Abgoosht
Abgoosht is one of the most traditional Iranian foods. It is also called Dizi, which refers to the traditional stone crock pots it is served in. Whether it is called abgoosht or dizi, this very traditional Persian soup recipe is often a favorite among the Iranian people. It is a dish that dates back hundreds of years. Originally, it was only prepared with pieces of mutton and chickpeas and it was a meal favored by poorer classes. However, with the introduction of new ingredients in Persian cuisine, this modest meal was improved and became a very popular, comforting dish savored by all Iranians.
Serving this Iranian dish which looks like a soup has a special custom in two stages. Traditionally, small pieces of flat bread are mixed and eaten with the broth in the first stage. You can skip this part if you don’t like it. Other ingredients are later mashed and served with side dishes of pickles, fresh herbs (garden cress, wild leek, basil, squaw mint, scallion and radish), Doogh (a savory yoghurt-based beverage), raw onions and most importantly freshly-baked flat bread.
Aush
Aush sometimes transliterated as Ash, is a thick soup/stew, which is usually served hot and is part of Iranian food. Aush is typically made with a variation of ingredients based on the nature of the geographic regions but may include; flat wheat noodles, turmeric, vegetables (broccoli, carrots, onion, celery, spinach, garlic, jalapeño), legumes (chickpeas, kidney beans), herbs (dill, mint, coriander, minced cilantro).
Aush is another Persian food which is suitable for Vegans. Aush is cooked by the available materials in the same area so it is of variety types: Aush reshteh, Aush Doogh, Aush Torsh, Shole Ghalamkar, Aush Jo, and …. .
We introduce briefly some of them below:
Aush-Reshteh
A tasty variety of aush is Aush-Reshteh, known as Persian noodle soup. A richly textured soup full of noodles, beans, herbs and leafy greens like spinach and beet leaves. It’s topped with mint oil, crunchy fried onions and sour kashk, a fermented whey product eaten in the Middle East that tastes akin to sour yogurt. This soup is made with Persian noodles which are flat, similar to fettuccine, but slightly less wide. The noodles in this soup symbolize good fortune and success in the path ahead.
Ash-e Jo
The other popular ash in Iran is Ash-e Jo (Barley Ash). As is it obvious from the name of it the major ingredient is barley, in addition to onion, carrots and chicken stock. Some people also add sour cream.
Ash-e Doogh
It is a super delicious, healthy nutritious and pleasantly refreshing and tangy yogurt soup. Aash-e Doogh, made from plain yogurt and water with, fresh and aromatic herbs such as coriander, parsley, dill, mint, chives directly from grocery and tender cooked chickpeas or white beans+ tiny meat balls.
Aush Sholeh Ghalamkar
Aush Sholeh Ghalamkar is one of the most famous Persian traditional broths. The way to make it requires a lot of patience and uses a variety of beans, herbs and beaten meat. It comes from the Central Provinces of Iran, a mix of cultures of different peoples. And the name is also literally called "mixture" and consists of chickpeas, white beans, black pea beans, red beans, lentils, yellow split peas, vetch (Maash), rice, wheat and herbs such as spinach, onion, cilantro, and Shanbalileh (fenugreek, an aromatic herb) to tarragon is cooked with lamb minced meat and seasoned with salt pepper cumin and cinnamon.Then served with kashk and delicious decoration.
Baghali polo
The origin of this food dates back to Safavid dynasty that ruled Iran from 1501 to 1722 and the kings were served with rice and lamb shanks. Nowadays it is a frequent dish among Iranian families, but still served and treated like a king’s food. Baghali is Farsi for Fava Beans. The combination of rice with dills and broad beans is called Baghali Polow, and the fork tender lamb shank which is served beside the rice is called Mahiche. These two parts served together make a sublime taste. When you mix the amazing Persian steamed rice with baghali and shevid (dill), it is called Baghali Polo. Baghali Polo is fluffy and full of flavor and it complements a variety of meats such as chicken, turkey, lamb or beef; stewed, braised, or grilled! If you have ever tasted green fava beans you know how delicate and buttery they are. The taste is like no other bean and when it is paired with the subtle and pleasant flavors of dill and Basmati rice, this ever popular delicious rice is created.
Dolmeh
Dolmeh comes from the word dolma which comes from the Turkish word Dolmak meaning “to fill”. The word dolmeh refers to any vegetable that is stuffed. Dolmeh Barge Mo (Stuffed Grape Leaves) is the most common of Persian Dolmeh. Dolmeh is a traditional Iranian dish that goes all the way back to the 17th century. There are a variety of ways to make the mixture that is wrapped with the grape leaves. The traditional Iranian way to serve dolmeh is to put them on a platter and top them with caramelized onions and barberries or cooked dried Persian golden plums.
Fesenjan
Fesenjan is an iconic dish dating back to the Achameinid Empire in 515 B.C. This well-known Persian dish (ḵoreš, a kind of stew) and incredibly moreish stew made of walnut or almond, poultry (usually duck) or small meat balls and pomegranate sauce or juice and onions which are slowly simmered to make a thick sauce. Khoresh Fesenjan that combines two super foods that their nutritional benefit has come to light in this part of the world in the recent years: Pomegranate and walnuts. The flavor is like no other, it is tangy with a hint of sweet. Fesenjan serve with white rice, a shirazi salad and some crunchy radishes on the side. In place of chicken, you could use duck or butternut squash.
Khoresh Gheymeh
Khoresh Gheymeh (gheimeh), also called Gheymeh Polo (polo means rice) is a Beef and Split Pea Stew which is a very traditional and popular Iranian stew with saffron potatoes that is served over either white rice or Aromatic Rice. The main reason for the delicious taste of Khoresht Gheymeh is cookery experience, but there is another reason that it’s very important that is the spices that are used in this stew, plus the tricks and tips of cooking it. Unlike other traditional Iranian stews, the meat in gheimeh is usually cut into tiny cubes. Besides yellow split beans and meat, gheimeh often incorporates tomatoes and onions, all combined with traditional Iranian spices such as turmeric and dried lime.
Potatoes, spiced with saffron and fried separately, usually accompany the stew and are served on top of the dish. Steamed white rice or aromatic Persian rice, which is spiced with traditional Persian spice blends, is usually served alongside the dish.
This thick and hearty stew with intense flavors is typically eaten as a nourishing lunch or dinner, and it is prepared throughout the year. The sun dried lime, called limoo amani in Farsi, gives this dish its distinct citrusy and earthy flavor that is so authentic of Persian food.
Ghormeh Sabzi
Made from lots of herbs, kidney beans and lamb, this dish is typically served with rice and is another very popular and must-try dish in Iran. There are three essential elements to this khoresh, or stew, which is often called Iran’s national dish. First, the sweet, pungent flavor of dried or fresh fenugreek leaves defines the stew, which simply isn’t the same without it. Likewise, Omani limes (also known as dried Persian limes) add a distinct aged sourness that is vital to the dish. Finally, the classic Persian technique of sautéing a mountain of finely minced herbs lends character and complexity to the foundation of the stew. The essential ingredient is a combination of fried herbs, usually made with chopped parsley, cilantro, and chives.
Other varieties occasionally include greens such as leeks, kale, or spinach, which give the dish its dark green color and rich, pungent flavors. These essential ingredients are incorporated with kidney beans and cubed meat (most commonly lamb) to create a rich and dense stew. The dish is traditionally served in a bowl and eaten with a knife and fork. Traditional Persian rice, known as polo, is usually served alongside ghormeh sabzi. The rice is boiled and steamed, resulting in an incredibly soft and mild side dish, and a perfect complement to this flavorful stew.
Kaleh Pacheh
Kaleh Pacheh is a traditional dish that is popular in the Middle East and the South Caucasus, and the Iranian people have a long history of food. This is a dish that divides people’s opinions – You either love it or hate it. In Iran the majority of people love it! Assembled from sheep hooves and heads (including the coveted eyes, tongue, and brain), this caloric bomb provides the energy boost workers seek to power through the day. Vendors start selling steaming bowls of “head and hooves” soup before dawn, with most restaurants opening around 3:00 a.m. Don’t be late: Arrive near their closing time of 9:00 a.m., and you’ll likely be told to come back the next day. Most diners add a squeeze of lime and some traditional Sangak bread to the mix. Some lovers of kaleh pacheh crumble up the bread to add into the broth, while others prefer to sandwich bits of sheep eye between two pieces of Sangak . Kaleh pacheh loyalists tout the flavor as being extremely savory and, depending on the recipe, herbaceous. Some claim that the sheep brain can taste bland, but many choose to add lime with salt to pump up the flavor. Also, this food is not suggested for those who are sick because it is known as a cholesterol-rich and high-fat food, although it is filled with protein and vitamin.
Kashke Bademjan
Kashke Bademjan is one of the most popular Persian appetizers. Kashke-e Bademjan is the quintessential Persian appetizer. It may be not be considered a main dish, however I feel once you serve kashk-e bademjan you don't need much of anything else on the table. Bademjan is eggplant in Farsi, and kashk is a yogurt product that traditionally is made through a long process, from very firm strained yogurt. The final product is either formed into balls, or pressed through a large holed sieve into strips, and dried. The mixture is then mashed, combined with kashk (thickened whey) and garnished with caramelized onions and sautéed mint and garlic. There are various ways of making kashke bademjan depending on how you cook the eggplants (simmer, fry, grill, bake or roast in the oven). You'll be surprised how tasty this combination of eggplants, whey (kashk), caramelized onion and garlic can be.
Kebab
Iran is the land of Kababs but Iranian cuisine is much more diverse, complicated and difficult to be made than that. Iranian pay a lot of attention to their food and that is the reason why you can find the different type of sole food in the menus of their restaurants.
As an example you can find many different types of Kebab or as Iranian pronounce Kabab in the menus of most restaurants. In Iran, fresh herbs, pomegranates, dried plums and prunes, raisins, apricots and saffron are generously consumed in the process of cooking, giving the food a delicate and moderate flavor which is not too spicy, too sour, too sweet or too salty. It is interesting to know that this delicious Iranian food has been served since Nasser al-Din Shah.
kebab Koobideh
Koobideh is the signature Iranian kebab and the most famous ones for local and international tourists. It is cooked with ground lamb or beef with grated onions. Koobideh refers to the style that meat was prepared, originally placed on a flat stone (precisely a black flat stone) and was smashed by wooden mallet.
Joojeh kebab
Joojeh kabab is a classic chicken Kebab recipe from Iran. It is one of the best Iranian kebab types. Joojeh kebab is barbecued chicken marinated by olive oil and saffron. Different parts of chicken could be used, such as the breast, wings, and thighs. In the menus, you can find Joojeh kebab with bone or boneless. The boneless one is usually the chicken breast.
Kebab Barg
The main ingredient of Kebab-e Barg is fillets of beef, tenderloin or lamb shank. It is marinated in onions, saffron, olive oil and mild spices.
Shishlik or Shish Kebab
Shishlik or Shish Kebab with the same name is very popular in different countries of central Asia, eastern and southern Europe. However, the one you will find in Iranian restaurants is different from the ones that are cooked in other countries. In Iran, lamb ribs are marinated with Saffron, chopped onion and lemon to make it tender and are served mostly in six pieces per dish.
Kebab Torsh
Kebab torsh is a traditional kebab from Mazandaran and Gilan provinces in the north part of Iran. It is somehow the same as kebab Barg which is cooked from beef but marinated in a mixture of crushed walnuts and garlic, pomegranate juice and chopped parsley. Because of the pomegranate juice, it has a sour taste.
Kebab Soltani
Kebab Soltani (Soltani stand for Royal) is served with a combination of one skewer of Kebab Barg and one Kebab Koobideh.
Kabab Vaziri
Kebab Vaziri literally means minister and compared to Soltani it is a combination of one skewer of Joojeh and one Koobideh. So if you like to taste both chicken and meat this is a perfect choice.
Kabab Bakhtiari
Kebab Bakhtiari which is sometimes called Kebab Bolghari: is a combination of one piece of Joojeh Kabab and one piece of Kebab Barg.
Kebab Chenjeh
If you are a meat lover and prefer the real taste of the meat this is what you most enjoy. Chenjeh is cooked from the fresh lamb meat cut in the square.
Dandeh Kebab
This is a sheep rib Kebab that is similar to Shishlik. as the kebab’s name implies, the ingredients needed for making a sheep rib are; ribs, onions, spices and fresh lemon juice.
Caucasian Kebab
This Iranian kebab is made from beef tenderloin or sirloin and also chicken breast which can be flavored with yogurt or cream, olive oil, onions, coriander, salt and pepper.
Bonab Kebab
Bonab Kebab is a sort of beaten kebab which is related to Tabriz. It’s made of mutton and it’s a little bigger than ordinary kebab. Its ingredients are mutton, onion, salt and pepper.
Khoreshte Khalal
Khoreshte Khalal is a regional dish from the Kermanshah province in Iran. Usually it uses black zereshk or barberries which are commonly found in that region. They are smaller, slightly more robust and taste slighty more sour than red zereshk but as they are less easily sourced outside of the region, red zereshk can be substituted.
In Khoresh Khalal, Lamb meat is cooked with almond slice and black barberry, and a great flavor. Khoresh Khalal can also be made using Beef and Lamb meat. The ingredients of Khoresh Khalal include Meat Almond slices, Onion, Dried Lemon (Omani), Black barberry, Saffron, Salt, Pepper, Tomato paste and then served with rice, and butter. The traditional almond stew, an extravagant and ceremonial dish form the West of Iran, contains expensive ingredients such as lamb, almond, barberries, and saffron.
Koofteh Tabrizi
Among all the different type of “Koofteh” or “Kufteh” in Persian cuisine, Koofteh Tabrizi from Azerbaijan province and Tabriz (as its name suggests), is a very popular Koofteh like “Koofteh Sabzi” not only in Tabriz, but all over the Iran. What makes Koofteh Tabrizi one of a kind among all other Iranian foods is not just the ingredients but the way it gets prepared and cooked. Koofteh are Persian meatballs with many different variations, including lima beans or meatballs mixed with only rice, or in this case, a gorgeous mixture of rice, split peas and the most exciting part of the recipe, sabzi.
Kuku Sabzi
Kuku Sabzi is a traditional Persian omelet typically served at Nowruz (Persian New Year) –the herbs symbolizing rebirth, and the eggs symbolizing fertility. It consists of finely chopped herbs combined with lightly beaten eggs and a variety of spices. The mixture is usually pan-fried on both sides until golden brown. The herbs, most commonly parsley, cilantro, dill, and chives, play a crucial role and prevail over the amount of eggs used in the dish. Occasionally, plain versions can be complemented with other ingredients such as walnuts and barberries. Even though it is considered to be an everyday treat in Iranian households, slices of this fragrant treat are a staple at special occasions and Iranian holidays.
Tahchin Morgh
Tahchin Morgh is a delicious food with an elegant presentation without too much fuss. There are different types of Tahchin in Persian cuisine and all of them involve layering rice and some type of meat with other ingredients. What makes it special is that chicken thighs, or drumsticks, or a combination of the two are cooked with pieces of onion, salt, pepper and little water until the meat falls off the bone, then it is layered with cooked rice.
Tahchin means “arranged in the bottom” and Morgh means chicken in Farsi.
Tahchin usually has four layers: The bottom layer is a mixture of cooked basmati rice, yogurt, egg, and saffron. The next layer is aromatic basmati rice and Persian Rice Spice. The third layer is the flavorful and tender pieces of cooked chicken. The last layer is more basmati rice sprinkled with rice spice. To make this Tahchin taste buttery and amazing some cold butter is added on top which melts into the rice as it bakes in the oven.
Persians love their TahDig and the majority would agree that it is the most delicious part of a rice dish. Making this Tahchin in a rectangular form has a huge bonus! TahDig means “the bottom of the pot,” which in this case is the crispy layer in the bottom of a large baking dish. If you are one of those people who can never get enough TahDig, you will love the very large piece of TahDig that comes with each serving of this all-time favorite.
Zereshk Polo
Persian barberry rice or “Zereshk Polo“, is a classic made with Zereshk (barberries), Morgh (chicken), and Polo, which is the steamed and fluffy Persian rice. Like other traditional dishes such as “Jujeh Kebab” or “Baghali Polo“, Zereshk Polo is very popular as a dish served in formal and important ceremonies.
Sometimes this dish is served side by side with a type of soup, usually (Soup Morgh Zaferani), or (Soup Jo) and a simple salad. Zereshk Polo ba Morgh is really a very simple concept in comparison to other Persian khoresh(s). The chicken is the main component of this recipe and it is cooked separately in a tomato saffron sauce, so it is easy to make in large amounts; the same goes for the rice. This is why Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh is a favorite “mehmooni,” or party rice dish in Iran. This festive rice is steamed and layered with a mixture of red zereshk berries and golden fried onions, then garnished with almonds and/or pistachios.
