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346 recipes

Fereni for babies (Persian rice-milk porridge)

Fereni is one of the oldest Persian sweets, and in Iranian homes it is also a baby's first spoon food: rice flour cooked slowly in milk until it is soft, pale and silky. Mothers often make it for breakfast or for a winter afternoon. For babies under one it is served plain; older children get the rosewater, a little sugar and a dusting of cinnamon that the family enjoys. It contains milk; there is no egg, gluten, nuts, soya, sesame or fish. Chef's tip: stir with a whisk for the first few minutes, then switch to a spatula so you can scrape the bottom of the pan.

22 minPersianBreakfast & BrunchGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Ash-e dandooni (Persian first-tooth soup)

When an Iranian baby's first tooth appears, the family cooks a big pot of ash-e dandooni and shares it with relatives and neighbours, who return the bowl with a small gift for the baby. It is a hearty, mild soup of whole wheat, chickpeas, beans and lentils, eaten by the whole family; in some homes the little one gets the soft, mashed grains without salt or toppings. It is free of milk, egg, nuts and soya and contains gluten (wheat). Chef's tip: soak the wheat and pulses together overnight, so everything cooks at the same speed.

120 minPersianSoupsVegan
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Nan-e khameiCream puffs

Tehran's pastry shops, the qanadi on every busy street, sell nan-e khamei by the boxful: small golden choux puffs split and filled with softly whipped cream, dusted with icing sugar. Families buy a box to take when visiting relatives, for birthdays and above all for the Nowruz new-year table, and they are eaten with glasses of black tea. The shells are crisp and hollow, the cream barely sweet and sometimes lifted with a drop of rose water, and a few chopped pistachios on top add colour. Filling them too early is the usual mistake, as the cream softens the shells within hours, so fill them shortly before serving. Chef's tip: whip the cream in a chilled bowl and stop at soft peaks with a little hold; it pipes smoothly and doesn't turn grainy.

80 minPersianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Persian kotlet (beef and potato patties)

Kotlet is the dish Iranian families make in big batches for school lunches, road trips and Friday picnics in the park: minced beef mixed with grated potato, onion, egg and turmeric, shaped into flat ovals and fried until deep brown and crisp at the edges. They are eaten tucked into lavash or a soft roll with tomato, cucumber pickles and herbs, warm at home and cold the next day. They contain egg and gluten (breadcrumbs). Chef's tip: squeeze the grated onion and potato hard in a cloth; that water is what makes kotlet fall apart in the pan.

50 minPersianMeat
by KrazyBadal 0 views

BizcochueloPlain whisked sponge cake

Nearly every Argentine birthday torta starts life as a bizcochuelo: a tall, plain sponge of eggs, sugar, flour and cornflour, with no butter and no baking powder, lifted only by long whisking. Grandmothers bake it on Sunday to split into three and fill with dulce de leche and whipped cream, or eat it plain in the afternoon with mate. The crumb is fine, dry-ish and airy, made to soak up syrup. Opening the oven in the first 20 minutes is the classic way to flatten it, so leave the door shut. Chef's tip: whisk until the mixture reaches 'punto letra', thick enough that a ribbon drawn on the surface holds its shape for a few seconds; that takes a good 8–10 minutes with an electric mixer, and warm eggs get there faster.

55 minArgentinianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Khoresh-e bamiehOkra and lamb stew

In Ahvaz, Abadan and the hot Gulf towns of Khuzestan, khoresh-e bamieh is everyday summer food, cooked when small okra fills the markets and eaten at lunch before the afternoon rest. Lamb simmers with onion, plenty of garlic, tomato and dried lime, and the okra is fried first so it keeps its shape in a sharp, garlicky red sauce; southern cooks often add a pinch of chilli. Serve it with chelow or plain rice and fresh herbs. The mistake that makes okra slimy is cutting it open or stirring it too much; leave the pods whole, trim only the stem tips, and shake the pot instead of stirring. Chef's tip: a squeeze of lemon added to the frying okra helps it stay crisp-skinned in the stew.

105 minPersianCurriesGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Ash-e mashMung bean and herb soup

Ash-e mash is the soup Iranian mothers make when someone in the house has a cold, and in Tehran and the southern provinces it is sold from big pots on winter mornings. Mung beans and rice cook down with turmeric into a thick, earthy porridge, then a mountain of chopped herbs goes in and it is crowned with crisp fried onion and sizzling mint oil. Serve it in deep bowls with bread and lemon wedges. People often rush the beans, and the soup ends up thin with hard beans floating in it; they need to burst before the herbs go in. Chef's tip: stir from the bottom every few minutes once the rice is in, because ash catches quickly as it thickens.

95 minPersianSoupsVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Khoresh-e porteghalOrange chicken stew

Mazandaran on the Caspian grows Iran's oranges, and in winter, when bitter Seville oranges and sweet navels are everywhere, families there cook khoresh-e porteghal for guests; it has also become a Tehran wedding-season favourite. Chicken braises in saffron and orange juice with ribbons of candied peel, carrot batons and slivered almonds, giving a jewel-bright stew that is fragrant, sweet and tangy. Serve it with chelow. The usual mistake is leaving the white pith on the peel, which makes the whole pot bitter; slice it off thinly and blanch the strips twice. The dish contains almonds. Chef's tip: a squeeze of Seville orange or lime at the end stops it tasting like marmalade.

90 minPersianChickenGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Ash-e haft danehSeven-grain soup

Ash-e haft daneh, the soup of seven seeds, is cooked as nazri, a votive offering, on Tasua and Ashura in Muharram, when families in Tehran, Kashan and Yazd stir huge cauldrons in the street and share bowls with neighbours and passers-by. Wheat, barley, rice, chickpeas, beans, lentils and mung beans cook slowly into a thick, nutty soup with herbs, topped with fried onion and mint. Serve it in bowls with bread. The mistake is adding all the grains together; they cook at different speeds, so the hard ones go in first. Chef's tip: soak everything except the rice and lentils overnight, each in its own bowl, and you'll cut the cooking time by an hour.

170 minPersianSoupsVegan
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Gheymeh nesarSaffron lamb and nut rice

Qazvin, the old capital west of Tehran, is famous for gheymeh nesar, the jewelled rice served at weddings, engagements and nazri gatherings. Small cubes of lamb cook slowly with onion, saffron and a little rosewater, then are mixed with barberries, slivered pistachios, almonds and candied orange peel and spooned over buttery saffron rice. Serve it with salad shirazi. Barberries burn in seconds and turn bitter, and that is the commonest mistake: fry them over a low heat for one minute only. Contains pistachios, almonds and butter. Chef's tip: cut the lamb into 1 cm dice, much smaller than for a stew, which is what makes this a Qazvin gheymeh nesar rather than a lamb pilaf.

160 minPersianRice & GrainsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Khoresh-e rivasRhubarb and lamb stew

Rhubarb grows wild on the slopes of the Alborz and around Tabriz, and when the first pink stalks arrive in April, Tehran grandmothers make khoresh-e rivas, a spring tonic that also turns up at Nowruz visits. Lamb cooks soft, then a big pile of fried mint and parsley turns the sauce deep green, and the rhubarb is added at the very end so it stays in tender, sour pieces. Serve it with chelow and something sweet afterwards. The most common mistake is stirring once the rhubarb is in; it falls apart in minutes, so lay it on top and only shake the pot. Chef's tip: if your rhubarb is very sour, a teaspoon of sugar rounds it out without making the stew sweet.

125 minPersianCurriesGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Khoresh-e aloo esfenajLamb, spinach and plum stew

In Tehran and along the Caspian, khoresh-e aloo esfenaj is a cold-weather dish, made when winter spinach is sweet and dried golden plums (aloo zard) hang in the bazaar. Lamb, yellow split peas and a mountain of wilted spinach cook down into a dark green stew that is sour first, then sweet, with soft plums melting through it. Serve it with plenty of chelow. People often add the plums at the start, but they dissolve and the stew turns muddy; they go in for the last half hour. Chef's tip: fry the spinach in a dry pan until all its water is gone before it meets the sauce, so the stew stays rich rather than watery.

130 minPersianCurriesGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Kuku-ye morghSaffron chicken egg cake

Tehran families take kuku-ye morgh to the mountains of Darband and Tochal on Friday outings, cut into wedges and stuffed into lavash with tomato and pickled cucumber. Poached chicken is shredded, mixed with golden onion, saffron and eggs, and cooked into a thick, moist cake that holds together for sandwiches. Serve it warm or cold with yogurt and herbs. The mistake is overcooking the chicken before it goes in, which leaves the kuku dry and stringy; poach it gently just to temperature. Contains egg. Chef's tip: add 2 tablespoons of the poaching broth to the eggs; it keeps the kuku juicy even the next day.

55 minPersianChickenGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Khoresh-e kangarCardoon and lamb stew

Kangar, a wild thistle, is gathered in the Alborz foothills above Tehran in April and May, and khoresh-e kangar is the stew people make with it in those few weeks; outside Iran, cardoons or artichoke stems stand in well. The peeled stems are fried, then simmered with lamb, mint, parsley and lemon until tender, giving a green, faintly bitter stew that tastes like artichoke. Serve it with chelow. The common mistake is skipping the peeling and the soak: the stringy outer skin stays tough and the cut stems blacken. Chef's tip: soak the cut stems in water with lemon juice for 30 minutes, which keeps them pale and pulls out much of the bitterness.

140 minPersianCurriesGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Khoresh-e aluChicken and prune stew

Khoresh-e alu is a dinner-party stew in Tehran, made for guests in winter when it can sit on the stove and wait; the prunes and a spoonful of vinegar give it the gentle sweet-sour balance Tehranis love. Chicken thighs brown with a big heap of fried onion and saffron, then braise slowly with black prunes until the sauce is dark, glossy and sticky. Serve with chelow or saffron rice and a crisp salad shirazi. People often stir the stew hard once the prunes are in, and they split and cloud the sauce; turn the chicken gently instead. Chef's tip: fry the onion slowly until truly brown, not just golden, because that colour is most of the flavour.

90 minPersianChickenGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Khoresh-e havijCarrot and lamb stew

Tabriz cooks in Iranian Azerbaijan like their stews a little sweet, and khoresh-e havij is a winter weeknight dish there and in Tehran, made with thin batons of carrot fried until they caramelise. The lamb cooks soft in a turmeric and onion broth, then the carrots go in with saffron, a spoon of sugar and lemon, giving a bright orange, gently tangy stew. Serve it with chelow and a green salad. The common slip is cutting the carrots thick; they stay hard and never take on the sauce, so cut them like matchsticks. Chef's tip: a handful of yellow split peas, added with the water, makes it more filling, as many Tabrizi families do.

100 minPersianCurriesGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Kabab tabeiPan-fried minced meat kebab

Kabab tabei is the kebab Iranian students make in a frying pan when there is no grill, and the quick weeknight dinner in flats all over Tehran: minced meat with grated onion and turmeric pressed flat across the pan, cut into strips and fried in its own juices. It tastes like koobideh without the charcoal and is ready in half an hour. Serve it with chelow or bread, pan-fried tomatoes and raw onion. The mistake is a cold pan, which makes the meat stew; heat it well first and don't move the slab until it has browned. Chef's tip: once the first side is cooked, tip in halved tomatoes around the meat; they soften in the juices and become the sauce.

30 minPersianMeatGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Kuku gol-kalamCauliflower egg cake

Winter kitchens in Tehran and Isfahan turn cheap cauliflower into kuku gol-kalam, a family supper that is just as good cold the next day, tucked into bread for the office. The cauliflower is boiled soft, crushed with fried onion, turmeric and a little cumin, then bound with eggs into a golden, mild, slightly nutty cake. Serve it with bread, torshi and herbs. Many cooks leave the cauliflower in big chunks, so the kuku crumbles when cut; mash it roughly first. Contains egg. Chef's tip: dry the boiled cauliflower in the hot pan for a minute before mashing, which gets rid of the extra water and keeps the kuku firm.

50 minPersianVegetarianGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Khoresh-e kadooCourgette and lamb stew

Kitchens across Iran make khoresh-e kadoo in early summer, when small, firm courgettes pile up in the markets and the Tehran heat calls for a lighter stew than gheymeh. Lamb is simmered with onion, turmeric and dried lime until soft, then fried courgette halves are laid on top to finish in the tangy tomato and saffron sauce. Eat it with chelow and a bowl of mast-o-khiar. The common mistake is adding the courgettes too early: they collapse into mush, so they go in only for the last 20 minutes. Chef's tip: salt the cut courgettes and let them sit for 15 minutes, then pat them dry, so they fry golden instead of soaking up oil.

120 minPersianCurriesGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Kuku bademjanAubergine and walnut egg cake

Kuku bademjan is the picnic kuku of Iran, packed into lavash for Sizdah Bedar, the thirteenth day of Nowruz, when families eat outdoors in parks from Tehran to Shiraz. Charred, smoky aubergine is mashed with garlic, saffron and chopped walnuts, bound with eggs and cooked into a thick, soft-set cake that tastes deep and slightly sweet. Serve it warm or cold with yogurt, bread and herbs. The mistake people make is leaving the aubergine wet; squeeze the cooked flesh in a sieve or the kuku will never set firm. Contains egg and walnuts. Chef's tip: cook the finished mixture in a well-oiled pan with the lid on, then slide it onto a plate and flip it back for the second side, so it browns evenly without drying out.

50 minPersianVegetarianGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Khoresh-e lubia sabzGreen bean and beef stew

Green bean khoresh is the stew Iranian children ask for, cooked in homes from Mashhad to Shiraz through the summer when beans are cheap; Tehran cooks often add a pinch of cinnamon that makes the tomato sauce taste rounder. Beef or lamb simmers until soft, the beans are fried briefly and then cooked in the sauce until tender but still green. Serve it with chelow and a spoon of tahdig on the side. The mistake to avoid is cutting the beans too fine, which turns the stew into mush; 3 cm pieces keep their bite. Chef's tip: fry the beans in a little oil for 5 minutes before they go into the pot, so they keep their colour and taste nutty.

100 minPersianCurriesGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Havij poloCarrot rice with chicken

Havij polo is a party rice in Tehran and Isfahan, its orange carrot ribbons and saffron grains making a bright centrepiece at birthday lunches and family gatherings. Carrot batons are fried with a little sugar and cinnamon, layered with parboiled basmati and pieces of braised saffron chicken, and steamed until the rice is fluffy with a golden crust below. Serve it with salad shirazi and yogurt. The common mistake is too much sugar, which makes it taste like dessert; it should be only gently sweet against the savoury chicken. Chef's tip: braise the chicken first and use its reduced juices to moisten the layers, so the rice tastes of it all the way through.

105 minPersianRice & GrainsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Kuku kadooCourgette herb egg cake

Kuku kadoo is what summer lunch looks like in homes across Iran when the garden produces more courgettes than anyone can eat; Tehran mothers slice it into school sandwiches with tomato and pickles. Grated courgette and onion are squeezed dry, fried briefly, then mixed with eggs, dill and dried mint for a light, green-flecked kuku that is soft and fluffy inside. Eat it hot or cold with bread, yogurt and herbs. The usual mistake is skipping the squeeze; courgette is mostly water and the kuku turns soggy and pale. Contains egg. Chef's tip: a teaspoon of baking powder and a spoon of flour, as many Iranian cooks add, make it rise and hold together better; leave out the flour to keep it gluten free.

45 minPersianVegetarianGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Khoresh-e gharchMushroom stew

Tehran flats fill with the smell of khoresh-e gharch on busy weeknights, when there is no time for a three-hour gheymeh but rice is already steaming; it became a city favourite in the late twentieth century as button mushrooms grew common in the bazaars. The mushrooms are browned hard, then simmered briefly with golden onion, turmeric and saffron, and the sauce is finished with lemon and a spoon of kashk or cream, so it tastes savoury, a little sour and gently rich. Serve it over chelow with a plate of fresh herbs and torshi. The usual mistake is crowding the pan: piled-up mushrooms stew in their own water and turn grey and slippery instead of meaty. Kashk contains dairy; use soured cream if you can't find it. Chef's tip: tear rather than slice half the mushrooms, because the ragged edges brown better and soak up more sauce.

40 minPersianVegetarianGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

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