A Brief History of Persian Cuisine

Persia was once a great civilization. Its culture was based on religion, philosophy, science, art, literature, music, architecture, and medicine.

In the 7th century B.C., Persia became the first country to adopt Zoroastrianism as its official state religion. The Persians were also the inventors of papermaking, gunpowder, and algebra.

However, by the 19th century, Iran had fallen into a period of decline. This is when the British began to take control of the area. Nowadays, Iran is a republic with a population of more than 80 million people.

What Is Persian Cuisine?

Persian food is a type of Middle Eastern cuisine that originated in Persia (modern-day Iran). This style of cooking uses a variety of spices, herbs, nuts, fruits, vegetables, meats, rice, lentils, breads, and dairy products. The dishes vary depending on where you live in the world, but most of them include meat, beans, fruit, and nuts.

There are many different varieties of Persian foods. Some of the more popular dishes include:

• Kabobs – Kabobs are grilled pieces of meat served with sauces and salads.

• Baklava – A dessert made from phyllo dough filled with walnuts, pistachios, honey, and rosewater.

• Baghali polow – Rice cooked in a tomato sauce, then topped with dried limes, almonds, and raisins.

• Khoresht-e ghormeh sabzi – Stewed lamb or beef with green herbs.

• Pomegranate molasses – An aromatic syrup that is used as an ingredient in some desserts and drinks.

In addition to the above, there are also a number of other traditional dishes that are commonly eaten throughout Iran. For example, kebabs are very popular among Iranians.

Persian Food Ingredients

Persian cuisine is known for its unique flavors and rich history. The country of Iran, where this type of cooking originated, was once a powerful empire. Today, the nation’s culture is still very much alive, especially in the form of delicious dishes like these.

If you want to learn more about how Persian foods are made, then read on below. You’ll discover that the most important ingredient in many of them is saffron. This spice adds an incredible flavor to the dish, and it’s also a good source of antioxidants. Another key component is salt. If you don’t have access to high-quality sea salts, then use kosher salt instead.

In addition to the two main ingredients mentioned above, there are other essential components that you should know about. For example, ginger is used in a number of traditional recipes. It has both culinary and medicinal uses, so it’s always available to chefs who wish to incorporate this into their meals. Honey is another popular ingredient that is often added to dishes. Its sweet taste makes it perfect for desserts, but you can also add some to savory dishes.

Some Delicious Persian Recipes

Persians love food. And the best thing is that they have a wide variety of dishes to choose from. If you want to learn more about this delicious cuisine, here are ten of the most popular dishes.

Khoresht-E Badam

Khoresht-e badam, also known as khoresht-e kalahari is a traditional dish of Iran. It is a popular sweet during summer and winter seasons.

The word “khoresh” means fragrant and it refers to the aroma of rosewater. The taste of this dessert comes from pistachios, almonds, raisins, walnuts, sugar, eggs, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, saffron, vanilla, almond extract, honey.

The process of making Khoresht-e Badam begins with boiling a pot filled with water. Once the water has boiled, we add two cups of white rice flour to it. Then we stir vigorously with our hands until it becomes thick paste. After that, we pour out some hot water into another bowl. We mix the first mixture well with this second batch of warm water and then combine them together. Next, we add one cup of milk. Finally, we bring the whole thing back to the boil.

Kaleh Piyaz

Kaleh is a Persian dish made from a mixture of rice, wheat flour, sugar, saffron, and almonds. The name means “cooked” in Farsi. It’s also known as kheer, khoresht, and kelche.

Persians make this sweet dessert for special occasions, such as weddings and birthdays. This recipe uses almond milk instead of water to create a rich and creamy pudding.

You will need:

1 cup uncooked basmati rice (or other long-grain white rice)

3 cups whole milk

2 cups unsalted butter or margarine, softened

4 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup honey

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cardamom

1 cup blanched sliced almonds

Topping

⅔ cup heavy cream

6 tablespoons powdered sugar

A few drops of vanilla extract

Preparation

Cook the rice according to package directions. When it’s done, drain the excess liquid and set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the milk, butter, eggs, salt, honey, and flour in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk.

Add the cooked rice to the pan and stir well.

Abgoosht

Persians love their food, but they also have a lot of traditions surrounding the meals that they eat. One such tradition involves eating an egg dish known as abgoosht. This is a very popular meal for many people in Iran, so much so that the word “Abgoosht” means eggs.

In this article, we will explore how to make the Persian version of the egg dish known as Abgoosht. We will start by learning more about the history of the recipe, and then we will learn how to cook the delicious meal.

The History Of The Recipe:

Many people are surprised to find out that the first written reference to the dish was made in the year 842 AD. However, the exact origin of the dish remains a mystery. Some believe that it originated from the ancient Persians, while others claim that the dish is actually Turkish.

Regardless of where the dish came from, most people agree that the original version consisted of just two ingredients. However, there were variations on the menu, and the number of different dishes that could be served at one time grew larger with each passing generation. Eventually, the name of the dish changed to reflect its new additions. It became known as Abgoosht-e Sabzi, which translates to Egg and Vegetable Dish.

Golabjan

Golabjans are traditional Persian sweetmeats made from honey-based syrup, nuts, dried fruits, saffron, pistachios, rosewater, cardamom, cinnamon and sugar. The word golabjan comes from the Persian words goli meaning “honey” and jaan meaning “sweet”.

Golabjans are traditionally served at weddings, celebrations, religious festivals, and other special occasions. They were originally developed as an alternative to the more expensive wedding cakes and sweets that are commonly available today.

There are two main varieties of golabjan: the white variety, which uses almonds and walnuts, and the red variety, which uses hazelnuts. Both varieties contain a small amount of saffron, but the red variety also contains a larger quantity of cardamom, whereas the white variety does not.

The ingredients used to make the white variety vary slightly depending on the region where the recipe is prepared. For example, some regions use only almond milk, while others add whole blanched almonds, pistachio kernels, and sometimes raisins. Some variations include the addition of orange zest or lemon juice.

Fesenjoon

Fesenjoon is a Persian dish that involves cooking meat with rice, saffron, dried fruit, nuts, and spices. The most important part of this recipe is the saffron. This spice adds a beautiful yellow color to your food.

When you make fesenjoon, you need to cook the meat until it’s tender. Then, you’ll add the rest of the ingredients. You should let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes before serving.

You can also use chicken instead of lamb in this recipe. If you do so, you will have to increase the amount of salt in the sauce.

This is one of the easiest dishes that you can prepare at home. In fact, it takes less than half an hour to finish making the meal.

Sabzi Polo

If you’re looking for a tasty dish that is easy to make, then you should definitely try making Persian food. The following article will show you how to cook sabzi polo. This recipe includes a wide variety of ingredients, so it’s perfect for any occasion.

The first thing that you need to know when cooking this type of meal is that you’ll be using the tahdig method. Tahdig means “to roast” in Farsi. If you’ve never cooked with the tahdig method, then you might want to check out the video below.

You can use a gas stove or an electric one. You just have to heat the oven for a few minutes before you start roasting. Once the oven is hot enough, you can add the vegetables to the oven and let them bake until they are tender.

Once the veggies are done, you’ll remove them from the oven and put them in a bowl. Next, you’ll mix together all of the other ingredients. Then, you’ll transfer everything back into the baking pan.

Finally, you’ll cover it up with foil, place it in the oven, and let it cook for another 10-15 minutes. When your sabzi polo is ready, you can serve it right away.

Shole Zard

Shole Zard is a Persian dish that is made from lamb meat. This recipe includes the following ingredients:

1 pound of lamb

2 onions

4 cloves of garlic

3 carrots

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

¼ cup of water

This recipe can be served with rice, bread, and other vegetables.

You can also use this same recipe to make chicken sholes. Just substitute the lamb for chicken.

Soutzoukeh

Soutzouké is one of the most delicious dishes that you will ever eat. This dish consists of rice, meat, vegetables, and herbs. The main ingredient in this meal is lamb, but you can use any type of meat that you want. You could also substitute chicken for the lamb, if you prefer.

You can prepare soutzouké by using a slow cooker. If you don’t have access to a slow cooker, you should be able to make it in the oven. Make sure to cook the rice and the other ingredients separately. Once you’ve cooked all of these items, combine them together in a bowl.

Manti

Manti is a traditional food that originated in Persia. It’s made by wrapping bread dough into a ball shape, and then baking it. The name comes from the Persian word “man.”

It’s been used as an offering in temples for centuries. Today, manti are still eaten in Iran, but they’re also popular throughout Asia and other parts of the world.

This recipe will help you make your own version of this delicious dish. You’ll need:

• 1 cup warm water

• 2 cups flour (whole wheat or white)

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 4 tablespoons butter

1. Combine the first three ingredients in a bowl. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix until the dough forms a soft mass. Let it rest for 10 minutes before rolling it out.

2. Roll the dough into balls. Place them on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

3. Serve with your favorite condiments such as sour cream, yogurt, and honey.

You can use this recipe to create a variety of different dishes. Try adding spices like cumin, chili powder, or turmeric.