Iran

Adas Polo, also known as Persian lentil rice, is an aromatic Iranian dish that combines fragrant basmati rice with lentils and a blend of spices.  Lentils, one of the key ingredients in the dish, have been cultivated in Iran for thousands of years. The combination of lentils and rice is a traditional Persian culinary approach …

Khoresh Gheymeh is a stew from Iran made with a tangy broth, cubes of lamb or beef, split peas, tomato, onion and dried lime. This main dish is typically enjoyed atop rice, along with crispy potato wedges seasoned with saffron. Persian dried lime, or limoo amani, adds a touch of acidity and sourness to the …

Zeytoon Parvardeh is dish of marinated olives popular in Iran. It almost always contains mint, walnuts, garlic and pomegranate molasses. All the ingredients, with the exception of the olives, are blended into a thick grainy paste. The olives are then tossed in the paste and marinated for several hours to several days. Green olives must …

Bamia is an okra and beef stew popular throughout the Middle East. The meat and okra are cooked together with tomato paste, spices, water and pomegranate molasses to name a few of the ingredients. They are stewed in the tomato sauce until the meat becomes tender and the sauce thickens. Bamia or Bamya is the …

Qatayef, also spelled katayef, is a kind of sweet dumpling that is stuffed with cream or nuts (typically a mixture of hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios and raisins). Other ingredients include unsalted cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon. This Arab delicacy is typically consumed during the month of Ramadan and is most popular in Egypt, …

Gondi is a Persian stew consisting of dumplings made from chicken and chickpeas which are served in chicken broth or soup. To make the dumplings, chickpea flour or ground chickpeas, ground chicken, onions and spices are mixed into a dough. The dough is allowed to rest while the broth is prepared. The dough is divided …

Tulumba, also known as bamiyeh, is a deep-fried dessert prepared using an unleavened dough lump, which is shaped as a small ovoid and includes ridges lengthways. It is shaped with the help of a pastry bag or cookie press, which has a fitting end part. It is initially deep-fried which gives it a golden colour, …

Zereshk Polo (or Zereshk Polow) is a saffron flavored rice dish topped with barberries, popular in Iran. The rice is cooked in a pot, letting the bottom develop a crust. This crispy layer is called tahdig. The rice is then carefully flipped onto a plate keeping its shape intact. The top of the rice is …

Iran, also known as Persia, is a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, bordered by Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf. Iran is the fifth-largest country in Asia and is known for being the birthplace of one of the world’s earliest …

Ghormeh Sabzi is a traditional Iranian herb and meat stew dish. While recipes vary slightly, most recipes will consist of parsley, fenugreek, cilantro, dried Persian lime, onion, kidney beans and meat. The herbs are cooked separately from the beans and meat. Near the end of the cooking time all the ingredients are combined. Ghormeh Sabzi …

Gaz is a type of Iranian nougat candy, originating in the Isfahan region. The main ingredients of Gaz are sugar or corn syrup, pistachio, almond kernels, rosewater and egg whites. In the United States and Europe, it is commonly referred to as Persian Nougat. Typically gaz is accompanied by tea or sherbet and is eaten …

Bastani Sonnati (or simply Bastani) is a popular Iranian ice cream made with saffron, milk, rose water, eggs, vanilla, sugar, and pistachios. It is popularly known for its usage of Salep, a flour made from the tubers of wild orchid, which gives it a chewy texture. Chunks of clotted frozen cream are often added for …