Shab-e Yalda (Winter Solstice) 2016 and a Recipe for Apple and Pear Faloodeh

Yalda, the ancient Persian festival of the winter solstice is celebrated on the eve of the longest night of the year which also marks the beginning of the winter season in the northern hemisphere. شب یلدا Shab-e yalda (yalda night) festival dates back several thousands of years ago to the birth of Mithra, the light of the world and the god of justice and victory. It's a wonderful night when family and friends gather together to celebrate, laugh, eat, drink, and read the poetry of Hafez and tell stories late into the night. For me, besides the memorable yalda nights of my childhood which involved delicious food, ruby red seeded pomegranates, small round watermelons, ajil, sweets and tea, it's remembering how adamant my mother was to instill the appreciation for shab-e yalda and all other Iranian celebrations in me.

I came across this faloodeh recipe a few years ago. I was so intrigued by its simplicity and availability of the ingredients that I made it right away, took a photo, and posted it on my Facebook page. Ever since then, I have had this recipe on my mind and I wanted to post this fresh fruit-based faloodeh/paloodeh on my blog. I like the combination of fresh apple and pear flavors in this Iranian-style faloodeh/paloodeh. The term faloodeh also refers to the Iranian frozen rice noodle dessert that is served with sour cherry syrup.

There are many different types of apples and pears. They vary in color, texture, and taste and since everyone has their own favorites, you may choose whichever type of apple or pear that you prefer for this recipe. This recipe was adapted from the British Museum website a long time ago and the direct link seems to be broken. Here's the link to the Apple and Pear Sherbet post on my Facebook page 5 years ago.

Ingredients:
Serves 4

2 large apples
2 large pears
1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon superfine sugar (add more sugar if you prefer it sweeter)
1/2 teaspoon rosewater

Method:

1. Thoroughly rinse the fruits in cold water, pat dry with a paper towel or cloth and grate them using a handheld grater. If you prefer, you may remove the skin but it's not necessary.
2. Place the grated apples, pears, lime juice, rosewater and sugar into a bowl. Stir and mix it well.

Scoop the faloodeh into serving bowls/glasses and make sure you serve it right away since apples and pears turn brown quickly. You can spoon it over ice cream, yogurt, or simple cakes or just eat it plain.

*You can turn the apple and pear faloodeh into a drink by simply adding a cup of cold water and 1-2 cups of ice.

Maman and Baba sitting around a korsi on shab-e yalda, circa 1970

Happy Shab-e Yalda!

Kookoo Khorfeh - Purslane Kookoo

Every year from mid-spring to late summer, I eagerly await the appearance of dark-green خرفه (purslane) sprouts in my backyard, peeking through the vegetable garden, flower borders, and even the cracks between the cement. Often under-appreciated and overlooked, purslane has always been one of my favorites.  A handful of fresh succulent leaves can elevate almost any dish, adding a slightly tart and peppery flavor. Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B, and many other nutrients, purslane is as nourishing as it is flavorful. 

Purslane (portulaca oleracea) has been labeled as a garden weed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and I gave up looking for it in stores long ago. In Iran, and in many other countries, khorfeh (purslane) happens to be a popular summer green. I'm always looking for different ways to prepare it, but with the little purslane I manage to gather, I can't get too creative! I usually add it to salad shirazi, mast o khiar, sabzi khordan, and even fruit salads. Tokhm-e khorfeh, purslane's black seeds, are used in Iranian baking and sprinkled over naan berenji and shirini keshmeshi for extra flavor.

On a recent trip to the grocery store, I was delighted to find rows of purslane nicely stacked on the shelf, imported all the way from Mexico! I bought a few bunches and then decided to make کوکوخرفه kookoo khorfeh - purslane kookoo with parsley, chives, and caramelized onion.

Now that summer is almost behind us, only a few purslane plants are remaining in the garden, and I wanted to share this recipe before the season officially ends. I usually find it much easier to bake kookoo sabzi in the oven rather than cook it on the stovetop; it's simpler and doesn't require flipping the wedges halfway through. For this recipe, though, I chose to make it the traditional way on the stovetop, just as my mother used to cook almost all her dishes. I know many of you like to add a bit of baking powder to your kookoo for a lighter texture, dishes, so feel free to mix in about a teaspoon if you prefer.

Kookoo Khorfeh - Purslane Kookoo

Ingredients
Serves 4-6

-2 bunches of purslane (about 2 cups chopped), use the leaves and the thin part of the stems, discarding the thicker ends
-1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley ( about 1 cup chopped)
-1 bunch fresh tareh (chives) or scallions (green parts only) (about 1 cup chopped)
-6 large eggs, beaten
-1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
-1 tablespoon finely diced walnuts (optional)
-1/2 teaspoon turmeric

-1/2 teaspoon paprika 

-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon black pepper
-A pinch of red pepper 
-Vegetable oil or olive oil for frying

Method:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion slices until translucent, then add the turmeric and stir. Reduce the heat and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the chopped purslane, parsley, chives, caramelized onion, walnuts, eggs, paprika, red pepper, and season with salt and black pepper. Mix until well blended.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture, and spread evenly. Cover and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes. Cut the kookoo into 8 wedges, turning each piece carefully halfway through cooking with a fork and spatula. You can also slice the kookoo after it is fully cooked. 

Serve warm or at room temperature with mast o khiar, salad shirazi, torshi, and warm bread.

Enjoy!

Haft Seen Photos Nowruz 2016

It's Nowruz and it's nature's time for renewal and rejuvenation. I wish you and your family a very happy, healthy, and prosperous new year filled with joy and love. To continue my annual tradition of sharing photos of our haft seen table, here are pictures of the sofreh (the spread of seven S's) representing a symbolic meaning such as rebirth, patience, beauty, health, prosperity and love.

Sabzeh o Sonbol: Representing rebirth and spring

Senjed: Representing love

Somagh: Representing the spice of life

Seer: Representing health

Samanoo: Representing Patience 

Seeb: Representing beauty

Serkeh: Representing age 

Mahi Germez: Representing life

Noghl: Sweets

Poems from the Divan of Hafez

Cooper loves flowers

Beautiful haft seen table by my friend Farzaneh joon

My friend Roya joon's Sofreh haft seen 

An old picture of Khanoum joon, my maternal grandmother, at her haft seen spread circa 1960 in Tehran

Eidetoon Mobarak! Happy Nowruz! Happy Spring!

Ash-e Anar - Persian Pomegranate Soup with Fresh Herbs and Mini Meatballs

I've let many winters and pomegranate seasons go by without writing about آش انار ash-e anar. But today, as I watch the icy snowflakes hit the windows and pile up all around the house, I can't think of a better reason to post a recipe for this hearty and tasty ash-e anar. 

The tradition of making warm ash on cold days, or when you're feeling under the weather and need a little comfort, was passed down to me by my mother. I make ash reshteh all the time, and chances are, if you open my refrigerator, you'll find a bowl tucked in somewhere. And after all these years living in America, it's only recently that I've begun to find large, ruby-red, juicy pomegranates at the markets nearby, just the kind I grew up with. 

You can make this soup with brown or green lentils if you prefer them to yellow split peas. If you choose to use لپه lapeh (yellow split peas), I would recommend boiling them for 7-10 minutes on medium heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface, then draining them before adding to the stew. When making the کوفته قلقلی (koofteh ghelgheli, mini meatballs), try to shape them as tiny as possible, small enough to scoop up easily with a tablespoon. 

If you find the soup a little too sour for your taste, add a touch of sugar to balance the flavors. This recipe serves 6-8 people, but you can easily cut it in half for a smaller batch. And don't skip the نعنا داغ (nana dagh), the fried mint and oil mixture.

Ash-e Anar - Pomegranate Soup

Ingredients
Serves 6-8

-1 pound ground meat (lamb, beef, or turkey)
-1 cup rice, rinsed and drained
-1/2 cup yellow split peas, rinsed
-1 large onion, chopped
-2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
-1 bunch parsley, stems removed, finely chopped
-1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
-1 bunch scallion, green parts only, finely chopped
-2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
-1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
-1/2 cup pomegranate molasses (add  more to taste)
-1/2 teaspoon turmeric Powder
-Salt and pepper to taste
-2 tablespoons dried mint
-2-3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, for garnish
-Vegetable oil or olive oil


Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the yellow split peas and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam from the surface. Reduce the heat, and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until golden brown. Add the garlic, and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, stir well.
3. Add the rice, split peas, and 8 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes with the lid slightly ajar, stirring occasionally. 
4. In the meantime, combine the meat with 2-3 tablespoons of the chopped vegetables, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Form the meat mixture into tiny meatballs.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry the meatballs until brown on all sides. Set aside.
6. Add the meatballs, pomegranate molasses, remaining chopped herbs, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cover and simmer on low heat for another 30-40 minutes.
7. In a small pan, heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat, add a pinch of turmeric and 2 tablespoons of dried mint, stir, and remove from heat. 

ladle the ash into a large serving bowl. Drizzle with nana dagh and garnish with pomegranate seeds, if desired.  Serve with warm bread.

Enjoy!