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 Zereshk – Barberry and saffron lamb stew

What are these bright red, tart, sharp, tangy, mouth puckering berries? Well – they’re Iran’s very own barberries! This stew showcases the prized barberries, which are sweetened with grape molasses and paired with lamb that is cooked in a seasoned tomato sauce until the meat falls off the bone. To make this more of a…

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?