Naz Khatoon - Persian Eggplant & Herb Salad with Walnuts & Verjuice - Mazandarani-Style

Naz Khatoon is a simple, fire-roasted eggplant salad featuring freshly chopped aromatic and flavorful herbs, minced garlic, and infused with a verjuice dressing, topped with ground walnuts. I had heard of this dish in the past, and all I knew was that it was a northern Iranian eggplant side dish; I was always intrigued by its name, Naz Khatoon. Naz (subtly coquettish) and Khatoon (lady), literally meaning coquettish lady. However, it wasn't until recently that I began inquiring about it. As the saying goes in Iran, "jooyandeh yabandeh bovad" (one who searches always finds), and I finally found the recipe that I was looking for.

 A few weeks ago, a very kindhearted person that I know, who has been teaching Persian language classes on Saturdays with me a few other dedicated teachers, lent me a booklet on Iranian regional cooking. Luckily, in this thin old booklet, I found the recipe for Naz khatoon with some information about the origin of the dish. Naz Khatoon's recipe is from the town of Behshahr, which is also the capital of Behshahr county in Mazandaran province in the northern region of Iran along the Caspian Sea.

I tried to stay true to the original recipe, but I made a few changes. The original recipe called for the use of local Behshahr basi,l and since that's not available here, I simply substituted the regular basil. The recipe suggests the option of using mint instead of basil. Since both herbs add a burst of flavor and aroma to any dish, I decided to use both, with basil as the main herb and half a bunch of mint and flat-leaf parsley. I love the taste of verjuice, and in my teen,s I remember coming home from school and drinking a glass of verjuice. The recipe called for half a bottle (about 2 cups) of verjuice. This amount may be adjusted to your liking. I used about 1 1/2 cups of verjuice for all the ingredients to be fully infused with it, but it may not be evident in the picture. I only used half the amount of liquid before taking photos for the blog so that the texture of the eggplant, herbs and walnuts would show. The only ingredient that was not included in the recipe but that I chose to add was a touch of olive oil before serving to make it easier on the palate.

Naz Khatoon - Persian Eggplant & Herb Salad with Walnuts & Verjuice - Mazandarani-Style

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

-3 medium-large eggplants, preferably fire-roasted (I roasted them in the oven)
-1 bunch basil, finely chopped, may use a combination of both purple and green basil (I only used green basil)
-1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
-1/2 bunch mint, finely chopped
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1 teaspoon ground golpar (angelica powder)
-1 cup walnuts, ground
-1 tablespoon abghooreh (verjuice), add more if you prefer a more sour flavor
-1-2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
-Salt to taste

Method:

1. Pierce the eggplant in several places with a fork. Place over medium-high fire on a stove or a grill until soft. If you are roasting the eggplant in the oven, place the pierced eggplant on a baking sheet and roast in a 400-degree Fahrenheit preheated oven for about 50 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove from the oven or the grill and allow to cool in a colander.
2. Remove the skin and chop the eggplant finely. 
3. In a large bowl, combine chopped eggplant, basil, mint, parsley, garlic, and angelica powder. Add salt to taste. 
4. Pour the verjuice over the eggplant and herb mixture. Mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
5. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over the salad.
6. Sprinkle ground walnuts over the salad.

Serve in a bowl with rice (kateh-style), bread, and yogurt.

Enjoy!

Torshi Piaz - Pickled Red Onions and Pickled Small White Onions

This quick ترشی پیاز torshi-e piaz is easy to make and doesn't require a long aging process before they can be eaten. Torshi is a very popular condiment that is served along with meals at lunch or dinner. There are almost as many different torshi varieties as there are popular vegetables and some pickles are made with more than one kind of vegetable. For example, the Iranian-style vegetable pickle recipe (torshi makhloot) calls for eight different vegetables that are cut into tiny pieces combined with many fresh and/or dried herbs and spices. There is also torshi miveh (fruit torshi), my mother's special recipe that's made with many different fruits and vegetables and is the only torshi that tastes a bit sweet because of the addition of dates and a piece of nabat (rock candy). Torshi is mostly made with vinegar and the taste is rather "torsh" (sour), hence the name. I find pickling very enjoyable and rather calming. Perhaps because it's not an everyday activity like cooking or maybe it's the idea of preservation that's appealing or simply the fact that torshi is delicious and irresistible.

Onions are widely used in Iranian cuisine. Usually, making piaz dagh (fried onions) is the first thing I do when I start to cook any kind of khoresh. Fried onions are also used as a garnish for ash (hearty soups) and some rice dishes. Onions are also served freshly sliced or sectioned with main dishes such as chelo kabab, lamb stew (abgoosht) and most rice and khoresh varieties for lunch. Sauteed, caramelized, pickled, or raw onions absolutely enhance the flavors of most dishes and are essential in cooking.

Thinly sliced, gorgeous pickled red onions and the petite pearly white pickled onions would make a good substitute for the raw onion that many of us grew up with and still enjoy (mostly on weekends).

Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds medium red onions, peeled, thinly sliced
3-4 cups white distilled vinegar
2 tablespoons dried tarragon (tarkhoon)
1 tablespoon dried savory (marzeh)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds (tokhm-e geshniz)
1 tablespoon crushed angelica (golpar)
1 tablespoon nigella seeds (siah daneh) *optional
1 red hot dried pepper
3 tablespoons salt

Method:

1. In a small bowl combine dried tarragon, savory, coriander seeds, crushed angelica and nigella seeds. 
2. Pour vinegar in a non-reactive pot, place on the stove and bring to a gentle simmer on medium-low heat.
3. Stir in the spice mix, add the red pepper and let it gently simmer for about five minutes.
4. Place the sliced onions in the pot with vinegar and spices, add salt, gently stir with a wooden spoon, simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let vinegar cool to room temperature.
6. Pour the onions and vinegar into a clean and dry glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Make sure all ingredients are covered by vinegar. Add more vinegar if needed. Close the lid tightly.
7. Store in a dry and cool place.
8. This pickle is ready in 2-3 days.

***

Pickled Small White Onions

For pickled white onions, you may use the same spices listed in the above recipe and a pinch of turmeric for a tastier torshi. However, if you would like the onions to maintain their color, here's a simpler recipe with only a few ingredients.

Pickled Small White Onions

Ingredients:

1 pound small white onions, trim both ends of onions and peel
3-4 cups white distilled vinegar
3 tablespoons salt
1 red hot dried pepper
1 whole fresh tarragon (with leaves attached to stem), washed and placed on a paper towel to completely dry

Method:

1. Bring vinegar to a gentle simmer in a medium non-reactive pot on medium-low heat.
2. Place the onions and the red pepper into the pot, add salt and stir. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
4. Transfer the onions and vinegar into a clean glass jar.  Place the whole tarragon and the pepper in the center of the jar, for easy removal later on. Add more vinegar if needed.
5. Close lid tightly. Keep in a cool and dry place.
6. This pickle is ready in 2-3 days.

Enjoy!

Torshi Anbeh - Pickled Mango

This is a quick, simple and sumptuous torshi (pickle) that is served as a side for any rice and stew dishes. Serving a variety of pickles and relishes with main courses is a major part of the Iranian cuisine. In our home torshi making was an annual summer ritual for my mother and our hayat (yard) would be filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, tomatoes, limes and unripe sour grapes to juice. Years later, when I met my husband, I was happy to find out that in their home his father was in charge of making torshi and that he had designated a special place in the basement of his home to place the large clay jars used to preserve the pickles!  I knew then that I'd met someone who also has the love of torshi in his genes! There's nothing like homemade pickles where you use fresh ingredients and favorite spices and adjust the seasonings to your liking. There are the common and popular pickles such as the eggplant pickle, mixed vegetable pickle and the garlic pickle, not to mention my favorite fruit pickle that I have written about in the past.

Today's recipe is ترشی انبه  torshi anbeh (pickled mango) which I've grown to adore mostly in recent years. Mangoes make great pickles. They are soft, smooth, juicy and quite tasty. I like to maintain the color and the texture of mango while it gently simmers in tamarind infused sauce, spices, dried red pepper and garlic cloves and vinegar, until all the complex and different flavors come together nicely. I didn't chop the garlic and the peppers into pieces and chose to leave them whole. We don't want them to overpower the taste and also this way they would be easier to take out when serving.

Torshi Anbeh - Pickled Mango

Ingredients:

4 firm ripe mangoes, peeled and cubed

4-5 whole garlic cloves, peeled

Juice of a lemon/lime

3 tablespoons tamarind sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon golpar (angelica), crushed

1/2 teaspoon siah daneh (nigella seeds)

1/2 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds

1-2 dried red peppers

2 cups white vinegar

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Place the mangoes in a bowl, sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized heavy pot bring vinegar to a gentle boil over medium-low heat. Add the tomato paste and the tamarind sauce. Stir well.
3. Add the garlic, red pepper and the spices, simmer for 5 minutes over low heat for the flavors to come together. 
4. Add the mangoes to the pot, add salt and cook for 5-7 minutes over medium-low heat, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, turn off the heat.
5. When cool, place the torshi in a washed and clean glass jar. Make sure all ingredients are covered by vinegar. Add more vinegar if needed. Refrigerate or keep in a cool and dry place. This pickle is ready to serve the next day.

 This is a delicious side to serve with your favorite food.

Enjoy!

Baghali Pokhteh - Cooked Fava Beans

I've always loved the taste of creamy باقالی پخته cooked fava beans/broad beans (baghali) with a dash of salt, a sprinkle of groundگلپر golpar (Persian hogweed), and a squeeze of fresh lemon. I grew up with fava beans and that's how it was always prepared in our home. Fava bean season is very short but it's worth the wait. They are soft and creamy when cooked, have a nutty flavor, and are quite addictive. It's hard to find fresh fava beans in the supermarkets and vegetable stores where I live, they are mostly available dried.

This is a down-to-earth finger food that you cook and serve to people you are comfortable around because it may be a little messy removing the layers with your fingers, but that's part of the enjoyment of eating cooked fava beans! My guess is that since fava beans were cooked in large quantities for many people in the past it would have been too time-consuming to remove not one but two thick and tough layers of skins, therefore cooking the whole thing all at once was a better option and an easier and quicker way of dealing with these hidden edible treasures. This way, everyone in the family would participate and join in on the fun task of removing the layers for their own consumption. Thus, this recipe is very easy and there's almost no preparation time besides rinsing them and washing the outer layer under running water, while they are nestled in their waxy pods. However, if you prefer, remove the shells before cooking.

I remember the spring when my parents decided to plant fava beans in our side garden. They grew fast and became tall and beautiful. On a beautiful sunny afternoon, when all the energetic kids on our block came home from school, this fava bean field seemed like such a great place for playing hide-and-seek. The aftermath wasn't pretty though and the ground ended up being covered by ravaged fava bean plants. Let's just say my parents weren't too pleased with what they saw early that evening! That was the last time they planted fava beans in our garden.

Baghali Pokhteh - Cooked Fava Beans

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

3 pounds of fresh fava beans in pods
Salt to taste
1-2 tablespoons Persian hogweed powder, It may be found in most Middle Eastern grocery stores


Method:

1. Rinse fava beans and place in a large pot. Pour enough water to cover all the beans. 
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 45 minutes or until the beans are thoroughly cooked. Add salt to taste in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. Once cooked, drain the water, let cool a few minutes and remove the thick outer layer. 

Serve warm on a platter with golpar, salt, lemon/lime juice, or sumac.

Enjoy!

Torshi-e Miveh & Sabzi - Maman's Pickled Fruit and Vegetables

I am a mother of two amazing daughters, which I am so grateful for, but I am also a daughter and on this mother's day, like many others, I'll be thinking about my own Maman, our strong bond and my many sweet memories of her. In my heart of hearts I remain that little girl whose mom would ever so patiently comb her curly knotted hair in elementary school (dabestan) before going to school each morning, no matter how old I'd get! She gave it all so selflessly without ever asking for anything in return and that's how she lived her life to the end. This was her motto, "Do your best. Give it all and do good at all times, unconditionally and with no expectations." I'm yet to master that...

This fruit and vegetable pickle is one of her many recipes. A hand-written copy of it was recently found among her papers, books and photos, which is quite unusual for she had never wrote any recipes down due to her extraordinary memory. I like to think that she wrote it down for me perhaps, with the intention to pass it down and share it with others someday. Now, for this Mother's Day, I would like to write about one of her favorite recipes that she had titled as: "It's food as well as medicine," (ham ghazast va ham davast).

There are many fruits and vegetables that are great for making pickles. I've written about Vegetable Pickle before, however this is basically a fruit pickle with the addition of a few veggies. I tried to be true to the recipe and to not change anything. Maman's recipe, however, called for some fruits that are not in season right now such as, quince and persimmon, which I skipped and used kiwi and green bell pepper instead. You can pick and choose among the abundance of  delicious, gorgeous and nutritious fruits and vegetables.
These days, discovering a good vegetable market is as exciting and as fun as going to a jewelery store or being on a treasure hunt!

        

Torshi-e Miveh & Sabzi - Maman's Pickled Fruit and Vegetables

Ingredients:

Wash, clean and dry all fruit and vegetables in advance and then cut them into tiny pieces. I reduced the amount to make it simpler, so if you like you can easily double the amount.

1 large orange
1 large apple
1 large pear
1 large tangerine
1 mango (wasn't in the recipe but I had to add one)
1 large quince (not in season, didn't use)
2 persimmons (not in season, didn't use)
2 bananas
2-3 kiwis (wasn't mentioned in the recipe but I happened to have a few)
2-3 nectarines
2-3 plums
2-3 apricots (not in season yet, did not use)

10 dates, seeded and chopped
5 walnuts, chopped

1 medium eggplant
1 medium green bell pepper
1 small turnip (shalgham), grated
1-2 large carrots, shredded
1-2 celery ribs
1 cup of cauliflower florets

1 teaspoon black seeds
1 teaspoon crushed angelica (golpar)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon savory leaves
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
Salt to taste

1 tablespoon tamarind paste
2 tablespoons crushed rock candy (or 2 tablespoons of honey)
3-4 cups vinegar, add enough to cover everything

Method:

1. Place all the finely chopped  fruits, vegetables, dried herbs and spices in a large heavy-bottomed non-reactive to acid pan and place it on medium-low heat for 7-10 minutes. Turn the heat very low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until all ingredients are soft but not mushy. There's no need to add water, they'll cook in their own natural juices.
2. Add walnuts,dates, tamarind, rock candy and vinegar. Mix well.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for another 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Spoon the pickles into sterilized canning jars (I used a 1 1/2 liter jar and a 1/2 litter jar)
6. Close lid and let cool to room temperature.
7. Store in a cool and dry place or refrigerate. 

This torshi is ready in two weeks and could be served with most Persian dishes.

I've never gotten used to the water bath canning method that is commonly used here. I still make pickles the old-fashioned way, the way that was done back home by my mother and my grandmothers without the water bath. But I do wash the cans thoroughly with soap and hot water before using them. For canning and sterilization tips please see the following link.

Enjoy! Happy Mother's Day!

Torshi Bademjan - Quick Pickled Eggplant

I grew up eating torshi with almost every meal. In our home, no table felt complete without a small dish of these tangy, colorful pickles to brighten the flavors of food. I make pickles all the time, and I have several jars of torshi stored away in a cool place. Over the years, I've become an avid pickle maker myself, and several jars of torshi are always stored away in a cool corner of my kitchen. 

Of all the different varieties, torshi-e bademjan (pickled eggplant) holds a special place in my heart. My mother was a passionate torshi maker. Every time she visited me, one of the very first things she would do was make her famous ترشی بادمجان (pickled eggplant). She believed eating torshi not only enhanced the flavor of food but also offered many health benefits. 

My mother's pickled eggplant recipe remains one of my favorites. It's simple, and unlike other Persian pickles, it doesn't take weeks or months to ferment. In just a couple of days, it's ready to be enjoyed alongside your favorite meal.

Torshi Bademjan - Quick Pickled Eggplant

Ingredients

-5 small eggplants, rinsed and dried (no need to peel, make a long cut on the side of each)
-5-7 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
-2-3 tablespoons salt
-2-3 small dried red hot peppers
-1 teaspoon angelica powder (golpar)
-1 teaspoon nigella seeds (siah-daneh)
-1 teaspoon coriander seeds (tokhm-e geshneez)
-1 tablespoon dried dill
-1 tablespoon dried mint
-1 tablespoon dried tarragon
-White vinegar

Method:

1. In a small bowl, mix all the dried herbs and spices together. 
2. Stuff each eggplant with a few pieces of garlic and some of the dried herb-spice mixture. 
3. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, combine 2 cups of vinegar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
4. Arrange the stuffed eggplants in the pot. Sprinkle any remaining spice mixture on top, cover, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the eggplants are tender. 
5. Allow them to cool completely, then transfer them to clean glass jars. Add more vinegar or salt if needed. 
6. Store in a cool place. Your torshi-e bademjan will be ready to enjoy after 2-3 days.

Enjoy!

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!

Soup-e Adas - Persian Lentil Soup

This is a very easy, quick, nutritious, and delicious soup. سوپ عدس (Lentil soup) is a flavorful soup for all seasons, but there is something especially satisfying about making it in the winter.

Soup-e Adas - Persian Lentil Soup

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

-2 cups lentils, rinsed
-1 large carrot, peeled, diced
-2 large celery stalks, diced
-1 large onion, finely chopped
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-1/4 teaspoon turmeric
-Salt and pepper to taste

-A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

-Olive oil

Toppings:

-Juice of a lemon

-A pinch of golpar (angelica powder)

Method:

1. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, and saute the onions until light golden brown. Add the garlic, saute lightly for 2-3 minutes, and add the turmeric, stir to combine.
2. Add the celery, carrots, lentils, and 6-7 cups of water.
3. Cover and cook for 50 minutes on medium-low heat. Add a little more water if needed.
4. Stir in the parsley, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with fresh lemon juice and a pinch of golpar. Serve warm with bread.

Enjoy!