Persia Shall Flower Again

When it does, we’ll have more ingredients for today’s submissions.  The crocus grants saffron for Joojeh ba Sib (Saffron Butter-Basted Poussins with Apples), while dried rose petals adorn the Mast-o Khlar (Yogurt-and-Cucumber Salad).  Fitting, that summer’s exuberance is preserved to sustain us through the months ahead. Food & Wine included both recipes, among others, in…

Treasure Beyond Gold and Jewels

Indeed, Persian cookery engages not just the eyes and nose, but it captivates the taste buds as well, unfolding flavors that subtly hint at the delights that await.  The visuals, though, beguile, and make the first pass at seduction. Persians call the pilaf Javaher Polow, or Jeweled Rice, and fittingly so.  Saffron sets the rice…

“…As Easy as 123…”

When the Jacksons recorded ABC, were they singing about Persian Apple Stew?  Probably.  After all, the stew’s ingredients list covers the ABCs (and then some) of flavorful elements…apples, beef, cardamom, dried apricots… They all come together to reward tasters with a medley of culinary experiences, some contrasting, all of them complimentary.  The savory broth is…

Barberries and Advieh

The vibrant colors above cover a beguiling range, from verdant greens to iridescent crimson, to the deepest yellow.  It’s a jewel box of colors; in fact, Persians call this zereshk polow, or jeweled rice.   The variety of shades represent the intensity of flavors that make Persian cuisine so memorable. Saffron dyes the rice a…

Stick to It

Yes, stickiness is this week’s concept.  In the immediate sense, baklava is exuberantly messy, leaving even the most careful eater feeling like Winnie the Pooh after getting his head stuck in the honey jar.  Not only does the syrup infuse the entire pastry, holding fast every morsel and keeping in place about a billion layers…

Nice to Have It on Hand

Unwelcome as it is to contemplate, colder weather will be here soon enough, at least until spring inevitably reasserts itself immediately thereafter.   Until then, though, we make due with whatever happiness the season affords.  Among fall’s/winter’s unrivaled pleasures is immersing oneself in coziness and comfort, keeping the chill at bay. Little else delivers that…

The Quest for Tah Dig

It’s what marks a successful Persian rice pilaf, the tah dig, or crust that forms beneath the rice as it cooks.  This requires careful attention to ensure the rice doesn’t overcook and the tah dig doesn’t burn to a blackened crisp.   Charcoal definitely isn’t good eats, to adapt one of Alton Brown’s favorite locutions. Timed…

Chicken Soup Warms the Soul

Chicken soup has earned a leading spot in most people’s cold-weather arsenals, and with good reason.  Not only does it provide life-sustaining warmth, but as important, it comforts our minds as well.  It brings back childhood’s happiness and security, the good feelings often outlasting the soup itself.  It’s magical, this elixir. This is the Persian take…