Iran (Iranian Recipes)

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	Iran (Iranian Recipes)
║ World Cuisine Recipes ║

Iranian food is also referred to as Persian food. Using only small amounts of red meat and emphasizing large amounts of grains such as rice, fruits and vegetables, Iranian food is famed for its fresh taste and healthy attributes. Meals in Iran are prepared with a contrast of flavors such as sweet and sour or mild and spicy. Iranian food generally is based on rice or berenj. Rice is a relatively inexpensive food and since it is grown locally, it is affordable for most homes and available as a staple in every diet. A typical Iranian meal consists of a large portion of cooked rice topped with vegetables, fish or meat. A round, flat bread called Nan is also served with many traditional meals. This bread is either baked or cooked over a bed of stones. There are many varieties of Nan including a very thin, brittle version which is typically served with breakfast and a thick, chewy version which features small dimples in the crust. Popular meats in Iran include chicken and lamb. Typically these meats are prepared and eaten as kebabs. They are served as small pieces on skewers. Soups made from mutton and chickpeas are also highly popular and many soups and stews include yogurt as well as many vegetables and fruits.
Kabab Koobideh Servings: 4 Ingredients: Ground lamb or beef, 500 g Large onions, two, grated Garlic, one clove, crushed Large egg, one, beaten Medium tomatoes, four Salt Black pepper Turmeric, one teaspoon, optional Sumac, optional Cooking Instructions: Mix meat, onions, garlic, egg, salt, pepper and turmeric well and leave in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours. Press the meat around long, thick metal skewers and shape evenly. Thread whole tomatoes on another skewer. Barbeque each side for about five minutes, turning frequently. (If skewers are not available or barbequing is not possible, kabab-e koobideh can be shaped into long, thin portions on aluminum foil and grilled at high temperature in the oven. The oven should be pre-heated and kabab-e koobideh should be placed as high as possible near the source of the heat. Again, turn a few times). Serve with hot Basmati rice or on middle-eastern bread. If serving with rice, some sumac may be sprinkled on top. If kabab-e koobideh was made in an oven, the juice from the kabab can be poured on rice or bread.
Kabab Barg Servings: 6 Ingredients: Fillet of lamb, 1 kg Extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup 3 onions, grated 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 6 medium tomatoes Saffron, 1/2 teaspoon, optional Salt Black pepper Sumac, optional Cooking Instructions: Prepare marinade: mix olive oil, onions, garlic, saffron, salt and black pepper. Cut lamb into 1 cm thick and 4-5 cm long pieces. Do not remove all the fat as you will need it to melt. Marinate overnight (preferably 24 hours) in refrigerator. Container should be covered. Thread lamb on long, thin metal skewers. Thread whole tomatoes separately on another skewer. Brush with marinade. Barbeque for about 5-10 minutes on each side, turning frequently. Kabab Barg can also be made in the oven. Prepare as before, pre-heat the grill to a high temperature, and place just under the grill, again turning frequently. Serve hot with basmati rice or on middle-eastern bread. If served with rice, some sumac may be sprinkled on.
Kabab Hosseini Servings: 6 Ingredients: Fillet of lamb or beef, 1 kg Small onions, 250 grams Large onions, 250 grams Green peppers, 250 grams Butter, 100 grams Medium tomatoes, 1 kg Salt Black pepper Cooking Instructions: Thin wooden (or metal) skewers should be used for Kabab Hosseini. Skewers should be 10-15 cm long. Wash green peppers and cut into 4 cm long and 3 cm wide pieces. Cut meat into 4 cm long, 2 cm wide pieces. Peel small onions. Push each skewer through one cut of meat, one small onion, and one piece of green pepper, and repeat until full. Add salt and black pepper to the meat. Peel and slice large onions. Also slice the tomatoes. Choose a pot large enough for the skewers. Cover the bottom with a layer of sliced onions and tomatoes. Place a layer of skewers on top. Add a few thin slices of butter. Follow with more slices of onions and tomatoes on the skewers, and repeat this process until no more skewers are left. Cover and cook over low heat until there is no juice left. If meat is not sufficiently cooked, add a bit of hot water and continue cooking.
Joojeh Kabab Servings: 4 Ingredients: Chicken, 1 kg Extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup 2 large onions, grated 4 medium tomatoes Salt Black pepper Saffron, 1/2 teaspoon, optional Cooking Instructions: Prepare marinade: mix olive oil, grated onions, saffron, salt and black pepper. Wash and cut chicken into small pieces, then remove the skin. Marinate overnight (or at least for several hours) in refrigerator. The container should be covered. Thread chicken on long, thin metal skewers. Thread leg and thigh pieces, wings and breast pieces separately, as breast requires slightly less cooking. Also thread whole tomatoes separately on another skewer. Brush with marinade. Barbeque for about 5-10 minutes on each side, turning frequently. Joojeh Kabab can also be prepared in the oven. Prepare chicken as before, pre-heat the grill to a high temperature, and place just under the grill, again turning frequently. Serve hot with basmati rice or on middle-eastern bread.
Maahi Kabab (Fish) Servings: 4 Ingredients: Whole fish (such as salmon or cod) Fresh lime juice, 1/2 cup Extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup Coriander, 50 grams Parsley, 50 grams Mint, 50 grams Saffron, 1/2 teaspoon Salt Black pepper Cooking Instructions: Cut fish length-wise from below. Remove insides, then wash inside and out, and dry thoroughly. Place each side under grill at high temperature for 5-10 minutes so that the skin dries up. Remove fish and separate skin which should come off easily. Prepare sauce as following: wash and finely chop coriander, parsley and mint. Add lime juice, olive oil, saffron, salt, and black pepper, and mix well. Cover a suitable pan with aluminum foil and place fish on top. Add the sauce on both sides as well as inside. Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil and cook in oven at medium temperature for 45 minutes to one hour. Note however that exact cooking time depends on the type and size of fish. Take care not to over-cook. Add more sauce 2 or 3 times during cooking. When cooked, decorate fish with slices of lime or lemon and some parsley. Serve with Sabzi Polow.
Beryani Servings: 4 Ingredients: Shoulder lamb, 600 grams Medium onions, 3 Iranian (sangak), middle-eastern, or pitta bread Cooking oil Salt Black pepper Turmeric Cooking Instructions: Peel and thinly slice onions. Wash and cut meat into small pieces. Add onions and 3 glasses of hot water to meat and cook over medium heat for about 45 minutes (adding more hot water during cooking if necessary). Add salt, pepper, and turmeric, mix well and cook for a few more minutes. There should be no water left when cooking is over. Grind (mince) the cooked meat or chop it finely using a sharp, large knife. Fry in oil over medium heat for about 15 minutes, then serve over bread with more bread covering the meat.
Adas Polow Servings: 4 Ingredients: Lentils, 400 grams Long-grain or basmati rice, 500 grams Ground beef or lamb, 400 grams Dates (pitted), 100 grams Raisins, 120 grams Saffron, 1/2 teaspoon Onions, 2 large Cooking oil Salt Black pepper Cooking Instructions: Soak rice in water for 3-4 hours, then cook in salted water for 10-15 minutes using a non-stick pot until it just softens. Drain water and empty the pot. Bring 2-3 cups of water to boil. Wash lentil and add to water with a bit of salt. Cook over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes until tender. Peel and thinly slice onions. Fry in oil until slightly golden. Add ground beef or lamb, salt and black pepper, and fry over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add one cup of hot water and cook until water has been mostly absorbed. Wash raisins and dates. Pour 1/2 cup of water and some oil in the non-stick pot. Pour in half of the rice. Follow with meat, lentil, raisins, dates and raisins. Then add in remainder of rice. Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes. Dissolve saffron in 1/3 cup of hot water and pour over the rice. Mix well before serving.
Kalam Polow Servings: 4 Ingredients: Long-grain or basmati rice, 500 grams Ground beef or lamb, 400 grams Cabbage, 750 grams Onions, 2 large Tomato paste, 3-4 teaspoons Cooking oil Salt Black pepper Turmeric Cooking Instructions: Peel and thinly slice onions. Fry in oil over medium heat until slightly golden. Add meat, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and turmeric and mix well. Fry over medium heat for about 15 minutes until meat changes color. Wash and finely chop cabbage. Fry in oil over medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Add two glasses of hot water, salt, pepper and tomato paste and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Add cabbage to meat and mix well. Prepare kateh or polow. If making kateh, when water has mostly boiled off, add cabbage-meat, mix well and continue cooking. If making polow, when rice is half-cooked and rinsed, add cabbage-meat to rice in layers and continue cooking.
Haveej Polow Servings: 4 Ingredients: Basmati or long-grain rice, 500 grams Chicken, 750 grams Carrots, 750 grams Medium onions, 4 Sugar, 100 grams Saffron, 1/2 teaspoon Cooking oil Salt Cooking Instructions: Wash and peel carrots, then grate them, and fry in oil for a few minutes. Dissolve sugar in a glass of hot water, add to carrots and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until little water is left. Peel and slice onions and fry in oil until slightly golden. Wash and cut chicken into pieces, and fry in onions on both sides until color changes. Add salt and one glass of hot water, and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Allow chicken to cool down, then remove bones and cut meat into small pieces. Prepare rice as described in the recipe for polow but after rice is half-cooked and rinsed, mix it with chicken (and juice) and carrots, and continue cooking. When ready, dissolve saffron in 2-3 spoons of hot water in a bowl, then add rice and mix well. Add saffron-rice on top of Haveej polow and serve.
Eslaamboli Polow Servings: 4 Ingredients: Basmati or long-grain rice, 500 grams Ground lamb or beef, 400 grams Medium onions, 4 Tomato paste, 4 spoons Cooking oil Salt Black pepper Cooking Instructions: Peel and slice onions. Fry in oil until slightly golden. Add ground lamb or beef, salt, and black pepper and fry until color changes. Dissolve tomato paste in a glass of hot water and add to meat. Cook for a few minutes until little water is left. Prepare rice as described in the recipe for polow but after rice is half-cooked and rinsed, mix it with the meat, and continue cooking.
Albaloo Polow Servings: 4 Ingredients: Long-grain or basmati rice, 500 grams Chicken, one medium-size Black cherry or cherry, 1kg Sugar, 1 kg Onions, 2 medium Saffron, 1/2 teaspoon Cooking oil Salt Black pepper Cooking Instructions: Wash black cherries (or cherries) and remove the stones. Add sugar. If you are using cherries rather than black (sour) cherries, less sugar can be used. Bring to boil. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool down completely. Remove the extra syrup. Peel and thinly slice onions. Wash chicken. Add onions, salt, black pepper, and a glass of hot water, and cook over medium heat for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool, then remove bones. Filter the chicken juice and save for later use. Follow instructions for preparing Polow until rice is rinsed. Pour 2 spoonfuls of cooking oil and half a glass of hot water in a pot. Follow with half of the rinsed rice and the black cherries (or cherries), and mix well. Cover with half of remaining rice. Spread chicken over the rice, and cover with the remaining rice. Shape into a cone. Mix 2-3 spoonfuls of cooking oil with black cherry (or cherry) syrup and chicken juice. Pour the mix over rice. Cover the pot and cook in an oven or over low heat for about one hour. When cooked, remove some of the rice and mix with saffron dissolved in a bit of hot water. When serving, spread saffron-rice over Albaloo Polow.
Loobiya Polow Servings: 4 Ingredients: Basmati or long-grain rice, 500 grams Lamb or beef, 400 grams Green beans, 400 grams Medium onions, 3 Tomato paste, 1-2 spoonfuls Cooking oil, 100 grams Salt Black pepper Cooking Instructions: Peel and slice onions and fry in oil until slightly golden. Cut meat into small pieces and add to onions. Fry over medium heat until color changes. Wash green beans and cut into 2-3 cm pieces. Add to meat with 1-2 glasses of hot water and cook for about 30 minutes on medium heat, adding more hot water if necessary. Add tomato paste, salt and black pepper and cook for another 15 minutes on medium heat. Prepare rice as described in the recipe for polow but after rice is half-cooked and rinsed, add the meat-mix and mix well. Cover and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.

Maash Polow Servings: 4 Ingredients: Moong, 300 grams Long-grain or basmati rice, 400 grams Beef or lamb, 400 grams Onions, 2 large Tomato paste, 2-3 spoons Turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon Cooking oil Salt Black pepper Servings: 4 Ingredients: Cooking Instructions: Peel and thinly slice onions. Fry in oil until slightly golden. Cut meat into small pieces and fry in onions until color changes. Add two glasses of hot water, salt, black pepper, and tomato paste, and cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes. Wash moong. Add 1-2 glasses of hot water, turmeric, and a bit of salt and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Drain water. Add to meat and mix well. Prepare rice as in Kateh or Polow. If cooking Kateh, when excess water is boiled off, add meat-moong, mix well, and continue cooking. If cooking Polow, when rice is rinsed, add meat-moong, mix well, and continue cooking.
Sabzi Polow Servings: 4 Ingredients: Basmati or long-grain rice, 500 grams Herbs (parsley, dill, coriander, fenugreek, spring onion ends), 1 kg Cooking oil Salt Black pepper Cooking Instructions: Wash herbs and chop finely, then add salt and black pepper. Prepare rice as described in the recipe for polow but after rice is half-cooked and rinsed, mix it with herbs and continue cooking. Sabzi polow is usually served with fish.
Ghormeh Sabzi Servings: 6 Ingredients: 750 grams boneless stewing lamb or beef 1 large onion, finely chopped 1/3 cup of cooking oil 1 teaspoon turmeric 1.5 cups water 1/2 cup dried limes or fresh lime juice 3/4 cup black-eye beans or kidney beans 1 large potato, diced, optional Salt Black pepper 1 cup spring onions, finely chopped 1.5 cups spinach, finely chopped 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped 1/4 cup coriander, finely chopped, optional 1/4 cup tareh (garlic chives), finely chopped 1/4 cup shanbelileh (fenugreek), finely chopped, optional Cooking Instructions: Trim meat and cut into 2 cm (3/4 inch) cubes. Fry onion over medium heat in half of the oil until golden. Add turmeric and fry for 2 more minutes. Increase heat, add meat cubes and stir over high heat until meat changes color and begins to turn brown. Reduce heat. Add water, black-eye or kidney beans, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer gently for 1-1.5 hours hours until meat is tender. Time depends on type of meat used. Fry potatoes over high heat in the remaining oil until lightly browned. Add to sauce, leaving oil in the pan. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add prepared vegetables to frying pan and fry over medium heat until wilted. Add to sauce, then add dried limes (or lime juice), cover and simmer for further 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve with white rice.
Khoresht Baamieh Servings: 6 Ingredients: Stewing lamb or beef, 500 grams Okras, 750 grams Potatoes, 500 grams, optional 3-4 onions Fresh Lime juice, 2-3 spoons Tomato paste, 3-4 spoons Cooking oil Salt Black pepper Cooking Instructions: Peel and thinly slice onions, then fry in oil until slightly golden. Wash and cut meat into small pieces and fry in onions until color changes. Add 3 glasses of hot water and bring to boil. Turn heat down and let boil slowly for about 45 minutes, adding more hot water during cooking if needed. Wash okras and cut their stems only but do not cut the bases. Add okras, salt, pepper and tomato paste to the meat and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Take care not to overcook the okras so that they do not become slippery. Add lime juice and adjust seasoning. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Khoresht Bamieh should be served with white rice. If desired, potatoes can also be added to Khoresht Bamieh. In that case, 500 grams of potatoes should be washed, peeled and cut into small pieces, and added in with 500 grams of okras (or slightly earlier; required cooking time depends somewhat on the size of the cut pieces).
Khoresht Karafs Servings: 6 Ingredients: Lamb or beef, 500 grams Celery, 2 bunches Medium onions, 3 Fresh lime juice, one cup Sugar, 2-3 spoons Mint and parsley, 500 grams, optional 1/2 cup of cooking oil Salt Black pepper Cooking Instructions: Peel and thinly slice onions. Fry in oil until slightly golden. Wash and cut meat into small pieces and fry in onions until color changes. Add 2-3 glasses of hot water and bring to boil. Cook over medium heat for about 45 minutes, adding more hot water during cooking if needed. Wash celery and cut into 3 cm pieces. Finely chop mint and parsley and fry slightly in oil. Add celery, mint, parsley, salt and pepper to the meat and continue cooking for about 20 minutes (celery should not become too soft). Khoresht karafs can be made without mint and parsley. In that case, three bunches of celery should be used. Add lime juice and sugar to taste and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Taste the juice and make adjustments as desired. Serve khoresht karafs with white rice.
Fereni Servings: 4 Ingredients: Milk, 1/2 liter Rice flour, 50 grams Sugar, 100 grams Rosewater, 2 spoonfuls Cooking Instructions: Dissolve rice flour in milk. Add sugar and rosewater. Stir regularly over medium heat until it comes to slow boil and thickens. Serve cold.
Halva Servings: 4 Ingredients: Wheat flour, 250 grams Sugar, 200 grams Cooking oil, 200 grams Saffron, 1/2 teaspoon Rosewater, 1/2 cup Pistachio, crushed Almond, crushed Cooking Instructions: Halva is a tasty dessert. To prepare it, heat oil in a frying pan until it is hot. Add flour, reduce heat and stir frequently until the mix changes color to golden, thickens and becomes fragrant. Add sugar to one glass of water and bring to a boil. Add saffron and rosewater and stir. Let flour cool slightly, then add the mix and stir well. If the mix is not thick, heat for 1-2 minutes but not longer. Serve with crushed pistachio and almond sprinkled on top.
Samanoo Servings: 4 Ingredients: Wheat, 500 grams Wheat flour, 2 kg Cooking Instructions: Samanoo is usually made at the Iranian new year (starts on the first day of spring: 20 or 21 March). Wash wheat with cold water, then rinse. Add cold water until there is 2-3 cm of water over the wheat. Leave for about two days, changing the water after the first day. The wheat should begin to germinate. Rinse thoroughly. Hold a thin piece of cloth under cold water until it is completely wet. Pour wheat inside and wrap the cloth around it. Place it in a bowl and leave the bowl in a warm place. Once or twice a day, sprinkle a bit of cold water over the cloth to make it wet but not soggy. When roots appear, spread wheat on a large plate, then spread the cloth over it and sprinkle with water. Continue sprinkling with water once or twice a day until silvery sprouts appear. Wheat should be used before the sprouts turn green. Grind the wheat, add two glasses of cold water, and mix well. Filter out the excess water. Press the wheat hard to squeeze out the extract. Add wheat extract to flour while mixing. The mix should become thin. Place the mix over medium heat, stirring frequently until the mix starts boiling and thickens. Continue heating until water disappears. Fry the mix without any oil or sugar for about 10-15 minutes. Gradually add 1-2 glasses of hot water and mix well. Allow to boil slowly, stirring occasionally until the mix slightly thickens. Place in the oven for about 30 minutes at low temperature.
Zoolbiya Servings: 4 Ingredients: Starch, 500 grams Yogurt (non-skim), 150 grams Sugar, 200 grams Cooking oil Rose-water, 2-3 spoons Cooking Instructions: Cooking Instructions: Mix starch, 1-2 spoons of sugar, and water, then add yogurt and mix well until the mixture is even and smooth. Heat oil in a pan until hot. Pour the mix through a funnel into the pan creating round lattice shapes about 5-6 cm in diameter. Turn heat down and fry fully on one side, then on the other. Mix well sugar, rose-water, and a glass of water. Heat until water comes to a boil, and the syrup thickens. Remove from heat. Soak zoolbia in the syrup for about 5 minutes, then serve
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Iran (Iranian Recipes)