Ranginak - Persian Date Dessert (Recipe #2)

We are in the midst of خرما پزان - khorma pazan season, a term used by locals in the south of Iran when the temperature reaches its peak of 100+ degrees Fahrenheit combined with an elevated humidity above 60 percent, thus making outdoor activities unbearable. However, due to this intense heat, dates become fully ripened/"cooked" while on the tree and ready for harvest. This recipe is an ode to the traditional Khuzestani-style رنگینک ranginak, a delicious date, and walnut dessert. This is an easy recipe that requires just a little bit of patience to stuff the plump pitted dates with lightly toasted walnuts, arrange them onto a platter, and slather them with a warm mixture of melted butter and flour infused with cardamom and cinnamon. The sweet taste of ranginak brings back memories of home.

Dates have been a part of Persian cuisine for hundreds of years. The palm dates grow southward along the Persian Gulf and the warm regions of Ilam, Bushehr, Fars, Khuzestan, Sistan & Baluchestan, and Kerman. To most people, pomegranates may be considered the national fruit of Iran but in my opinion, dates are the national fruit of Khuzestan! Many years have gone by since I lived there but it's the many images and memories that still run through my mind. I remember Khoramshar's vast fields of date palms, the stacks of tin buckets filled with dates in small shops, barely-ripe or half-ripe bunches of dates spread about on the woven mat, and then, of course, my mother's date dessert.

Dates were a snack for when we got home from school back then and now whether they are fresh, dried, large, or small, dates will go perfectly with your hot cup of tea any time of the day. They are so addictive that you'll be tempted to reach for a date with every sip and let the sweetness of the dates mingle with the aroma and slightly bitter taste of the strong, freshly brewed loose leaf chai. Dates are naturally sweet and substantially tastier than any other sweet fruits and they come in many different varieties and depending on when they are harvested dates may range from unripe to partially ripe or fully ripe.

I wrote my mother's version of this recipe a long time ago, which is less time-consuming than this version. In that recipe, instead of stuffing the dates one by one, you would combine them together and heat them through before you add the butter and flour mixture since you don't need to stuff them individually. My mother's approach to cooking was a no-fuss, no-frills way of cooking. On an ordinary day, she had to prepare meals for her large family and cooking was the only thing that she did not like to delegate at all.

Ranginak

Ingredients:
Makes about 24 pieces

1 pound dates, pitted
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter
1/2 cup walnuts, halves
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
2-3 tablespoons pistachios, finely crushed

Method:

1. Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet for 3-5 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until fragrant. remove Stuff the toasted walnuts into the cavity of the dates.
2. In a medium-sized skillet toast the flour for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the edges turn a light golden brown. 
3. Add the butter and cook for 15-20 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, and sugar, stir well. Cook for 10 minutes over medium-low heat.
4. Spread 1/2 of the batter on the bottom of the serving platter and arrange the stuffed dates in a single layer on the dish.
5. Spread the remaining batter over the dates, gently press down. Garnish with pistachios. Let cool for a couple of hours.

Serve with hot tea.

Enjoy!

Estamboli Polow - Persian Tomato Rice with Potatoes

This recipe is perfect any time of year since most pantries are always stocked with fresh tomatoes or canned tomato products. Still, I like to wait for the weather to warm up and for peak tomato season to arrive, when I can cook with vine-ripened tomatoes instead of the dull, tasteless ones picked green.

This recipe is loosely based on my grandmother's recipe; she was well known for her delicious cooking. 

For a more tart استامبولی پلو - estamboli polow recipe, I searched the vegetable markets for good torsh (tangy) tomatoes, but to no avail. Among the many varieties available, I settled on flavorful beefsteak tomatoes, which worked beautifully. 

In the hot summer months, I prefer to be outdoors and try to minimize my time in the kitchen. This tomato rice is a perfect warm-weather dish, light, flavorful, and wonderfully paired with grilled chicken, fish, or vegetables. 

There are many variations of estamboli polow, ranging from simple tomato rice to a more elaborate platter of rice with meat and green beans. The recipe often depends on which part of Iran you're from and how it was traditionally prepared in your home. Depending on what part of the country you are from, and how this was prepared in your home. 

For us, growing up in Khuzestan, estamboli meant کته تماته/گوجه فرنگی - kateh-ye tamate, a slow-cooked rice dish made with tomato puree and small cubes of potato. We used the long and narrow type of potato called estamboli in Iran. which gives the dish its distinct texture and name.

For a simpler version, you can omit the cubed potatoes. And if you prefer a less acidic flavor, skip the tomato paste altogether. You can skip the tomato paste. Ultimately, this dish can be adapted to suit your taste, diet, and preferences.

Estamboli Polow

Ingredients
Serves 4

-2 1/2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed well and drained
-7 ripe medium tomatoes, blanched and peeled
-6 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
-1 small onion, diced
-1-2 tablespoons organic tomato paste (for added color and a slightly tangy flavor), optional
-1/2 teaspoon turmeric
-A good pinch of crushed red pepper
-Salt
Olive oil or butter

Method

1. In a pot of boiling water, blanch the tomatoes for 5 minutes or until the skins loosen. Let cool, then remove the skins and cores. Puree the tomatoes in a food processor; this should yield about 4 cups of tomato puree.
2. Wash the rice thoroughly in a bowl until the water runs clear, then drain completely.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the well-drained rice with the tomato puree. Mix well and let soak for 20-30 minutes before cooking. Do not drain.
4. In a large pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions, and saute until golden. 
5. Add the potatoes and cook for about 7-8 minutes or until golden on all sides. Add turmeric and a pinch of salt and stir well.
6. Push the potatoes to one side of the pan and add the tomato paste to the center. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until the color deepens.
7. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the rice-tomato mixture. Add 1/4 cup of water, 1 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of red pepper; stir gently to combine.
8. Return the pan to medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Add 2 tablespoons of butter or oil and stir. Reduce the heat to low, cover the lid with a paper towel or a clean dishcloth, place the lid tightly, and cook for about 45 minutes. Avoid overcooking or adding too much water, as this can make the rice mushy.

Serve with plain yogurt or mast o khiar, sabzi khordan with a bunch of fresh mints, and salad shirazi.

Enjoy!