All posts tagged: vegetarian

Tomato Salad with Pomegranate-Sumac Dressing

Tomato Salad with Pomegranate-Sumac Dressing

Summer is salad time, so the kitchen stays cold, and a tomato salad with pomegranate sumac dressing is a welcome refreshment. Large, small, black, and colorful sun-ripened tomatoes, soft mild onions, and an oriental Dressing of pomegranate molasses, grated tomato, best olive oil, and tart sumac finish the taste. Tomato salad with a sweet fruity pomegranate dressing is not only refreshing, but it is also prepared in a snap and is even vegan. All these ingredients transform a simple tomato salad into a unique dish. Watch How to prep Video on Instagram

Dolmeh Godje Faranghi - Persian Stuffed Tomatoes دلمه گوجه فرنگی

Dolmeh Godje Faranghi – Persian Stuffed Tomatoes دلمه گوجه فرنگی

Have you ever stuffed tomatoes? It’s about time. My Dolmeh Godje Faranghi – Persian style stuffed tomatoes دلمه گوجه فرنگی are light, healthy and vegan. I harvest the tomatoes for this recipe from my garden. There are still some hanging on the bush, but I believe that’s the end of the tomato harvest for this year. Cut the tops off the tomatoes and scoop them out. Fill them with rice and herbs such as cilantro, parsley, mint, and season with turmeric. Place the cap on top and put it in the baking dish, cover with a lemony tomato sauce and bake in the oven. Now you only have to wait. Baking in the oven makes the tomatoes very aromatic, sweet, and with the lemony sauce, a taste explosion in your mouth.

Saffron Iced Tea – آیس تی زعفران

Saffron Iced Tea – آیس تی زعفران

Can you imagine a better summer treat than an ice-cold homemade iced tea? Today I have a recipe for a fresh and delicious saffron iced tea – آیس تی زعفران. The iced tea with saffron has a very aromatic flavor and lifts your mood. After all, a Persian quote says: “Drink a glass of saffron tea and get happy.” I prepared the recipe with black tea, but you can also use white tea instead. I don’t recommend Green tea, as it can overpower the fragrance of saffron. You can adjust the sugar level and the ingredients of a homemade iced tea to your taste. Ready-made iced tea from retail stores contains a lot of sugar, flavors, and artificial ingredients. Try my refreshing saffron iced tea and treat your health. Watch How to Prep Video on Instagram

Honey and Yogurt Cheesecake with Thyme

Honey and Yogurt Cheesecake with Thyme

Happy Cheesecake Day! To celebrate, I have a simple recipe for you and take you on a culinary journey to Greece. This No Bake Honey and Yogurt Cheesecake with Thyme is with tender oatmeal cookies, butter, and thyme. The creamy filling consists of Greek-style yogurt, full-fat cream cheese, icing sugar, lemon zest, and white chocolate and melts in your mouth. Top it with the delightful thyme honey just before serving.

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.

Bastani Sonati – Persian Saffron Ice Cream

Bastani Sonati – Persian Saffron Ice Cream

The temperatures have risen, and I am in the mood for a cooling ice cream. The golden Yellow Bastani Sonati – Persian Saffron Ice Cream is one of the most popular ice creams in Iran. Whether young or old, men or women, everyone loves Bastani Sonati – Persian Saffron Ice Cream. Bastani means ice cream, and Sonati is traditional, so translated, it means traditional Persian ice cream. Nothing is better in the heat than having the aromatic saffron ice cream melt in your mouth. In Bastani are little frozen pieces of cream and pistachio slivers hidden. As a child, and even today, I still get excited when I discover a tasty bite of delicious frozen cream or a slivered pistachio in the ice cream. HOMEMADE BASTANI SONATI Throughout Tehran, we have a lot of ice cream stores that sell Bastani, but many Persians also prepare it at home, as there is nothing better than fresh homemade Bastani. Last summer, I made saffron ice cream without eggs; today I have a recipe with eggs. In my …

Borani Esfenadj - Persian Spinach Yogurt Dip

Borani Esfenadj – Persian Spinach Yogurt Dip

Do you want to spice up your yogurt and set the scene? If so, I have the perfect recipe for you. You only need a few ingredients: sautéed baby spinach, Greek yogurt, sautéed caramelized onions, and spice it up with turmeric and cinnamon for a mouthwatering flavor. Borani Esfenadj – Persian Spinach Yogurt Dip is quickly prepared, delicious, and healthy. Spinach adds a lovely green color to your yogurt, and turmeric turns it all yellow. I love to use Greek yogurt as it is creamy and has many health benefits. The key to this recipe is the fried caramelized onions since they add sweetness and a special kick to this yogurt. Watch my Video on Instagram

Sfenj - Moroccan Doughnuts

Sfenj – Moroccan Doughnuts

Have you ever been to Morocco? Then you probably know the local street food Sfenj, pronounced Sfinsch. It is a popular street food in the souks of Morocco and the many Sfenj bakeries. You have probably also seen Moroccans with a Sfenj handbag 😉 For they are tied together with a “ribbon” of palm fronds or a string and sold as a way to carry them. Sfenj is prepared fresh in the morning and served while still warm for breakfast. And it’s enjoyed with Moroccan mint tea or a strong coffee in the afternoon. The best way to eat them is plain, but some also like to roll them in sugar, and others soak them in honey or syrup. I’ve made the recipe for Sfenj Moroccan donuts a few times, and the one I liked best was this version from Atlas Kitchen, which I’m sharing with you today. Be sure to give it a try! Watch Video on Instagram

Sharbat-e Rivas – Persian Rhubarb Lemonade

Sharbat-e Rivas – Persian Rhubarb Lemonade

Sharbat- e Rivas – Persian Rhubarb Lemonade is finest ice-cold lemonade made from rhubarb. Make a delicious rhubarb syrup from fresh rhubarb stalks and sugar first. Pour right before serving, rhubarb syrup over crushed ice in a glass and top it with non-carbonated water, add a little lemon juice and a tiny bit of rose water, and enjoy. In Iran, we have temperatures up to 26 degrees in the spring. When we returned from school in the afternoon, we were welcomed by my grandmother with this refreshing drink, as it is an excellent way to refresh yourself. The spoon clinking against the glass when she filled the syrup with water, rose water, and lemon juice is like music to my ears and brings back sweet childhood memories. Watch my preparationvideo on Instagram