Read The New Persian Kitchen Online
Authors: Louisa Shafia
The New Persian Kitchen (13 page)
Vinegar Carrots with Toasted Sesame Seeds
sesame seeds
This pungent salad is great as a sandwich fixing on the
Sweet and Smoky Beet Burgers
, or tucked into flatbread with the
Potato Cakes with Tamarind Sauce
. Use a carrot peeler to peel the carrots into long, graceful ribbons or a mandoline slicer to cut them into matchsticks. To peel the carrots easily, lay them on a cutting board, hold onto the stem end, and rotate as you peel away each section. Marinate the salad for a few hours before serving to let the nutty toasted sesame oil infuse the carrots.
Sweet and Smoky Beet Burgers
, or tucked into flatbread with the
Potato Cakes with Tamarind Sauce
. Use a carrot peeler to peel the carrots into long, graceful ribbons or a mandoline slicer to cut them into matchsticks. To peel the carrots easily, lay them on a cutting board, hold onto the stem end, and rotate as you peel away each section. Marinate the salad for a few hours before serving to let the nutty toasted sesame oil infuse the carrots.
serves 4½ cup sesame seeds (white or black)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sea salt
1½ pounds carrots, cut lenthwise into thin ribbons
1 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the sesame seeds and alternate between shaking the pan and stirring the seeds. When the seeds start to pop, after a couple of minutes, transfer them to a plate and let cool to room temperature.
In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegars, honey, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour the dressing over the carrots, add the cilantro, and toss well. Season to taste with salt and serve.
cucumber and watermelon saladSweet, thirst-quenching watermelon is one of Iran’s most bountiful and well-loved fruits. On scalding summer days, its juice is a refreshing balm in both the dusty desert and in Tehran’s smoggy city streets, where watermelons are sold whole or by the slice. Even the seeds are roasted and eaten as a snack. At the observance of
Shab-e Yalda
on December 21, the longest night of the year, it’s customary to share a watermelon with friends and family, in the anticipation of an auspicious new year. You can assemble this crisp, juicy salad ahead of time, and add the salt and vinegar just before serving.
Shab-e Yalda
on December 21, the longest night of the year, it’s customary to share a watermelon with friends and family, in the anticipation of an auspicious new year. You can assemble this crisp, juicy salad ahead of time, and add the salt and vinegar just before serving.
serves 41 pound unwaxed cucumbers, sliced in half lengthwise
3 cups diced seedless watermelon
1 scallion, green part only, thinly sliced
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Seed the cucumbers and cut them into half-moons ½ inch thick. In a bowl, combine the cucumbers with the watermelon and scallion. Add the salt and vinegar, mix well, and serve immediately.
radish, rhubarb, andstrawberry salad
According to Persian folklore, the first man and woman sprang forth from the rosy red stalks of the rhubarb plant. Although Americans tend to think of it as a fruit, rhubarb is a vegetable, mainly used in Iranian cooking to add sourness to savory dishes. Strawberries, which came to Persia from the West, are known as
toot farangi
, or “foreign berry,” and in this lively salad they temper the rhubarb’s acidic edge. Spicy radishes complete this scarlet trio, while a scattering of pistachios lends it a dramatic finish. Once dressed, serve the salad immediately.
toot farangi
, or “foreign berry,” and in this lively salad they temper the rhubarb’s acidic edge. Spicy radishes complete this scarlet trio, while a scattering of pistachios lends it a dramatic finish. Once dressed, serve the salad immediately.
serves 42 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
4 cups loosely packed torn salad greens
1 large handful fresh spearmint
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 rhubarb stalk, thinly shaved
5 radishes, thinly shaved
1 cup strawberries, hulled and quartered
Toasted pistachios, for garnish
In a large bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of the vinegar and 2 tablespoons of the oil with the garlic. Add the greens and mint and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, and portion onto plates.
In the same bowl, combine the rhubarb, radishes, and strawberries. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 tablespoon oil, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and spoon over the greens. Top with the pistachios, and serve immediately.
Persians
have what you might call an infatuation with produce. In Iran, a food as simple as a boiled beet, a raw cucumber, or an unripe almond can inspire poetry. Aside from the ubiquitous kebab, meat generally plays a supporting role in any given dish and is a bit player compared to the grains, greens, legumes,
vegetables, and fruits that dominate the cuisine. It has even been argued that ancient Iran may at one time have been a vegetarian society.
have what you might call an infatuation with produce. In Iran, a food as simple as a boiled beet, a raw cucumber, or an unripe almond can inspire poetry. Aside from the ubiquitous kebab, meat generally plays a supporting role in any given dish and is a bit player compared to the grains, greens, legumes,
vegetables, and fruits that dominate the cuisine. It has even been argued that ancient Iran may at one time have been a vegetarian society.
In light of the many vegetarian cultures that still exist along the Silk Road—the Hindus and Jains in India, the Buddhists in China and Tibet—the idea of a primarily plant-eating Persia is hardly out of the question. In the epic poem the
Shahnameh
(Book of Kings), the eleventh-century Persian poet Ferdowsi recounts the story of the first time the ancient Persians ate animal flesh. In the poem, the devil seduces the mighty King Zahhak by feeding him meat, precipitating his downfall.
Shahnameh
(Book of Kings), the eleventh-century Persian poet Ferdowsi recounts the story of the first time the ancient Persians ate animal flesh. In the poem, the devil seduces the mighty King Zahhak by feeding him meat, precipitating his downfall.
With ingredients sourced from throughout the Persian Empire and trading partners in southern Europe, northern Africa, and the Far East, the ancient Persians would have had a colorful diet based on the sheer variety of edible plants alone, and that diversity continues to this day. Throughout this book you’ll find recipes that pay homage to the vibrant Persian vegetable bazaar, and in this chapter alone you’ll find green herbs, artichokes, garlic, onions, tomatoes, beets, potatoes, and more.
You’ll also find vegetable dishes based on time-honored Persian cooking traditions, as well as my own newfangled creations that incorporate Persian staples. The
Sweet and Smoky Beet Burger
, for example, is my original take on the veggie burger, made with Persian-approved ingredients, such as walnuts, golden raisins, and kidney beans. The
Herb Frittata with Walnuts and Rose Petals
, on the other hand, is a popular Persian baked egg dish called a
kuku
. Like the Spanish
tortilla
or the Italian frittata, you can add just about anything to a
kuku
, but it typically features one main ingredient, such as eggplant, cauliflower, chicken, or green herbs. The
Potato Cakes with Tamarind Sauce
in this chapter are what’s known as a
kotlet
, a Persian favorite similar to a Russian
kotlety
, a hearty patty made with minced meat or vegetables.
Sweet and Smoky Beet Burger
, for example, is my original take on the veggie burger, made with Persian-approved ingredients, such as walnuts, golden raisins, and kidney beans. The
Herb Frittata with Walnuts and Rose Petals
, on the other hand, is a popular Persian baked egg dish called a
kuku
. Like the Spanish
tortilla
or the Italian frittata, you can add just about anything to a
kuku
, but it typically features one main ingredient, such as eggplant, cauliflower, chicken, or green herbs. The
Potato Cakes with Tamarind Sauce
in this chapter are what’s known as a
kotlet
, a Persian favorite similar to a Russian
kotlety
, a hearty patty made with minced meat or vegetables.
You already know about kebabs, but the kebabs in this chapter are made of animal-free (but perfectly “meaty”) tempeh and seasoned with a citrusy herb marinade. Stuffed vegetables, called
dolmeh
, come in all shapes and sizes in Persian cuisine and are usually filled with vegetables and meat. In these recipes, they come in the form of
Roasted Stuffed Artichokes with Mint Oil
and the
Stuffed Tomatoes
filled with quinoa, goat cheese, white beans, and parsley. What these varied dishes have in common is their uniquely Persian seasoning. Turmeric, cinnamon, lime, caramelized onions, and lemony sumac give these vegetarian foods a depth of flavor that is rich, exotic, and delightfully unexpected.
herbdolmeh
, come in all shapes and sizes in Persian cuisine and are usually filled with vegetables and meat. In these recipes, they come in the form of
Roasted Stuffed Artichokes with Mint Oil
and the
Stuffed Tomatoes
filled with quinoa, goat cheese, white beans, and parsley. What these varied dishes have in common is their uniquely Persian seasoning. Turmeric, cinnamon, lime, caramelized onions, and lemony sumac give these vegetarian foods a depth of flavor that is rich, exotic, and delightfully unexpected.
frittata with walnuts and rose petals
kuku sabzi
Slicing into this fragrant frittata reveals an emerald-green interior with a bready texture and a warm, nutty flavor. This springtime dish, full of green herbs that signify new beginnings, is part of the traditional meal at
Norooz
, the Persian New Year that falls on the spring equinox. Try folding slices of the frittata into flatbread with the feta, radishes, and herbs on the
Fresh Herb Platter
.
Norooz
, the Persian New Year that falls on the spring equinox. Try folding slices of the frittata into flatbread with the feta, radishes, and herbs on the
Fresh Herb Platter
.
It’s important that the herbs are thoroughly dry, as water will make the texture of the frittata spongy. It can be made the day before serving and will last for a few days.
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