Iranian Cuisine
Iran draws its roots from ancient Persia. Over the years, Iranian cuisine has evolved tremendously and is overflowing with delicious flavours and exotic ingredients making the taste of the cuisine unmatched. Well known for its delicate mixture of spices, herbs are frequently used along with fruits such as plums/prunes pomegranates, quince, apricots and raisins. Classic Persian flavours are subtle, with cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, cardamom and saffron all delicately mixed.
Classic Iranian Meal
The list of Persian recipes, appetisers and desserts runs very long. It is mandatory for Iranians to eat their food with spoon and fork as Chinese eat with chopsticks. Three meals a day are usual beginning with a light and early breakfast of sweetened tea or coffee and bread. Sometimes, the bread is served with local cheese. Lunch and dinner are usually similar meals based on abundant rice consumption both made as chelo and polo and often accompanied with fresh seasonal vegetables, bread and cheese. Garlic and lime are also critical ingredients. Many Iranians make their own yogurt, which can be used as a constituent in many dishes or as a cold and refreshing drink.
Throughout the day, crunchy toasted nuts of all kinds, crusty dried seeds, and roasted beans, slightly salted, are enjoyed. Succulent snacks of fresh fruits and the frequent consumption of tea or coffee leaves little room for real hunger.
Breakfast
Lunch & Dinner
Lunch is typically served from 12 to 2pm and is a bigger meal. It generally consists of rice and Khoresht (a curry made of meat or chicken in a thick sauce plus vegetables or fruits, nuts or legumes with Iranian spices and herbs). In place of Khoresht, fish, chicken kebab, lamb kebab or Kobideh (ground meat kebab) may also be served. Soup, salad, appetiser, yogurt, seasonal fruits are also an integral part of lunch meal.
Usually in most households, a dinner meal is the lighter meal and is served typically from 9-10 pm or even 12 midnight. A Meal is not considered complete unless it is served with a collection of side plates (Mokhalafat). There is a wide variety of different Mokhalafat that may be offered. These include Nan (Iranian flat unleavened bread), Panir (Iranian cheese, somewhat similar to feta), Sabzi (a plate of mixed herbs), as well as sliced and peeled cucumbers, sliced tomatoes and onions, yoghurt, and lemon juice, Persian gherkins (Khiyarshur) and pickles (Torshi).
Dessert
On a hot day you may be served a cold, sweet, fruit flavoured beverage called Sharbat (a drink made of fruit and sugar served with ice and water) or Sekanjebin (a drink made of mint, vinegar and sugar served with ice and water). Sharbat-e sekanjebin or Sharbat-e-albaloo (sour cherry syrup) are two other popular cold beverages.
The traditional drink accompanying Iranian dishes is called Doogh. It is a combination of yogurt, water (or soda) and dried mint.
Quinces, pears, grapes, dates, apricots, and Iranian melons flavoured with rosewater are typically eaten for dessert. Halva (a sesame treat) usually refers to a related sweet made from wheat flour and butter and flavoured with rose water. The final product has a dark brown shade of colour. The halva is spread thin on a plate till it dries into a paste. Halva is served on funerals and such ceremonies, often with almonds or coconut shavings on the top.
A traditionally prepared ice cream concludes the Iranian feast. There are many dessert dishes, ranging from Bastani-e Za’farāni (Persian Ice Cream with saffron, to the Faludeh, a sort of cold sorbet made with thin starch noodles and rose water. Persian Ice Cream is flavoured with saffron, rosewater, and chunks of heavy cream. There are also many types of sweets. The sweets are divided into two groups of Shirini. The first group consists of pastries with heavy whole milk whipped cream, fruit toppings, tarts, custard-filled éclairs, and a variety of cakes. Some have an Iranian twist, such as the addition of pistachio, saffron and walnuts. The second category consists of more traditional sweets: Shirini-e Berenji (a type of rice cookie), Shirini-e Nokhodchi (clover shaped, chickpea cookies), Kolouche (a large cookie usually with a walnut or fig filling) and many more.
Snacks
Other Popular Dishes
Ajeel – a traditional mix of nuts and seeds that have been prepared in lime juice then salted and toasted
Abgousht – Beef and vegetable stew
Chelo Kebab – Marinated lamb cooked over a charcoal grill, and traditionally served on top of rice
Fesenjan – Chicken or duck stew. It has a sweet and sour flavor and contains pomegranate and walnuts
Aab-e Havij or Havij bastani – Carrot juice made into an ice cream float and garnished with cinnamon, nutmeg or other spices
Trivia
- Zulbiya or Jalebi as we call it is originally from Iran and is a very famous dessert there. It is known as funnel cake in North America
- Goosh-e Fil (lit. Elephant’s ear) is also deep-fried dough, fried in the shape of a flat elephant’s ear and then covered with sugar powder
- Noghl, a dish of sugar-coated almonds, is often served at Iranian weddings
- Iran is well-known for its yummy kebabs. Chelo kebab is the national dish of Iran