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!

Omelette Khorma & Asal - Date & Honey Omelette

This is a simple and sweet omelette that's perfect for a relaxing breakfast. The combination of eggs and dates is so filling that I'd rather make it later in the day for brunch or for a light lunch. Sometimes there's nothing better than a super simple, quick, and tasty omelette when hungry or when you just don't want to cook an elaborate dish with too many ingredients. I find the sizzling sound of the egg mixture gently pouring into the hot frying pan on a Sunday morning to be quite soothing. I cook eggs in moderation but it still remains a favorite ever since my childhood when serving omelets on Fridays was a ritual in our home. املت خرما Date omelette can be served to friends and family for a great brunch or when alone at home and you want to make something delicious but fast that can be both lunch and dessert combined! Nothing beats an easy and delicious omelette! Any kind of dates will do for this recipe -- I used Medjool dates this time. However, I would like to point out that the best dates, in terms of the texture and taste, are the silky dark-colored dates from the city of Bam in Iran but unfortunately it's often hard to find them in Persian grocery stores around where I live.

Omelette Khorma -  املت خرما

Ingredients:

Serves 2

4 large eggs

A handful of pitted dates, cut the dates in half 

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon water

Salt and pepper to taste

Honey

Method:

1. In a bowl beat the eggs with a fork until the yolks and whites are well blended.
2. Add a tablespoon of water and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. Heat butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom evenly.
4. Add the dates and saute lightly until they soften for a couple of minutes.
5. Pour the egg mixture into the frying pan, turn the heat low, and with a fork or a rubber spatula arrange the dates evenly.
6.  Cook the eggs until set. Using a spatula, loosen the edges and transfer the omelette onto a serving platter. Serve immediately.

Serve with warm flatbread and add a drizzle of honey on top.

Enjoy!