Iranian cuisine is considered one of the most ancient and most delicious cuisines peace. And this is by no means accidental. One has only to look at the list of products used to prepare Iranian cuisine. These include meat (mainly lamb), poultry, vegetables, rice and legumes.
The only thing missing from this list is fish. But local chefs may disappoint you, because fish dishes are not included in traditional recipes Iranian cuisine.
Rice occupies a special place in the culinary tradition of Iran. Rice in Iran is eaten in huge quantities, they serve it to almost everyone famous dishes. Iranians prefer long grain and fluffy rice. Rice is usually served in a separate plate, distinctive feature This dish is that regular white rice is topped with yellow rice, which is cooked with saffron or curry. As already mentioned, rice is an integral part of Iranian cuisine. The most remarkable include rice with meat and vegetables with nut sauce, and various recipes pilaf, of which there is a large amount in Iranian cuisine.
If we talk about meat dishes, they occupy a significant part in the recipes of Iranian cuisine. The most popular dish is, perhaps, “abgusht”. This dish consists of meat, beans and other vegetables. There are options when quince is added to the dish, the result is simply amazing. The taste of this dish is appreciated not only by local residents, but also by guests of the country.
Iranians are very creative when it comes to cooking. Fesenjan is considered a real local delicacy. Essentially this is meat balls, which are prepared from a variety of types of meat, and sometimes even fish. Secret amazing taste The flavor of this dish lies in the unique thick pomegranate-walnut sauce.
First courses in Iranian cuisine recipes are not as common as meat dishes, but are also present. And here, too, the unique skill of the chefs is manifested - they can very successfully combine products that seem incompatible at first glance. An example is the dish “mast-o-khier”. This is a soup made from kefir with the addition of cucumbers, raisins and mint.
In Iran, it is customary to wash down food with a drink that resembles kefir with a mint flavor. Iranians love tea very much. They prefer not too strong, but certainly sweet. And other drinks, beer is very popular, and beer with various fruit flavors. This beer has a very bright bready taste, the same as kvass.
There are a lot of different juices in Iran. These juices are certainly freshly squeezed, sometimes in various, even unexpected combinations. Pomegranate, plum and barberry juices are especially common. By the way, barberry juice, so beloved by Iranians, should be tried with caution. he has a pronounced sour taste and on initial stage may cause not very pleasant taste sensations. It is also worth noting that strong alcoholic drinks They are practically not consumed in Iran.
This is how unusual Iranian cuisine appears to us. A kitchen that is replete with all sorts of secrets and mysteries. The traditions of Iranian cuisine are very ancient, but at the same time they do not lose their relevance to this day.
The simplest pilaf is cooked rice. We are accustomed to a certain type of this dish. But there is something fundamentally different - Iranian pilaf.
Principle #1: Cook rice and meat separately!
It is worth remembering that the most important principle of Iranian pilaf is that it is separate.
Principle #2: Rice is always long!
Long grain rice - distinguishing feature Iranian pilaf.
Pour the cereal into the pan. Rinse under running water until the so-called “milkiness” disappears. Fill with water one and a half centimeters above the level of the rice. We put it on fire. We do not cover with a lid. When the rice just begins to boil, stir so that the grain does not stick to the bottom. Add salt. When boiling, reduce the heat and cover with a lid.
Iranian tea
National drink Of Iranians, without a doubt, tea is the King. It is served hot and strong, in noble houses and expensive restaurants it is poured into low crystal glasses with a “waist” - ormuds.
How to brew Iranian tea
Usually they brew Chinese or local (Iranian, Azerbaijani) black long tea medium or high strength, but with a fairly quick exposure - 4 minutes. At the same time, the color of the tea is very valuable - it should not be too dark, but always bright, transparent, with a slightly reddish or crimson tint. They drink it hot, in small sips, with a bite. small pieces crushed sugar. When brewing, add a piece of cinnamon (darchin) or ginger along with the tea, or more often in a glass.
Persian sesame flatbread "Barbari".
Bread occupies a special place in Iranian society. According to the religious beliefs of Iranians, bread is God's mercy, and this cannot be denied. Thus, bread is a basic and religious food.
Bread in Iran is baked in several ways. Basically, Iranian bread is thin, very delicious flatbreads several types: sangyak, nun, lavash, taftun, barbari.
Main types of Iranian bread:
Sangyak - fluffy bran bread, is considered the most healthy.
Lavash is the most popular; 90 percent of the country's population consumes it.
Nun is a huge flatbread made on hot pebbles. When removing the bread from the pebbles, the baker begins to knock it against the wall so that the stuck pebbles fly out. Flatbread size...
Baklava in Iranian
Baklava in Iranian will allow you to immerse yourself in exquisite world oriental sweets. Oriental sweets have long become a popular brand. They appeared in Europe around the 17th - 18th centuries, and were served in the richest houses as gourmet delicacies. Try it!
Puff pastry (store bought) - 250-300 g
Nuts (pistachios, walnuts, almonds) - 1 cup.
Honey - 2 tbsp. l.
Vanilla sugar - 10 g
Butter (softened) - 60 g
Chicken egg - 1 pc.
Sugar syrup (you can use any ready-made syrup with not very bright taste, for example, maple) - 50 ml
Defrost 1 sheet of puff pastry weighing 250-300 grams at room temperature for 20 minutes. Roll out so that its area doubles, and...
Iranian-style lamb
Ingredients:
young lamb fillet
400 grams
lamb fat
40 grams
two apples
one large onion
garlic
3 cloves
sifted flour one teaspoon
curry powder one teaspoon
grated zest of half a lemon
salt, fresh ground pepper
taste
How to prepare Iranian Lamb recipe?
step 1
Peel the onion and garlic and chop. Wash the meat and lard, cut the meat into large cubes, lard into small pieces.
step 2
In a heated frying pan, fry the lard until cracklings are formed. add onion and garlic, sprinkle with curry and cook for 6 minutes. put it in a bowl.
Place the meat in the same pan and fry for 10 minutes. Next, sprinkle it with flour, mix, add the apples cut into strips, lemon zest, fried onions and garlic, salt and pepper. pour in a glass of hot water, bring to a boil and simmer under the lid for another 10 minutes.
Iranian holiday pilaf ~
This is not just pilaf, it is a real extravaganza of tastes, aromas and extraterrestrial pleasure! And it can easily be called dietary due to its non-caloric content. chicken meat. Wings, thighs, and even breast are quite suitable as meat.
Ingredients:
100 g ghee
1 large onion
300 g chicken meat
spices for pilaf
saffron
1 orange
1 tbsp. Sahara
cumin
a handful of dried apricots
handful of golden raisins
handful of pistachios
handful of almonds
4 tbsp. rice
8 tbsp. water
4 tbsp. milk 3.2%
thin pita bread
salt
1 pomegranate
How to cook Iranian holiday pilaf:
1. Heat 1 tbsp in a frying pan. melted butter, fry the chopped onion until golden brown and pleasantly fragrant.
2. Add chopped into large pieces...
Lyubiya pole (pilaf with beans) / Iranian cuisine
Products:
Long rice -350 gr,
Green beans - 200 gr,
Minced beef -200 gr,
Potatoes-2 pcs.
Bow-1 goal,
Tomato paste -2 tbsp. spoons
Salt, pepper, turmeric to taste.
Pre-soak the rice for at least an hour.
Frying: Fry the onion and minced meat until half cooked, salt, pepper to taste, turmeric (no more than ¼ teaspoon), add green beans, fry for about 3-5 minutes, making sure that the beans are cooked but remain green. Add 2 good spoons tomato paste. Fry for another 3-4 minutes.
Wash the rice, throw it into boiling water, and cook until half cooked. Drain the water through a colander and rinse with water room temperature so that it does not stick together.
Line the bottom of the pot with potato slices 0.8... thick...
Farsi Kebab / Iranian Cuisine
You will need:
180 g veal (tenderloin)
80 g minced young lamb (lamb)
Salt, pepper to taste
saffron
Bulb onions
Butter
Cooking:
Salt and pepper the veal pieces. Minced lamb with the addition of fried onions is placed on top of them, then the pieces are glued together and put on a skewer. Roasting on coals. 5 minutes before cooking, coat the kebab with the mixture. butter and saffron. Served with aromatic Iranian rice, charcoal-roasted tomatoes.
Save it to your wall SO YOU DON'T LOSE THE RECIPE!
Abgusht (Iranian cuisine)
You should try abgusht - a traditional Persian recipe, as popular among the Iranian people as, for example, borscht or ukha among ours.
Abgusht (گبگوشت) means meat juice (abgusht means water and gusht meat). The traditional one is made from lamb with chickpeas, white beans, onions, potatoes and tomatoes.
Another name for this dish is dizi (دیزی), which was the name of the pot in which the traditional dish was prepared, however, the dish will turn out just as well in a modern oven.
Abgosht is a dish whose appearance dates back hundreds of years. Originally it was simply a dish made entirely of lamb and chickpeas, a food prepared mainly by the poor. However, with the advent of new ingredients in...
Iranian chicken kebab
Ingredients:
1.5 kg broiler chicken
2 thinly sliced onions
50 grams of matsoni or kefir
50 grams olive oil
2 tablespoons strong saffron infusion
1-2 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons pepper
0.5 teaspoon orange zest(dried and ground)
3 medium lemons
50 grams butter
Cooking method:
It makes sense to cook such a kebab not from one chicken, but from at least two or three. Because first we need to separate the wings, legs and breasts. The skin should be removed from the legs and breasts and, together with the remaining body, set aside in the broth for some other dish.
Set the lower parts of the legs aside, cut the thighs in half, cut the wings at the joints, and the breasts...
Appetizer "Iranian"
Chees Feta
sun-dried tomatoes
tomato
mint
honey
olive oil
lemon
pita
COOKING METHOD
Open the feta cheese. Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into strips.
Cut the tomatoes into quarters and discard the pulp. Cut the remaining peel into strips.
Prepare the sauce. Finely chop the mint. Add to honey olive oil and chopped mint.
Squeeze lemon juice into the sauce, using your fingers as a sieve. Mix.
Place feta cheese on pita bread. Smear with a knife. Lay out sun-dried tomatoes and tomatoes in paths.
Roll the pita bread tightly and cut into small pieces. Place on a plate.
Pour over the sauce. We use mint as a decoration. Bon appetit!
© Sergey Malakhovsky
Iranian pilaf
Rice (Mistral Indica Gold) - 2 cups.
Onions (large) - 1.5 pcs.
Carrots (large) - 1 pc.
Vegetable oil (cottonseed) - 70 ml
Lamb (with bone) - 450 g
Pepper mixture (curry and red pepper mixture) - 1 tsp.
Raisins (sort and rinse) - 4 tbsp. l.
Salt (coarse to taste)
Garlic (head) - 1 pc.
For pilaf I chose Mistral INDICA gold rice. I needed long rice, and I chose this variety (unfortunately, we have a very limited selection of Mistral rice, but the result exceeded all expectations!).
I'll add water to the rice and raisins.
I will cut the carrots and hands a little larger than medium size.
Heat the oil in a cauldron, I used to throw a match into the oil and when the head ignited, I knew that...
Iranian buns with banana and date filling
This bread is baked in southeastern Iran, where cumin is plentiful and used in many local dishes, often combined with turmeric. The aroma of spices, unusual filling, airy dough... You should definitely try making these buns! This pastry is served in Iran with a cup of tea or coffee.
Yeast (in dough) - 1 tsp.
Water (for dough - 160 ml; for soaking dates - 120 ml.) - 280 ml
Flour (for dough - 220 g; for dusting - 20 g) - 240 g
Bran (in dough) - 20 g
Salt (in dough) - 1/3 tsp.
Brown sugar (in dough) - 30 g
Turmeric (in dough) - 2/3 tsp.
Olive oil (in the dough - 3 tbsp; for greasing the mold - 0.5 tbsp) - 3.5 tbsp. l.
Date (dried, stuffed) - 10 pcs.
Banana (filling) - 0.5...
Iranian rice casserole with chicken
I'm interested in the puff pastry recipe rice casserole, which I came across on a foreign culinary site. For this dish, 2 rice layers of different composition are prepared, between which the prepared pieces are placed chicken fillet. The original casserole was prepared from Basmati rice, but I used Basmati Mix. The result was a delicious, aromatic casserole with a golden crust.
Yogurt (natural, in sauce - 400 ml; in casserole - 180 ml) - 580 ml
Garlic (in sauce) - 2 teeth.
Lemon juice (in sauce) - 2 tbsp. l.
Salt (to taste)
Mint (dried, in sauce) - 0.5 tsp.
Chicken fillet - 680 g
Onion (large) - 1 pc.
Olive oil (for frying chicken fillet - 3 tbsp; for greasing the mold - 2 tbsp; for...
Iranian-style lamb
Lamb (fillet) - 400 g
Lamb fat tail fat - 40 g
Apple - 2 pcs.
Onion - 1 piece
Garlic - 3 teeth.
Flour - 1 tsp.
Curry (powder) - 1 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Allspice (ground to taste)
Lemon (1\2 parts, zest only)
Lamb fat should be cut into small cubes.
Wash the lamb, dry it and cut it into medium cubes.
Chop the onion and garlic.
Place the chopped ingredients into the multicooker bowl. fat tail fat and on the “frying” mode, fry it until golden brown.
Add chopped onion, garlic and curry to the lard and cook for 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Place the meat in a bowl and fry until golden brown, min. 10. turning over.
Sprinkle meat with flour. mix.
While the meat is roasting, we will clean...
Pilaf with cherries and raspberries in Iranian style. (Albaloo Polow)
The highlight of this dish will be cherries and melted butter, raspberries. Still needed chicken breast and chicken legs.
We'll cut the chicken breast and cut the onion too, a head or two. And put the breast with onions in a meat grinder through a fine grill.
Salt and pepper the minced meat, beat it well and form it into small meatballs. Fry these meatballs on all sides in a frying pan. You can fry it in either ghee or olive oil.
When they are fried, add a little onion, fry it lightly and add cherries and raspberries or just cherries to everything.
Stir, fry further, add salt and sugar. When we see that the berries take the form of jam, add a little water and then balance the salt, sugar and...
Iranian pilaf
Ingredients
Basmati rice 1 kg
Onion 100 g
Carrots 1 kg
Oranges 2 pieces
Dark raisins 150 g
Almonds 100 g
Dried apricots 100 g
Pistachios 100 g
Wheat flour 100 g
A pinch of salt
Saffron pinch
Sugar a pinch
Turmeric 1 teaspoon
Ground coriander 1 tablespoon
Vegetable oil 100 ml
Cumin (jeera) ground 1 teaspoon
Ground black pepper 1 tablespoon
Lamb on the bone 1.2 kg
Peaches 5 pieces
Lemons 1 piece
Ghee butter 300 g
Instructions
1. Cut the carrots into thin strips. The best way to remove the zest from oranges is to use a special scraper to create long, thin noodles.
2. Heat two tablespoons of ghee in a frying pan and fry black...
Chicken with rice Iranian style
This simple yet elegant dish combines chicken with sweet and sour dried apricots and a subtle aroma of cinnamon. Pre-boiled rice is heated and at the same time soaked in a thick, rich sauce.
INGREDIENTS
500 g boiled fluffy rice
1 onion
50 g butter
1 kg chicken thighs without bone
50 g raisins
120-180 g dried apricots
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
salt, ground black pepper to taste
greens for serving
COOKING METHOD
Step 1
Heat a Dutch oven or deep skillet. Place the chicken pieces, skin side down, and fry over moderate heat until golden brown. Turn over and fry the other side. You may need to fry the chicken in several batches, it is important that...
Saffron pudding ≈Chole zard≈
200 g rice
6 cups cold water
half a teaspoon of turmeric
3 cups hot water
2 tbsp. oils
1 cup rose water
2 cups sugar
½ tsp cardamom and cinnamon
(for 6 servings)
Yellow puddingShole zard
This is one of the most delicious puddings in all Persian cuisine. Everyone eats it, regardless of age, both as a dessert and as a main course.
200 g rice
6 cups cold water
half a teaspoon of turmeric
3 cups hot water
2 tbsp. oils
1 cup rose water
2 cups sugar
½ tsp. prepared saffron
½ tsp cardamom and cinnamon
a quarter cup of blanched sliced almonds
(for 6 servings)
Rinse the rice several times. Boil cold water. Add the rice and turmeric, stir well, then simmer on low heat with the lid closed for 30 minutes, or until almost all the moisture has evaporated and the rice is tender. Stir the rice with a large slotted spoon while adding hot water. Add oil and...
Since ancient times, the Persians took their cooking very seriously. It was believed that his health, mood and even character depend on what and how a person eats! In the works of Avicenna healthy eating special attention was paid, because certain combinations of products help cure various diseases.
The basis of the Iranian diet: bread ( noon) and rice ( Berenge), simply cooked with butter ( brow) or mixed with any vegetables, fruits, nuts, spices ( polo). The bread is sold fresh, straight from the oven. But here thin pita breads you need to eat it right away, otherwise, when they cool down, they turn into cardboard to taste. The flatbreads are often topped with sesame seeds and eaten with jam, honey or cheese and washed down with a cup of tea.
For lunch and dinner, a mountain of rice with butter is offered, flavored with sour barberry or a pinch of yellow saffron. The rice is accompanied by a main dish (usually meat) and as a drink arc- liquid yogurt with salt and herbs or spices, delicious and refreshing.
In general, Iranians prefer to eat at home, which is understandable: homemade food is the most delicious. And yet, in the cities there are many restaurants for every budget; street food is very popular among the locals.
01. Our acquaintance with Iranian cuisine began in Isfahan, when we visited a restaurant recommended to us at the hotel Shahrazad. The restaurant was located not far from our hotel, and, by the way, was on my list, which I compiled in advance of my trip to Iran. Looking ahead, I will say that it was not really needed: sometimes we went to random establishments where the food turned out to be tastier than what was served in more expensive and recommended restaurants. 
02. Perhaps this was the most luxurious restaurant of our entire trip. The most luxurious and most touristy! As it turns out, it is tourist groups who come there. Although there were also locals. 
03. The interior is certainly impressive. Everything is stylized, mosaics, mirrors, Persian painting... 
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08. In principle, this restaurant can also be recommended from the point of view of attraction. 
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12. The most interesting thing: what did we order? ;) My husband had lamb, quite tasty, according to him. 
13. I decided to shuffle my soul right away, start with traditional cuisine, which I previously read about and ordered fesenjan.
Fesenjan is duck or chicken meat in nut-pomegranate sauce. Often, instead of duck or chicken, Iranians prepare this dish with lamb, beef or even fish. This cult dish Persian cuisine.
For cooking thick sauce which gives meat spicy taste, ground walnuts, pomegranate paste and onions are stewed over low heat. You can add saffron or cinnamon to taste. A pinch of sugar will help balance the acidity.
Fesenjan has a historical past. In the ruins of Persepolis, the ancient capital of the Persian Empire, archaeologists found a stone slab dated 515 BC, which mentioned the main dishes of the ancient Iranian feast. They included poultry, both walnuts and pomegranate paste are the key ingredients in the fesenjan dish.
Fesenjan always came with rice with butter and saffron.
14. Well, what can I tell you, it tastes quite good. True, the combination of sour and sweet was a little unusual for me. The tea came with sugar: the usual white lump and pieces of yellow, which can be dissolved like caramel. For two dishes and two teas we paid something like 1,500 rubles, which is considered quite expensive for Iran.
15. On Imam Square we enjoyed ice cream with saffron between waffles. I'm not a big fan of saffron, so this was a little specific for me, but delicious. 
16. Iran is a mecca for those with a sweet tooth. Here you will find traditional baklava, our usual pastries (mainly with saffron and cardamom), amazing melt-in-your-mouth coconut cookies, nougat (gas in Farsi) and much, much more. 
17. In an Isfahan sweet shop. 
18. At the Abbasi Hotel, which I wrote about in a post about, we came across another colorful place - a restaurant of the same name, where we also wanted to try local cuisine. 
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20. We chose a place on the sunny veranda and made an order. 
21. Non-alcoholic beer. And there is no other way here... By the way, fruit beer is very tasty! 
22. Tea here, by the way, was quite expensive, which is surprising. The tea came with flat yellow sugar slices for sucking. 
23. Our order is soup dizi (abgusht). This rich soup With stew and vegetables, which are eaten in a special way. The dish is served in a pot with a mortar. 
24. First, pour all the liquid into a separate plate. Everything that remains in the pot is ground into porridge with a mortar; the waiter skillfully did this in front of the “amazed audience.” :) The resulting puree contains: potatoes, onions, beans, tomatoes and meat. After this, you eat the puree as a bite with broth, or you can also eat flatbread. Tasty! By the way, abgusht is considered the food of the poor, which, however, does not stop the Persians from gobbling it up on both cheeks! 
25. And, of course, kebab. Without him, Persian cuisine would be simply unthinkable. It can be any meat - beef, lamb, chicken and even camel. Served either with a mountain of rice or with pita bread, fried tomatoes, pickles, herbs, etc. You may be offered juje kebab ( chicken kebab fillet, marinated in lemon juice), kebab-e-kubide (standard version, in the form of a long, well-padded piece of meat), kebab-e-barg (divided into pieces), kebab-e-bakhtiyari (pieces of lamb alternating with pieces of chicken), etc. 
26. Be sure that the meat here is always fresh, tasty and juicy. Although, when you constantly eat kebab, then you still want something different. 
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28. We found this old cafe on Imam Square, right in the courtyards. The place is very colorful. 
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30. The tea house is hung entirely with a variety of lamps and lamps. 
31. It feels like you’re in a junk shop, where every item has its own story. 
32. There are photographs of wrestlers on the walls. The so-called “houses of power” or zurkhane are popular in Isfahan. Now these are something like men's sports clubs, where you can watch the competitions of pehlivans (as strongmen are called in Iran). 
33. Famous guests of this tea house. Carpets and ancient weapons hang on the walls. 
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37. Here you will be served the most different varieties tea: with orange, vanilla, spices, dough in caramel syrup (something like our brushwood). Sugar should not be dipped into tea, but placed on the tongue and the tea passed through it. The place is colorful, rather, due to the interior and decor. 
38. In Iran, as I wrote above, street food is widely represented. It’s here in a variety of variations: from pies with all kinds of fillings, to corn in cups like this. Ingredients: boiled corn, mushrooms, cheese, mayonnaise sauce, spices (something like khmeli-suneli). Everything is mixed well until the cheese is melted, and eaten with pleasure while it is hot. Tasty! 
39. Rice ice cream. Yes, rice is a huge part of Iranian cuisine, so it is included in all sorts of sweet treats. Rice is frozen in sweet water and served with saffron (again) ice cream. Very interesting combination, although it’s specific to me. Locals also like to drink freshly squeezed carrot juices and add ice cream to it. This delicacy is offered everywhere. 
40. Another restaurant-cafe in Isfahan not far from our hotel. 
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42. Traditional kebab(this time a mix of chicken and beef) and a pile of rice. 
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44. On the plate, in addition to kebab and vegetables, there is also tahdig(on right). This is another Iranian dish. From Persian, the name of this dish is translated as “bottom of the pot,” which is directly related to the cooking process. When Iranians cook rice in a pot or kettle, they fry it a little to create a beautiful golden crust.
Actually tahdig is crispy fried rice. It tastes like a combination of popcorn and potato chips.
45. There are also traditional cafes with European desserts in Iran. At least, the way the Iranians themselves see them. By the way, coffee gahwe) Iranians don’t really drink. More or less decent coffee is found here only in special coffee shops, of which there are not so many. In kebab shops, you will be offered something cold as a drink: soda or non-alcoholic beer, sometimes you can also buy dug (fermented milk drink). Tea with traditional Iranian sweets is usually offered in special teahouses. 
46. By the way, sugar in the form of crystals on a stick is widespread. This stick needs to be dipped into tea. Original and very beautiful, in my opinion. 
47. Iranian tea also means dates, fresh and large. In the caravanserai in. 
48. At our hotel in Yazd we ordered Khoresht for me (this is meat or chicken stewed with vegetables, herbs and beans) and camel meat for my husband. After eating the camel, it was awkward to then ride on its “relative”.
49. Here it is, camel meat with potatoes. The camel, by the way, turned out to be not very tasty, according to the husband. I didn’t dare try it, although I understand that there are double standards and so on... :( 
50. Fermented milk drink arc. Sold both in aluminum cans (pictured with mint flavor) and in regular ones plastic bottles. Not so much with mint, by the way. 
51. We found these pies in Yazd in a cafe where emigrants from Iraq work. Pies with with different fillings: with potatoes, mushrooms, etc. They are deep-fried and eaten with pleasure. 
52. And opposite the “pie” cafe in Yazd, not far from Amir Chakhmagh Square, there was a cafe where they served probably the most tasty coffee in our life. It also came with tiramisu, which was mercilessly destroyed by us. I can’t imagine what they added to it, but we returned to this cafe again and again while we were in Yazd. Marvelous delicious cappuccino with chocolate and some secret ingredient. ;) 
53. This is already Shiraz. I don’t remember the name of the restaurant, because... we just asked the taxi driver to take us to some good restaurant. Here we found ourselves completely alone. :) Apparently, the traditional time for dinner has not yet come. I will remember this place for how long and hard I tried to explain to the waiter what I wanted. The poor fellow began to show animals on himself, until in the end I got into my phrase book and asked for fish. The waiter breathed a sigh of relief and said that they had fish. :) Otherwise it’s all kebab and kebab! 
54. The fish turned out to be quite good, just a lot of breading. The rice, even though it’s delicious everywhere here, by the end of the trip, I think my eyes began to narrow. 
55. Traditional kebab at my husband’s place. After all, kebab is the king of Persian cuisine, no matter what, and the Persians handle meat with a bang. 
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57. Doug in a bottle. We found this cafe not far from Tehran. 
58. Soup, finally soup! The fact is that there are very few varieties of soups in Iran. We have already tried Dizi or Abgusht. There is also such a dish as Ash Rashteh. This dish is thick soup beans with noodles, spinach, beet leaves and others herbs. Sometimes Iranians add sour yogurt to the soup before serving. Ash Rashte is associated with one very interesting tradition - noodles symbolize the many life paths that appear before a person. In the photo it’s just kind of thick vegetable soup, but by the way, delicious! 
59. I hit the fish again. They brought me this huge thing, which, naturally, I didn’t eat all of. By the way, a funny moment that happened in this cafe. We were sitting opposite a mother and daughter (this is normal, in ordinary cafes the table is shared between several guests), so when I tried to wash down the fish with a glass, my daughter carefully and politely addressed me in English, saying that her mother was very worried about me, because In Iran it is not customary to drink fish fermented milk product: She's worried about my stomach. I thanked you for such attention and ordered myself tea. :) 
60. Traditional kebab at my husband’s place. ;) Men love meat! 
61. For two, a pile of rice with spices. 
62. There is a check next to the plate. For everything we paid about 1000 rubles for two. This is considered the average price. You can estimate the serving sizes yourself. 
In addition to the above dishes, you can also highlight gormeh sabzi- this dish is dark green in color, it is chopped meat stewed with vegetables, beans and herbs. Main secret The preparation of ghormeh sabzi is as follows: add a fried mixture of herbs to the dish, which consists mainly of parsley, leeks or green onions, cilantro and dried fenugreek leaves.
Zereshk polo- lamb pilaf with barberry - classic oriental dish(instead of lamb there may be other meat). In general, there are many varieties of pilaf (polow) in Iran, but it should not be confused with traditional Uzbek pilaf. Because Iranian polo can be without meat.
Salad-e-Shirazi- Shiraz salad - prepared from cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and lettuce leaves, seasoning it all generously with lemon juice.
In general, it’s better not to write about Iranian cuisine, but to try it, so go to Iran to feel the unforgettable taste of this country!
Persia is considered a country of poets and cooks. Iranian cuisine appeared in the 6th century, when the Persian empire was formed by Kurush the Great. Soon, thanks to the extensive trade connections of Persia, its culinary traditions began to spread throughout the planet.
The basis of Iranian cooking is rice, which is eaten here instead of bread. It is noteworthy that Iranians not only grow their own rice, but also import it from India. Indian rice is used here as an everyday dish, while domestic rice is a mandatory attribute of any holiday. At first glance, the rice is prepared in an ordinary way, but the result is something incredible. In no other country in the world is there such delicious rice No. In addition to rice, Iranian dishes always contain meat: lamb, beef, chicken. Along with rice and meat, you will definitely be served sliced orange to squeeze its juice onto the meat, and a delicious garlic sauce, vaguely reminiscent of the familiar sour cream sauce.
But before starting the main meal, Iranians eat torsha to whet their appetite - pickled, incredibly delicious vegetables. Bread occupies a very special position in Iranian cooking: it is believed that it is a gift from the gods. There are several types of bread here. The most common are thin flatbreads (lavash). Sangyak is also very useful - fluffy bread from bran. And, of course, Iranian cuisine is famous for its sweets; among the sweet dishes, they prepare the well-known halva and baklava. The Persians are masters at preparing sweets, the recipes of which they borrowed from other peoples.
"Iranian cuisine" - the best recipes
A lot has already been said here about Iranian cuisine and sweets, in the “” section.
However, often everything was limited only to recipes, and it was not always possible to include photographs. So I decided to steal it. :) some photos from Iranians' Instagram (mostly under the hashtag). I tried to include here some interesting facts about Iranian dishes, and talk about what interesting things a tourist might notice in Iran in this regard.
There were so many photographs that I simply did not have enough time to find and indicate the names of all the authors. But, in any case, I hope they don’t mind and I’m very grateful to them.
And here for now is only the first part from the general selection.
In Iran, it is customary to dry and cook beans, add salt and sprinkle with crushed herbs (“golpar” - I can’t exactly translate it :) Don’t be surprised to see trays on the Iranian streets in winter with hot steam rising above them. This is how they sell boiled beans in Iran.
Labou (boiled beets) is a favorite among Iranians, especially in late autumn and winter. You will probably come across trays on wheels with large trays full of such beets. Just the sight of such a tray evokes nostalgia... The beets are cut into pieces and eaten with a fork. It is also used to prepare beetroot borani, adding it to a dish from unsweetened yogurt("masta").
, Shiraz salad, fresh herbs, “mast” with mint and, of course, olives. Iranian rice in large quantities grown in rice fields in northern Iran. In addition, it is also brought into the country from India and Pakistan. A large number of Olives of various types are also grown in northern Iran. It is worth saying that in the north of the country, on the Caspian coast, special Iranian tea is also grown.
Have you ever tried watermelon with... feta cheese, bread and (to taste) walnuts? I highly recommend it!
Torshi (“sour”) and shur (“salty”) are two favorite dishes of any Iranian. Unlike Russian pickles, “torshi” are pickled in vinegar. But “shur” is marinated in brine. These pickles are especially delicious to eat in winter.
Exist different types“torshi”: some are cut into small pieces, some into large ones. Sometimes eggplant or something else unusual is added to the usual ingredients. Some Iranian grandmothers buy vegetables by the kilogram and make enough torshi to feed the whole family - both children and grandchildren. Traditionally, torshi are prepared in the fall. Of course, you can buy “torshi” in a store, but it’s not the same at all...
Sir-torshi ("torshi" consisting exclusively of garlic) - unlike the inhabitants of Russia, Iranians pickle garlic in vinegar. Sometimes garlic is kept this way for many years - up to seven years. The longer it is stored like this, the more expensive and tastier it becomes (and at the same time loses its bad smell), in the end resembling a dark paste. Parents have to carefully hide the jars in order to save the pickled garlic intact for a special occasion: once the children find out where it is stored, the delicacy will be immediately destroyed!
In general, even the pickles familiar to Russians, even those in Iran, are marinated in vinegar.
+18!:) What do you think this is? I am sure that if an Iranian living abroad, who is not soon to return home, sees the photo, he will swear at me very much. After all, your mouth is watering, you can’t eat the photograph, and in Russia you can’t get such a dish. And it is for an Iranian what lard is for a Ukrainian. Calle-pache (“head and legs”) is made from a boiled sheep head (the brains, various parts of the muzzle and eyes are used), as well as from hooves and lamb legs. Tastes vary: someone prefers the “full set”, someone grimaces at the sight of brains, but eats hooves with pleasure; however, there are also those who do not really like this dish. They really don’t eat it every day: it’s very fatty. But early in the morning, if you have a whole day of hard work ahead, calle-pace will charge you so much with energy that your appetite will not wake up until the evening. Therefore, there are special establishments where they serve exclusively this dish. They open at five in the morning, and by noon there are no longer any visitors (however, some of them work around the clock - after all, someone wants to refresh themselves before night duty, for example. In big cities, there is even a special delivery of calle-pace via the Internet). Calle-pache must be eaten with lime, eaten with sangak, and at the end washed down with hot tea - the dish makes you very thirsty. Calle-pache is a “male” dish and is not recommended for people who are overweight and not engaged in physical labor. But it also has a health benefit: thanks to high content calcium, it helps bones heal faster during fractures.
So don’t be alarmed if your Iranian friend wants to treat you to sheep brains: after all, you can choose some other parts of the boiled lamb if the hospitable host really insists. And, of course, when you see fresh sheep's heads on display in a butcher's shop, you will now know what they are for. I could have posted much more frightening photos here, but I decided that then I would scare all the readers away :)
- this sweet dessert served both hot and cold. Iranians associate it with the obligatory distribution of alms (in the form of money, clothing or food) during religious ceremonies. A pudding is made from rice, sugar and butter.
Of course, walnuts are not new in Russia. But in Iran, walnuts can be found in various parts of the country, and in villages and small towns they sometimes grow right in the middle of the streets. Nowadays, most boys are much more interested in playing computer games than climbing trees, but in my time everything was different. In the summer, no matter how strictly the parents ordered the children not to touch the nuts ahead of time, they still got to them. How pleasant it was to break the peel of a secretly plucked fruit! One problem: the dark peel left black spots on the fingers, which were almost impossible to wash off (by the way, this natural dye is even used in Iran for the production of carpets). So the secret always became apparent. And the thieves’ fingers remained dark until the start of the school year in the fall.
Ripe walnuts are collected, all layers of skin are removed from them, cut in a special way and salted in jars - merchants often sell salted walnuts right on the streets.
Mast-o-hyar (yogurt with cucumber) - since the climate in Iran is hot, yogurt and cucumbers are often used. Thus, this dish is prepared from seedless cucumbers (peeled and finely chopped), raisins, yogurt, crushed garlic, dill, etc. . Some people add crushed ones to taste pink petals, some people prefer walnuts. Ice must be added to this yogurt, and it is usually eaten with dried bread. Mast-o-hyar is considered one of the varieties.
Dugh - special kind liquid yogurt (something similar can be found in Russia, called “tan” or “airan”), sprinkled with mint. It can also be carbonated. Dugh is no less important part of Iranian culinary culture than, for example, kebab. Iranians drink it with any dishes and in large quantities.
