Torshi Makhloot - Persian Mixed Vegetable Pickle

ترشی مخلوط  Torshi (pickled vegetables) are the perfect tangy, crunchy, and flavorful accompaniment to Persian dishes, such as abgousht (lamb soup), kababs, kotlets, and polow & khoresh (rice and stew). There are many varieties of torshi, but this torshi makhloot is a classic blend of fresh vegetables, fragrant herbs, spices, and vinegar.

Torshi Makhloot - Mixed Vegetable Pickle

Ingredients

-3 large carrots, washed, peeled, finely chopped or shredded
-2 medium eggplants, peeled, diced

-2 green bell peppers, washed, cleaned, and diced
-1 small cauliflower, washed, finely chopped

-1 small head of celery, washed and finely chopped

-1/2 cup shredded white cabbage

-Fresh herbs (1 cup each): parsley, coriander, dill, washed, dried, and finely chopped

-Additional herbs (2 tablespoons each fresh or dried tarragon, mint, basil

-2 tablespoons dried lime powder (limoo amani)
-2 tablespoons crushed angelica (golpar)

-2 tablespoons nigella seeds (siah daneh)
-2 tablespoons fennel seeds (razianeh)

2 tablespoons coriander seeds (tokhm-e geshneez)
-7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-4 tablespoons salt

-2 red hot peppers, dried or fresh, chopped
-1 teaspoon turmeric 

5-7 cups white vinegar

Method

1. Prepare eggplants: sprinkle with salt and either bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20- 25 minutes, or cook with 1/2 cup of water over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Make sure all herbs and vegetables are completely dry before mixing. Spread washed herbs on a tablecloth for several hours to air-dry.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all vegetables, herbs, and spices; mix well.
4. Using a wooden spoon, pack the mixture into clean glass jars. Pour additional vinegar if needed to cover the vegetables completely. 
5. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt into each jar before closing the lid tightly.
6. Store jars in a cool, dry place for at least 2 weeks before serving.  

Enjoy!

Khoresh Bademjan - Eggplant Stew

خورش بادمجان Traditional Iranian lamb and eggplant stew with yellow split peas and tomatoes, is a beloved classic in Persian cuisine. Khoresh bademjan is a beautiful balance of flavors and textures. The combination of savory lamb, creamy eggplant, and tangy tomatoes creates a satisfying meal that has long been a favorite among Iranians.

Khoresh Bademjan - Eggplant Stew

Ingredients

Serves 6

-1 pound lamb or beef, washed and cubed
-2 large eggplants, peeled, sliced, and salted (about1-2 tablespoons of salt)
-2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
-1 large onion, chopped
-2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
-4 limoo amani (dried lime)
-1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
-1/2 teaspoon turmeric
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lime, or to taste, or 1-2 tablespoons verjuice or 1 teaspoon gard-e ghooreh (unripe grapes) (ground sour grapes)
Vegetable oil

Method

1. Place the salted eggplant slices in a large container of water. Weigh them down with a heavy lid or bowl to keep them submerged for 10 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and set aside.  
2. Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant slices until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. 
3. Gently place tomatoes in boiling water for about 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water. Once cool, peel off the skins and chop.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté chopped onions until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in turmeric, lamb cubes, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Cook until the meat is brown on all sides.  
5. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, and enough water to cover the ingredients by an inch. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 40-50 minutes.  
6. Add fried eggplants and dried limes. Add more water if needed. 
7. Cover and cook for another 20 minutes or until the meat is tender. 
8. Add lime juice or verjuice and cinnamon, cover, and simmer for another 15 minutes on low heat, allowing all the flavors to blend..  

Serve hot over steamed basmati rice, with fresh herbs, salad shirazi, torshi, or mast o khiar.

Enjoy!

Kookoo Sabzi

کوکوسبزی Kookoo sabzi is a Persian herb dish traditionally served during Nowruz (Persian New Year) celebrations. This one-pan vegetarian dish is packed with a variety of fresh herbs and just enough eggs to bind everything together. Baking it in the oven instead of frying keeps it lighter and less oily, making it a great option for the health-conscious cook. Once the herbs are cleaned and chopped, assembling and cooking this dish is quick and simple.

Kookoo Sabzi

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

-2 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley, stems removed, chopped
-2 bunches scallions or chives (Iranian tareh), chopped
-1 bunch fresh dill, stems removed, chopped
-1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
-2 tablespoons barberries (zereshk), rinsed (available in Iranian/Persian markets)
-2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped

-1 tablespoon flour
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-6 large eggs
-1/3 teaspoon turmeric
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-A pinch of red pepper

-1-2  tablespoons butter
-Olive oil 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a medium baking dish (or grease with oil) and set it aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a fork or whisk until well blended
3. Add all the chopped herbs, barberries, walnuts, turmeric, flour, baking powder, red pepper, salt, and pepper, mix well to combine. 
4. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
5. Pour the mixture into a prepared baking dish, smoothing the top evenly.
6. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the center is firm. 
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting into serving-size pieces. 

Transfer to a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature with bread and mast o khiar and torshi (pickles).

Enjoy!

Sabzi Polow Mahi - Herb Rice with Fish

سبزی پلو با ماهی Sabzi polow (herbed rice) and crispy pan fried mahi (fish) is one of the main traditional meals for Nowruz - Persian New Year. There's only few weeks left before Nowruz and I'm all ready for the cold winter to be over. The weather is still very cold, the grass is brown and there are no blossoms on the trees. However, yesterday I made Sabzi polow - herbe rice with fried fish. These are traditionally served on New Year's day.

Sabzi Polow Mahi - Herb Rice with Fish

Ingredients:
Serves 6

2 cups long grain (basmati) rice
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh coriander
1 cup chopped fresh scallions (green parts only), use tareh instead if you can find them in markets where you live
3-4 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon saffron dissolved in 4 tablespoons hot water
Salt
Vegetable oil or butter
Water

Method:

1. Clean, wash, dry and finely chop the herbs and mix them together in a large bowl. It’s better to use fresh herbs for this dish; however there is always the dried sabzi polow herb mix that you can find in Iranian grocery stores.
2. Wash the rice with cool water a few times. Soak in 8 cups of water, add 4 tablespoons of salt and set aside for a couple of hours. In a large non-stick pan, bring 3 quarts of water to a rapid boil. Drain the rice and add to the pot. Bring water to back to a boil for about 5-7 minutes. Test to see if the rice is ready. Rice should be firm in the center and soft on the outside. Strain the rice using a colander and rinse with cool water.
3. Wash and dry the pot and return to heat, add 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil and a few drops of liquid saffron. With a large spatula place the rice into the pot, place a layer of rice and a layer of vegetables building it into a pyramid shape. Place the peeled garlic cloves in between rice. Make 4 holes in the rice with the bottom of the spatula to release the steam. 
4. Cover and cook for 7-10 minutes on medium-high heat until rice is steaming. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil and 2-3 tablespoons of water over the rice, lower the heat, cover and steam the rice for 50 minutes on medium-low heat.With a large scoop take some rice from the top, mix in with the dissolved saffron and set aside. Serve rice on a platter; sprinkle the mixture of rice and saffron on top.

Mahi - Fish

Ingredients:
Serves 6

6-8 pieces of white fish fillet or a fish of your choice
1 cup flour (to coat fish)
Garlic powder
A pinch of red pepper
A pinch of turmeric powder
Salt and black pepper
Vegetable oil
1 large Lime

Method:

1. Season fish on both sides, lightly coat the fillet with flour and  shake off any excess flour.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat, place fish in the pan and fry until golden brown and crispy on both sides.
3. Place the fried fish on a serving platter, squeeze lime juice over the fillets. 

Serve sabzi polow and mahi with fresh herbs, salad and pickles (torshi).

Enjoy!