Kadu Polo is a delightful Fall-weather dish from the Caspian Sea region of Iran, where its regional name is Ka-ee Pelah. It is a true celebration of the local flavors and produce that make northern Iranian cuisine so incredibly fresh, tasty, and healthy. I am often surprised and delighted when simple dishes without a long…
Category: Vegetarian
Aash Gholvat – Potato and herb stew with eggs
What looks like a soup or a stew, but is neither? It is an Aash! Aash has always been front and center in Persian cuisine. This is a Persian term used to describe a thick style of soup that often combines a variety of beans, grains, sometimes noodles, herbs, spices, and meat. There are nearly…
Hali Ghuroo – Sour plum stew with poached eggs
With the arrival of spring, Iranians hit their local markets and eagerly look forward to finding unripe sour plums (Gojeh Sabz), unripe almonds (Chaghaleh Badom), and unripe sour grapes (Ghooreh). I find Iranians’ love of sour and unripe fruits to be incredibly unique and endearing. Gojeh Sabz, Persian green unripe plums, are a seasonal delicacy…
Aash Reshteh – Persian noodle soup
Aash has always been front and center in Persian cuisine. This is a Persian term used to describe a thick style of soup that often combines a variety of beans, grains, sometimes noodles, herbs, spices, and meat. This is Aash Reshteh, one of the most popular and well-loved members of the Aash family, which has nearly…
Om’let-e Gojeh Farangi – Tomato omelet
Want a quick, easy, and yet flavorful meal, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner? Then Persian omelet is the answer! What we refer to as Om’let in Iran is essentially a simple, open-faced omelet with very few ingredients but with a Persian twist. Onions are slowly cooked into golden perfection before being further colored by…
Soup-e Jow – Barley soup
Soup-e Jow is a delightfully simple and flavorful soup, but is not really well-known in the line-up of Persian soups and Aashes. (Aash is a Farsi word for a thick soup, like a cross between a soup and a stew.) The barley offers an earthy flavor and satisfying chew, while lemon juice contributes a refreshing…
Kashk Bademjoon – Eggplant spread with whey and mint
Among all the eggplant spreads in the world, Kashk Bademjoon is unique! In this Persian dish, the eggplant is the star, taking center stage with an up-and-coming co-headliner, Kashk. Kashk is most often referred to as liquid whey: tart, aromatic and salty, bringing a deep umami experience to the dish. Name a culture, and it…
Kuku Sabzi – Fresh herb and leek frittata
Welcome to the world of herbs! Herbs play a significant role in Persian cuisine, whether they are served fresh as an appetizer with bread and cheese or cooked into Kuku or Khoresh (Persian stews). Herbs are integrated into Persian dishes not only to brighten up the colors and bring a brilliant herbal taste, but also…
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…
Kuku Kadu Halva-ee – Butternut squash and walnut kuku patties
With the arrival of fall, not only come Halloween, Thanksgiving (and my birthday), but also glorious squashes! I don’t know too many people who would pass on a well-prepared butternut squash dish. Versatile in so many ways: you can eat squashes raw by shredding them into salads, fry them up, batter them like Tempura, roast…