What I love most about this stew is that it showcases the easier side of Persian cuisine. Many of our Khoresh (stews) use multiple ingredients and take a long while to cook, but Khoresh Aloo Esfenaj has a simpler ingredient list and is easy to prepare for a weeknight meal. The most unique item in…
Category: Khoresh
Khoresh Bij Bij – Caspian Sea stew with poached eggs
Bij Bij is not only a fun name for a dish, it is also a staple for Caspian Sea folks. People from Iran’s Mazandaran Province call this dish “Vavishka” (clearly a name that originated in Russia), but in Tehran, those who know of it call it Bij Bij. It is a comfort dish, made with…
Khoresh Fesenjoon – Chicken in pomegranate and walnut sauce
This is fesenjoon, another national culinary treasure of Iran. There aren’t many dishes that give you as much pleasure and joy of eating as fesenjoon! It’s inherently a simple dish, showcasing a perfect blend of simple and yet flavorful ingredients that are abundant in Iran, making it a celebration of natural resources. The dish starts…
Khoresh Bamieh – Okra and beef stew
Khoresh Bamieh comes originally from Khuzestan province in southern Iran, where it is traditionally prepared with tamarind sauce. This variety, which is more common elsewhere in Iran, substitutes tomato sauce for the less well-known tamarind.
Khoresh Gojeh Bademjan – Eggplant and tomato stew
Eggplants, otherwise known fondly as the potatoes of Iran, have a special place in Persian cuisine. You will find them fried, baked, charred over open fire, or pickled. Their texture ranges from chewy, smooth, chunky, and soft to creamy. They are cooked into Kuku or preserved as a Torshi (pickled) or integrated as a supporting…
Khoresh Ghormeh Sabzi -Beef and fresh herb stew
This is Ghormeh Sabzi, by many accounts Iran’s national dish! Yes, there are Fesenjoon, Khoresht-e Bademjan, and Zereshk Polo, and a myriad of other stews and rice dishes, not to mention a long list of Kebabs. But there is something so very special about Ghormeh Sabzi. To learn about this dish is to learn some…
Nargesi – Spinach, parsley and mint sauté with poached eggs
A peasant food, at its core! And let’s face it, I’d eat like a peasant any day when the dish tastes this rich and yummy and is yet very simple, quick, and inexpensive! Nargesi’s origin is back in the Caspian Sea region of Iran, where produce and vegetables are abundant. Spinach is a cherished and…
Khoresh Nokhodchie – Chickpea and lamb meatballs in tomato-mint sauce
I seem to spend a lot of time thinking about Isfahan these days. So I started searching online and paging through cookbooks for inspiration to see what intriguing and tasty dish I could come up with to share. This is a simple Isfahani stew that once again has familiar elements such as lamb, chickpeas (in…
Khoresh Bademjan – Eggplant stew with chicken
Khoresh Bademjan is a well-known, popular and respected dish that finds itself served frequently and proudly on a Persian table. Eggplant, otherwise known as the potato of Iran, is used in a variety of stews, Kuku (egg-based dishes), and layered rice dishes. The very special and unique ingredient in this dish is “Ghooreh”, which showcases…
Khoresh Kal-leh Gonjishkie – Petite meatballs in tangy tomato sauce with roasted potatoes
This dish takes me way back to my childhood growing up in Tehran. I remember loving this dish for its flavor and simplicity, which clearly appealed to my teenage palate. A simple meatball dish with fried potatoes over steamed rice – how can you go wrong with that?