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524 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

Pan chutaAniseed round bread

The small town of Oropesa, half an hour from Cusco, calls itself Peru's bread capital, and its wood-fired bakeries are famous for chuta: big, flat, round loaves as wide as a dinner plate, glossy on top, with a faint sweetness and the warmth of aniseed. Travellers on the road to Puno and Bolivia stop to buy them by the bagful, and families bring them home for All Saints' Day and for sharing with hot coca tea or coffee, fresh cheese and butter. The bakeries traditionally use lard; this version uses vegetable shortening and butter, so it is vegetarian. The make-or-break moment is the proof: chuta is large and flat, and if it goes in under-risen it bakes dense and splits at the rim. Chef's tip: toast the aniseed for a minute in a dry pan and crush it lightly before adding, for a rounder, sweeter perfume.

240 minPeruvianBreads & Parathas
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

ChaplasHollow puffed Andean bread

Walk through Ayacucho's central market at seven in the morning and you will see women selling stacks of chaplas from cloth-lined baskets, still warm from the wood-fired ovens of the Andes. These round wheat breads puff up like pita in the fierce heat, leaving a hollow pocket inside a thin, soft, lightly floury crust. In Ayacucho and Huancavelica they are eaten with sweet coffee or hot emoliente for breakfast, or split and filled with queso fresco, avocado or a spoonful of rocoto sauce. Highland bakers traditionally work in a little lard; vegetable shortening gives the same tenderness and keeps the bread vegan. A cool baking tray is the reason chaplas stay flat, so preheat it thoroughly. Chef's tip: let the rolled rounds rest before baking and flip them upside down onto the tray, so the smooth, dry side meets the heat first and the pocket opens evenly.

149 minPeruvianBreads & ParathasVegan
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

Kuay teow nam sai (clear rice noodle soup for toddlers)

Kuay teow nam sai, clear noodle soup, is ordered for Thai children at noodle shops everywhere because it comes without chilli, sugar or vinegar: thin rice noodles in a light broth with minced pork and blanched greens. At home it is easy to make it even gentler, with no-salt stock fragrant with garlic and coriander root, so that toddlers can have it from a year old and adults season their bowls at the table. It contains none of the common allergens (milk, egg, gluten, peanut, tree nuts, soya, sesame, fish) unless the family adds fish sauce. Chef's tip: soak the noodles in warm water rather than boiling them, then dip in the broth just before serving, so they stay silky.

30 minThaiPasta & NoodlesGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Khanom khai (Thai egg cakes)

Khanom khai are the tiny golden sponge cakes that Thai market vendors bake in heavy brass moulds, filling the air with a sweet, eggy smell, and Bangkok children buy a paper bag of them after school. They are light and spongy inside with crisp, caramelised edges, and taste of egg and vanilla. They're made with oil rather than butter. They contain egg and gluten. Without a traditional mould, a mini-muffin or madeleine tin works well. Chef's tip: beat the eggs and sugar until really thick and pale; all the lift comes from that air.

30 minThaiBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Mashed nam wa banana (kluay nam wa bod)

Ask a Thai grandmother about first foods and she will talk about kluay nam wa, the short, plump banana that grows in nearly every garden in Thailand. Ripe ones are steamed, which softens the slightly astringent edge, then scraped and mashed for a baby's first taste, often in the afternoon. It is sweet, creamy and needs nothing added. There are no common allergens (milk, egg, gluten, peanut, tree nuts, soya, sesame, fish). If you can't find nam wa, use a small, very ripe ordinary banana. Chef's tip: steam the banana in its skin; it keeps the flesh moist and stops it browning.

13 minThaiDessertsVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Kärntner ReindlingCinnamon raisin yeast cake

Carinthia's Easter loaf takes its name from the Reindl, the round, deep pan it is baked in, and in southern Austria no Easter basket goes to church without one. Inside the golden yeast crust is a spiral of butter, cinnamon sugar and plump raisins, so every slice shows a dark swirl. Locals eat it two ways: sweet with coffee on Easter morning, or alongside the savoury Easter platter with horseradish. Many bakers soak the raisins in rum overnight; warm water or tea works just as well and keeps it alcohol-free. A dry, crumbly Reindling usually means too much flour went in during kneading, so keep the dough soft and only lightly floured. Chef's tip: butter the pan well and dust it with sugar, which caramelises into a thin crunchy shell.

180 minAustrianBaking
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

Khao bod tap gai (mashed rice with chicken liver)

Khao bod, mashed soft rice, is how Thai babies start eating with the family, and steamed chicken liver is a favourite addition because it is so rich in iron. Here it is mashed with sweet pumpkin and a few morning glory or spinach leaves, so the flavour is mellow rather than strong. Liver is very high in vitamin A, so keep it to a small portion about once a week. It contains none of the common allergens (milk, egg, gluten, peanut, tree nuts, soya, sesame, fish). Chef's tip: trim every white sinew from the livers, and the mash will be silky rather than stringy.

40 minThaiRice & GrainsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

ErdäpfelstrudelSavoury potato strudel

Austrians, especially in the Mühlviertel of Upper Austria and the Waldviertel, make savoury strudels as often as sweet ones, and Erdäpfelstrudel is a farmhouse favourite for a meatless Friday or a cold evening. Thin pastry wraps a filling of potatoes, fried onion, sour cream, marjoram and parsley, baked until crisp and golden and sliced with a green salad or a dill and sour-cream dip. Bought filo makes it easy at home. The mistake to avoid is a wet filling, which turns the pastry soggy underneath. Chef's tip: cool the filling completely before rolling; warm filling makes the layers stick and tear.

90 minAustrianVegetarian
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

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

Khoresh-e gojeh sabzGreen plum and lamb stew

When unripe green plums (gojeh sabz) arrive in May, Tehran street sellers sell them in paper cones with salt, and cooks in Tehran and the Caspian provinces turn the rest into this short-season khoresh. Lamb simmers with fried parsley, mint and coriander, and the whole sour plums go in near the end, popping softly to give the stew a sharp, fresh tang. Serve it with chelow. A common mistake is cooking the plums for too long, so they dissolve and the stones float loose; 20 minutes is enough. Chef's tip: prick each plum once with a fork so it takes up the sauce without bursting.

125 minPersianCurriesGluten free
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

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

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

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

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

Kabab bakhtiariLamb and chicken kebab

Named after the Bakhtiari tribes of the Zagros mountains but really a creation of Iran's big city kebab houses, kabab bakhtiari puts lamb fillet and saffron chicken side by side on the same skewer, so each person gets both. It is a celebration order in Tehran and Isfahan restaurants, served with buttered chelow and grilled tomatoes. Each meat has its own marinade: onion and pepper for the lamb, saffron, lemon and yogurt for the chicken. The common mistake is cutting both meats to the same size; chicken needs slightly smaller pieces so it cooks through as the lamb reaches pink. Chef's tip: press the lamb and chicken pieces tightly together on the skewer so the juices pass between them as they grill.

165 minPersianMeatGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

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