Khagineh - Iranian Sweet Omelette from Sofreh At'ameh - A Qajar Dynasty Cookbook

I recently received a copy of سفره اطعمه Sofreh At'ameh, a delightful cookbook written in 1881 by Mirza Ali Akbar Khan Kashani, the royal head chef to the court of ناصرالدین شاه قاجار  Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (1831-1896), the fourth king of the Qajar dynasty. The French Dr. Joseph Desire Tholozan was the chief physician to the king for more than 30 years. He asked the آشپزباشی ashpazbashi (chef) of the royal court to put together a guide detailing the king's diet, eating habits, and his typical daily menu, to be able to serve him better. Sofreh At'ameh is filled with bits and pieces of information that give one a glimpse into the past. This book is a compilation of recipes, ingredients, and virtually everything that was served in the royal palace for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including sharbat (sweet drinks), khoresh (stew), ash (soup), polow (rice), moraba (jam), and torshi (pickles).

Naser al-Din Shah Qajar

Joseph DésiréTholozan

There are many timeless recipes in this book that I think most Iranians know by heart as well as new recipes that are definitely worth trying. There are also a few dishes that I had forgotten about and reading this book helped refresh my memory. One of those recipes was خاگینه khagineh. I remember Maman serving a delicious fluffy sweet omelet that could also be eaten as a dessert. Back then I never thought to ask her how she made it and the recipe never made it into my handwritten recipe journal. Yet, when I saw it in the book I knew I had to make it. However, like many old cookbooks, most of the recipes in this book lack exact measurements. Therefore, the following is my adaptation of its khagineh recipe. 

Khagineh - Sweet Omelette
Adapted from Sofreh At'ameh 

Ingredients

Serves 2

-3 large eggs
-1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
-2 tablespoons butter
-A little dash of salt (optional)

Sugar Syrup

-1/2 cup water
-1/2 cup sugar
-Pinch ground cardamom
-Pinch ground saffron

Method

1. In a small pot, combine water and sugar, bring water to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the cardamom and saffron. Stir well and let simmer uncovered on low heat for another 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth.
3. Add in the flour and mix well.
4. In a nonstick skillet, heat the butter over medium heat until it has melted. Pour in the egg mixture all at once. Cook over low heat for about 2 minutes or until eggs are almost set but not hard, and gently flip the eggs using a thin spatula and cook for another two minutes. Slice the eggs and slowly pour the syrup over the eggs, and cook for another minute or until the syrup is fully absorbed. You may use other sweeteners such as honey or grape molasses. 

Transfer onto a platter and serve warm or at room temperature. I added a tiny pinch of dried, crushed rose petals and a little powdered sugar for dusting.

*Historical Cookbook recipes:

Borani Kangar-Yogurt and Cardoon Dip - A Qajar Era Recipe
Sholeh Maash - Green Mung Bean and Kohlrabi Soup - A Qajar Era Recipe
Ash-e Jo - Barley Soup with Spinach and Cilantro -A Safavid Era Recipe

Enjoy!

Sholeh Maash - Persian Green Mung Bean and Kohlrabi Hearty Soup

Ever since I saw the recipe for shole maash online in the 19th-century Qajar Women Cookbook, I have been thinking about giving it a try. شله ماش  Sholeh Maash (mung beans with kohlrabi) makes a tasty and nutritious autumn soup. This recipe, like the others in the book, consists of a brief description of what the necessary ingredients are, and the word yek-meghdar (some) is frequently used to describe the amount needed for each ingredient. Persian cuisine is forgiving in terms of measurements, and when you ask a grandmother for a recipe, the answer is basically a list of the ingredients with yek-kami (a little bit) of this and yek-meghdar (some) of that, and that's how I, along with many other Iranians, learned to cook. I learned that you can use a little less or a little more of most ingredients in a recipe, depending on your taste and preferences. A few months into blogging, I bought a food scale to measure the ingredients by weight, but I have rarely used it.

Sholeh maash is not a thin and watery soup. It's a rather rich soup that can be served as a main dish. The original recipe calls for meat, but I've decided that it is substantial enough without the addition of any lamb or beef.

Sholeh Maash - Persian Green Mung Bean and Kohlrabi Hearty Soup

Ingredients:
Serves 6

1 1/2  cups green mung beans, rinse 2-3 times
1/2 cup rice, rinse well
3-4 medium-sized kohlrabi, peel and cut into small cubes, leave one cubed kohlrabi for the topping
1 large bunch of fresh tareh or scallions (green parts only), washed and chopped
1 small bunch of fresh tarragon, stems removed and chopped
Water
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2-3 garlic cloves, diced
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 teaspoon red pepper *optional
1/3 teaspoon cumin *optional
Oil

Method:

1. Place the beans and the rice in a large pot, add 6 cups of water, and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
2. Add the small pieces of kohlrabi, salt, pepper, cover, and cook for 45 minutes on low heat.
3. Periodically check to see if you need to add more water to the soup.
4. Add the chopped vegetables, taste and adjust the seasoning, add more hot water if needed, and let it simmer for another 15 minutes for the flavors to blend in.
5. In the meantime, fry the sliced onions in 3-4 tablespoons of hot vegetable oil in a skillet until golden brown. Add the turmeric powder and the minced garlic to the oil, stir, and saute further for another five minutes.
6. Add a large tablespoon of the fried onion to the soup and gently mix well.
7. Lightly fry the cubed kohlrabi in 2-3 tablespoons of hot vegetable oil until soft and golden on medium heat. Add a pinch of salt, turmeric, cumin, and red pepper and stir well.

To serve, ladle the soup into a soup bowl, top with the fried onions and kohlrabi. Serve hot with bread and yogurt.

Enjoy!