Naan Nokhodchi, also known as Shirini Nokhodchi, are among the many delicious Persian cookies that are associated with celebration and hospitality. Flavored with cardamom and rose water, they are perfect with a cup of black tea or coffee, and are a great treat at any time of day. These small, delicate, and melt-in-your-mouth cookies are…
Tag: Rose water
Moraba Havij – Carrot Jam with Saffron, Cardamom, and Rose Water
Who doesn’t love spreading a generous layer of homemade jam on warm, buttered, crusty bread? Some might find the idea of jam without fruit unusual, but I encourage everyone to try this vibrant orange and flavorful carrot jam, known as Moraba Havij in Persian. Making jam is an age-old tradition in Iran and around the…
Sholeh Zard – Saffron and rosewater rice pudding
Sholeh Zard is a beloved and popular rice pudding that has all the quintessential flavors of a Persian dessert. Fragrant Persian rice is slowly simmered in a large body of water until it begins to soften. One by one, saffron, rosewater, and sugar find their way into the pot and diligently do their part to…
Cake Yazdi – cardamom and rosewater cupcakes
Cake Yazdi is to Iranians what vanilla or chocolate cupcakes are to Americans! I have yet to serve this cupcake without sparking a twinkle in someone’s eye, followed by an ear-to-ear smile. For anyone of Iranian origin, this familiar little treat evokes sweet and tender emotions, often prompting nostalgic stories of a distant childhood spent…
Naan-e Keshmeshi – Rosewater and raisin cookies
Sometimes the simplest recipes are the most rewarding, and these rosewater and raisin cookies are just that. Cream the butter, mix in the eggs and remaining ingredients, and soon you’ll have buttery raisin cookies with a delicate hint of rose, known as Naan-e Keshmeshi. In Iran, these raisin cookies are everywhere, much like chocolate chip…
Naan Berenji – Rice flour cookies with rosewater and poppy seeds
These delicate, brittle cookies called Naan Berenji have long been part of Persian tables and gatherings. They hold a special place on the Nowruz table (Persian New Year), alongside sweets, dried nuts, and fruits. So beloved in Iran, most families simply buy them fresh from the neighborhood bakery. These days, I drive about 15 miles…
Cake Eshgh – Persian love cake
Today and every day we celebrate LOVE (Eshgh)! Maybe with a Persian love cake? Valentine’s day has come and gone and I am just getting around to posting this Persian love cake recipe on the blog. To state the obvious, Valentine’s day was not always a day that was celebrated in Iran and there was…
Tokhm-e Sharbatie – Basil seed, rose water, and lime Sharbat
Before there was sugary and processed soda (can you even remember that time?!) there was sharbat in Iran. Sharbat is a homemade beverage that has 3 main components: acid, sweetener, and flavor. This is Tokhm-e Sharbatie, a delightful and refreshing sharbat. For the acid, citrus juice or vinegar is used to bring forward the tartness…
Halva Havij – Carrot halva
Halva, an Arabic word meaning sweet, is a well-recognized global dessert that by many accounts dates back to 7th century Persia, when dates and milk were cooked to create a creamy paste. Since then, the term halva has been used to reference a variety of sweets that include the cooking of wheat, rice, or semolina…
Baghlava – Persian Baklava
This is Persian baklava! Baklava is a layered pastry dessert typically made of filo pastry and filled with finely ground nuts. They are then sweetened with either syrup or honey and seasoned with various warming and sweet spices. Baklava continues to be one of the most recognizable and popular sweet pastries in Iran, Syria, Lebanon,…