Autumn has finally arrived, so it’s quince season once again, and I have been busy making Persian quince stew, jam, and Membrillo! Every year I look forward to the arrival of Fall and its seasonal produce, ranging from a fantastic variety of squashes, including the sweet and tender butternut squash, to fruits like persimmons, pomegranates,…
Tag: Stew
Khoresh Gol Kalam – Beef and cauliflower stew
Long before the humble cauliflower became a trendy superfood, Iranians were cooking it into stews (Khoresh), egg-based dishes (Kuku), and even pickles (Torshi). Like many Iranian stews, this is an especially simple dish with only a few ingredients. Nevertheless, there are certain culinary techniques that bring out a spectacularly deep range of flavors. First, it’s…
Tas Kabob – Meat and vegetable stew
Tas Kabob is the ultimate one-pot comfort food. This dish is as effortless as layering all the ingredients in a pot, covering it, and cooking it until the vegetables have softened and the flavors come together. There are many traditions behind this dish. Once upon a time, this was truly a celebration of the Fall,…
Khoresh Kadu Halvaee – Butternut squash and golden plum stew
For me, there is something so special about this dish as it marks the beginning of Autumn by celebrating the season’s bounty. Every year I find myself eagerly looking forward to the arrival of Fall and its seasonal produce: from an amazing variety of squashes including the sweet and tender butternut squash, to fruit like…
Khoresh Rivas – Beef and herb stew with rhubarb
Khoresh Rivas is yet another Persian stew that celebrates the abundance of fresh herbs and Iranians’ never ending love affair with sour flavors. In the rest of the world rhubarb’s sourness is almost always moderated with sugar or strawberries, but Iranians use rhubarb in savory dishes precisely because of its sour flavor.
Khoresh Aloo Esfenaj – Spinach and golden plum stew with lamb
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…
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 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…