in the Middle East, on the other hand, bake it with Labneh or what we call in Persia Mast-e Chekideh. Have you ever made a creamy cheesecake with Labneh – Mast-e Chekideh? Give my Labneh Cheese Cake with rhubarb and strawberry compote a try and you will be addicted.

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