Kookoo Kadoo - Persian Zucchini Kookoo

Persian kookoo/kuku is a combination of finely chopped or grated vegetables such as potatoes, herbs, and zucchini mixed with eggs and spices and fried on the stove or baked in the oven. Zucchini kookoo is a healthy, light, and tasty dish. In our home, this is a favorite! It's one of the few dishes that both my kids, who are picky eaters, love and ask for, and there are usually no leftovers. Kookoo kadoo may be served as a side dish when serving guests, but I like to serve it with some fresh and crisp salad, a dollop of yogurt, and some warm pita bread.

Kookoo Kadoo -  Zucchini Kookoo

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

4 large zucchini, peeled and grated
3 large eggs
1 medium onion, peeled and grated, discard juice
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons flour
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
A pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying

Method:

1. Sprinkle the grated zucchini with salt and let it sit in a colander for 10-15 minutes, and squeeze out the excess water.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine zucchini, onion, garlic, flour, turmeric, salt, pepper, and the eggs. Mix thoroughly.  
3. In a large frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Scoop the mixture using a large spoon and carefully place it into the hot oil, and fry on both sides until golden brown. 
4. You can also pour the mixture into a greased ovenproof baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit in a preheated oven until kookoo is completely set. I used a non-stick square muffin pan.
5.  Best served warm. 

Enjoy!

Moraba-ye Haveej - Persian Carrot Jam

Has it ever happened to you that you have all the necessary ingredients to make a delicious meal but instead you don't know what to cook and are not inspired enough to cook up something new! These are the times you call your mom, sister, friend, or even a neighbor and ask for their opinion. We need suggestions and helpful comments as to how to do our hair, what to wear to a wedding, what color purse matches our outfits and so on. In my case, several days ago I was looking at a 5 pound bag of organic carrots and wondered about the possibilities.

In our home we almost have a set menu that everyone is more or less OK with. There are things that I may make several times a month and then there are those dishes that I rarely make for no special reason and dishes that include carrots are among them. When it comes to carrots, we prefer to eat them raw. There's usually a plate of sliced fruits and vegetables such as carrots, celery, broccoli, apples and oranges on our kitchen table at all times. I needed some inspiration to make something different and new with them. So, I decided to put the question to the fans of Turmeric and Saffron's Facebook Page. That's a community that I'm so grateful for and appreciate to be a part of. There were wonderful responses but the idea of making a مربای هویج Persian carrot preserve with cardamom as suggested by one of the fans had me so excited that  I decided to give it a try!

You can either cook carrots, water and sugar together from the start, or first cook the carrots lightly to soften them a little. However, for me, softening the carrots is not an issue since we are used to eating them raw. 

Moraba-ye Haveej - Persian Carrot Jam

Ingredients:

2 pounds carrots, peeled and grated

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

5 cardamom pods (remember to remove the pods)

2 tablespoons rosewater

Method:

1. Place carrots and two cups of water in a large heavy-bottomed pot, bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes. 
2. Add sugar all at once and bring mixture back to full rolling boil, stirring constantly until sugar is completely dissolved. 
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, add cardamom and lime juice, cover and continue to cook for about 30 minutes or until it has thickened and looks syrupy. 
4. In the last 5 minutes of cooking add rosewater, stir and cover the pot. 
5. Ladle jam into sterilized and dry glass jars, allow to cool completely and close the lids tightly, refrigerate.

Spring Is Just Around The Corner! It's Time For Spring Cleaning - Iranian Style

It may seem too early to talk about Spring cleaning when the ground is covered with snow and the weather is freezing where I live. However, there are only four weeks left until the Spring equinox when the days and nights are of equal length and the start of Persian New Year and the celebration of Nowruz (New Day)!

Before the actual Nowruz celebration, festivities, family gatherings and all the visits (did-o-bazdid-e Eid) begins, there's the extensive top to bottom, thorough and all-out spring cleaning (khaneh- tekani) that has to take place. This ritual is for everyone and every household, whether one lives in a simple room with minimal furnishings or in a palatial mansion filled with luxurious items! This once a year cleaning ritual is more than the typical routine of vacuuming, mopping and dusting that we normally do. In our home, like the homes of many Iranians, the process of Spring cleaning starts weeks before the Nowruz celebration, so by the time Nowruz arrives (sal-e tahvil), the house would be sparkling clean, organized and neat, the children dressed in their new spring clothes and the Haft-Seen table (table with items starting with the letter "S" each symbolically representing, health, happiness and prosperity), would be beautifully set.

Growing up in Iran, this was one of the best times of the year. My mother's ritual of spring cleaning would start with going through all the closets and chest drawers one by one. She would  take everything out, get rid of the old and worn out clothing, put the winter clothes away and neatly return the "good" clothing. Then she would clean the rugs, draperies, shades, windows, refrigerator, stove, kitchen cabinets and appliances. Not to mention, the occasional fresh coat of paint for the living room and dining room and the re-upholstery of some of the chairs where we usually entertain and greet family and friends. These are a few rituals, among many others, that take place in preparation for the Persian New Year.

These processes are also a symbolic reminder to take in the spirit of Spring and clear our hearts and minds and let go of grudges and hard feelings that we might have accumulated and try to start the New Year with a new attitude and positive outlook on life. I personally find the خانه تکانی Spring cleaning activities joyous and look forward to cleaning every nook and cranny in my house and to let go of anything that I have held on to over the years. It's time for me to carry on the tradition, as my mother kept it together after the loss of my father and my only sister. She welcomed the Nowruz celebrations with joy, and I too shall do the same without my mother's presence. Is there ever a time to overcome your loss?  I take in the fresh new air of the coming New Year and am working on the challenging task of being in the moment with every breath. Enjoy your Spring Cleaning and have fun with it!

Peace and blessings!

Paloodeh: A Persian Sweet Cantaloupe Smoothie

This is a refreshing and nutritious drink made with ripe and sweet cantaloupes and is a superb thirst quencher. Cantaloupes are great especially when served in the morning for breakfast. It is also wonderful to set up a beautiful tray of sliced cantaloupe and honeydew melon along with watermelon during scorching hot summer days or any other day of the year while they are in season. In our home, like the homes of most Iranians, having fresh vegetables and fruits daily is a must and cantaloupe is one of the fruits/vegetables that we buy in large quantities when available.

Paloodeh, not to be confused with faloodeh (Persian frozen dessert), is made with pureed cantaloupe, sugar, water, and optional rosewater and is served chilled.

Paloodeh

Ingredients:
Serves 2

1/2 cantaloupe
1 cup of ice cubes 
1 tablespoon sugar (depending on your taste, increase or reduce the amount of sugar), honey or any other sweetener may also be used instead of sugar
1 tablespoon rosewater 
1 tablespoon lime juice 

Method:

1. Wash the cantaloupe, cut in half, remove the seeds, peel the skin off and cut into small pieces. 
2. Place the pieces of cantaloupe into a blender, add sugar, ice, rosewater and lime juice. Blend until smooth. 
3. Pour into a pitcher and chill for an hour or two. 

Serve chilled or with crushed ice.

Enjoy!

Fereni: Persian Rice Flour Dessert

فرنی Fereni is a soft, creamy and sweet dessert made with rice flour, milk, sugar and rosewater and is very comforting for the cold winter days. My mother was born in the western city of Hamadan, Iran, which was known for its Alvand Mountain (kuh-e Alvand), historical background, many tourist attractions as well as its very cold winters. Hamadan is one of the oldest cities in Iran. When my mother married she moved from one of coldest and oldest cities in Iran to one of the hottest areas in the country with new constructions and developments due to the oil industry. She brought her love of Baba Taher poetry with her, some of Ibn Sina's knowledge about herbal medicines and Hamadan's cold weather foods. Foods that are meant to warm you up and soothe you came from my mother's side.

This is yet another wonderful dessert made with rice. Unlike the other rice desserts that are cooked with rice grains such Saffron Rice Pudding (Sholeh Zard) and Rice Pudding (Shir Berenj), Fereni is made with rice flour.The cooking time may take about 20-30 minutes or until all the ingredients are all well blended, well cooked and thickened. However, Fereni needs a good stirring while cooking on the stove, otherwise it will turn into lumps.

Fereni, like many other delicious Iranian foods, doesn't need any garnish but decorating the food and making it pleasing to the eyes is also very important. Of course, this may vary from household to household. In our home, my father enjoyed an elaborately garnished and well presented dish just as much as he cared for the taste. On the other hand, my mother couldn't be bothered with food presentation after raising a bunch of loud and hyper kids (excluding me of course!) Many times she would bring the pot of stews (ash and abgusht) right from the stove to the table. That may be why I  go back and forth between making the food look pretty or just leaving it on the stove for everyone to serve themselves!

Fereni: Persian Rice Flour Dessert

Ingredients:

Serves 4

1 cup rice flour

1 1/3 cup sugar

1/2 gallon of milk (6-8 cups of milk)

3 tablespoons rosewater 

1-2 tablespoons of crushed pistachios or slivered almonds for garnish

Method:

1. In a bowl add 2 cups of cold milk to the rice flour and let it soak for at least 1/2 an hour before cooking. 
2. In a heavy bottom pot, bring the remaining milk to a gentle boil, add the flour and milk mixture and lower the heat to medium-low. Give it a good stir. 
3. Mix in the sugar and stir frequently. Cook for about 20 minutes, add the rose water and cook for an additional 10 minutes. 

Serve in a large bowl or small individual size bowls. Garnish with crushed pistachios or slivered almonds. 

Fereni may be served warm, cold or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Sekanjabin: A Sweet and Sour Ancient Persian Syrup and Drink

سکنجبین Sekanjabin is one of the oldest sweet and sour syrups in Iran, dating back to ancient times. Its name comes from serkeh (vinegar) and angabin (honey), and it was traditionally made with honey as its natural sweetener. This refreshing syrup, and the drink prepared from it (sharbat-e sekanjabin), is a summertime staple across Iran. 

I'm sharing this recipe in the middle of winter, inspired by a reader who recently asked if I had a sekanjabin recipe. Growing up in southern Iran, where summers are long and hot, sekanjabin was more than a drink; it was a ritual. On warm afternoons, my mother would place a bowl of this syrup in the center of a tray, surrounded by several crisp heads of lettuce. We would gather around the table or spread a picnic blanket under the shade of a tree, dipping lettuce leaves into the syrup. 

 Almost every time we had sekanjabin, my mother reminded us that sekanjabin was not only delicious but also medicinal, filled with healing properties, and a good source of vitamins. She always made sekanjabin with homemade grape vinegar. 

1- Sekanjabin with Sugar and Vinegar

Ingredients

-1/2 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
-2 cups sugar
-2 cups water
- 1 small bunch of fresh mint, washed
-2 small seedless cucumbers, washed, peeled, and shredded (for the drink)Lime rind *optional

Method

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine sugar and water. Place on medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
2. Reduce the heat and gently boil for 10-15 minutes. 
3. Add the vinegar and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the mixture slightly thickens. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking. (I often add 2 extra tablespoons of vinegar for a tangier syrup.)
4. In the last couple of minutes, add the fresh mint to the syrup. 
5. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Remove the mint leaves before serving.

Pour the sekanjabin into a small bowl and place in the center of a platter of lettuce leaves. Note: Sekanjabin is quite sticky!

Sekanjabin Drink (Sharbat-e Sekanjabin)

Ingredients

- Sekanjabin syrup (from recipe above)

-2-3 small seedless cucumbers, grated

-A few drops of rosewater 

-Ice and cold water

-Fresh mint leaves and lime slices, for garnish

Method

1- In a large pitcher, mix 1 part syrup to 4 parts water, adjusting for sweetness.

2-Stir in the grated cucumbers and a few drops of rosewater.

3-Add ice and serve chilled.

2- Sekanjabin with Honey and Vinegar

Ingredients

-1 1/3 cups honey (clover or orange blossom)
-1 cup water
-2/3 cup vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar)

Method

1. Follow the same cooking directions as in the sugar-and-vinegar recipe: combine honey and water in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, stir until dissolved, then add vinegar and simmer until slightly thickened.
2. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface. 
3. Taste and adjust the sweetness. 

Pour the cooled syrup into a clean glass jar; seal it tightly and store it in a cool place.

Enjoy!

Khoresh-e Kadoo - Gray Squash Lamb Stew

In the Persian cuisine there are a number of tasty, slow cooked stews (khoresh/khoresht) that combine the seasonal vegetables with either meat or chicken. Iranian food is not heavily spiced and in order to achieve the optimal taste, some patience, time and planning is required. I usually buy the needed ingredients a day in advance and take care of some of the things that could be done ahead of time without jeopardizing the freshness of the food. There are those that have their onions thinly sliced (an essential part of Iranian cooking), fried, packed, sealed and frozen for when it's needed. Same goes with fried eggplants and herbs. And there are those that even have a  herb and bean stew (ghormeh sabzi) ready to be served in their freezer for that guest that might drop by unexpectedly! We grew up where going to a family member or friend's house didn't require an invitation or a prior notice, even a phone call wasn't necessary.

Gray Squash

This dish خورش کدو khoresh-e Kadoo is usually made with the summer squash called zucchini/courgette, the long and green zucchini which tastes wonderful. Yet, since I've discovered the gray squash in my local Italian vegetable store, which is a town over, I've made the switch at least for now. I find this kind of squash to be more firm and tastier and they are the perfect size also, just cut them in half, lengthwise. This dish can also be made without meat.

.

Khoresh Kadoo Sabz- Gray Squash Lamb Stew

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

1 1/2 pounds meat (lamb or beef), wash, cut in cubes
7 gray squash or zucchini, wash, peel, cut in half, you may leave the skin on
2 large tomatoes, remove skin and finely chop/or use a can of crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large onion, peeled, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled, finely chopped
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
3-4 crushed or whole dried lemons (limoo amani) or juice of 1-2 lemons depending on your taste

1/3 teaspoon cinnamon  
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil


Method:

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a frying pan, fry the squash slices over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan, saute sliced onions over medium heat until translucent, add the turmeric powder and garlic, stir and saute for another 2-3 minutes. 
3. Add the meat, brown on all sides, add cinnamon, salt and pepper. 
4. Add the tomato paste, cook for five minutes, add the crushed tomatoes. 
5. Add water to cover the ingredients by a couple of inches and add limoo amani. Bring to a rapid boil, lower the heat to medium low, cover and cook for an hour or until meat is tender. 
6. Add water if needed. If you are using lemon juice, add it after the meat becomes tender.
7. In an oven-proof dish, place half of the meat sauce and add a layer of the fried squash, repeat. Taste and adjust the seasoning, cover with a foil and cook for 40 minutes in the 350 degrees Fahrenheit preheated oven.  

Serve warm with some white basmati rice, yogurt, salad and herbs.

Enjoy!