Dopiazeh Aloo

A while back I received a comment on my blog from a reader asking about an Iranian potato recipe. She wrote that she had just come back from a trip to Iran and she enjoyed a wonderful potato dish in Shiraz. After cooking and eating Persian food for twenty years she had not come across this dish before and she knew that it wasn't a potato kookoo or cutlet. This potato dish was served at breakfast and lunch and a server told her that it was a local dish. After reading this comment I asked one of my Shirazi friends about the recipe and without any hesitation, she said it's dopiazeh aloo! Dopiazeh is a traditional dish from Shiraz and it can be made with cubed or ground lamb/beef, chicken, shrimp, potatoes and a copious amount of sliced onions. Aloo in Farsi/Persian means plum and it's also a term used in Shiraz to mean potatoes. Here's the link for my ground beef Dopiazeh (two onions).

Dopiazeh Aloo - Shirazi Style - دوپیازه آلو شیرازی

Ingredients:
Serves 2

1 pound small potatoes, boiled, peeled and cubed
2 large onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
A pinch of dried fenugreek leaves
A pinch of red pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil or olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (optional)


Method:

1. Place potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water by a couple of inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and cook uncovered on low for 15-20 minutes or until tender and not falling apart. Set aside to cool.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and fry over medium-high heat until soft. Add turmeric powder, stir. 
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. 
5. Add the cubed potatoes, salt, pepper, a pinch of fenugreek, red pepper, stir gently until well blended, cover and cook for 7-10 minutes until flavors come together. Add a little fresh lime juice and serve.

Serve with warm bread, pickles, salad shirazi and mast o khiar.

Enjoy!

Khoresh Kadoo Halvaie - Persian Beef and Pumpkin Stew

One of the beauties of fall is the abundance of many varieties of winter squashes that come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. I typically use butternut squash for its flavor and color in my cooking however this time I chose to use کدو حلوایی - kadoo halvaie, the vibrant orange small sugar pumpkin that is both beautiful and delicious. It is the same kind of pumpkin my mother used to roast in the oven back in Iran and now when I cook it still has the overwhelmingly familiar taste of home. Orange is a joyous color and pumpkins are nature's gift; a free dose of color therapy on these gray, short and gloomy autumn days. I'm thankful to my lovely neighbors for leaving out all these gorgeous pumpkins on their front porches early on in the fall season until they eventually become food for the squirrels. There are a ton of sweet pumpkin dessert recipes out there. However, pumpkins are also delicious in savory dishes as well. خورش کدو حلوایی - Khoresh-e kadoo is a ملس - malas (sweet and sour) fall-flavored dish that will warm your heart.

I'm often asked if there are any Persian vegetarian or vegan recipes. Most people may not think of Persian cuisine as vegetarian/vegan-friendly and only think of کباب - Kabobs when they think of Iranian food. Or there may not be many obvious vegetarian dishes on restaurant menus. However, many types of fresh vegetables are served raw or cooked as a side dish. Just to give you a sample check out this link to my vegetarian recipes. As for vegan recipes, I'd like to point out that you can easily omit the meat in many stew recipes that call for stewing lamb/beef, except for the traditional آبگوشت abgoosht/dizi varieties, and still have a delicious and fulfilling meal.

I added a handful of آلو بخارا - aloo bokhara (dried yellow plums) to the stew toward the end of cooking. They may be found in most Persian/Middle Eastern grocery stores. If not, you can substitute them with prunes instead. Typically, potatoes and carrots are not a part of the authentic version of this khoresh but they make the stew more rich and flavorful without changing the overall taste. I also like to add a bit of nutmeg and cinnamon. جوزهندی - Nutmeg is not a commonly used spice in Iranian cooking but in our home, it was one of the spices that my mother cherished and she always kept some in her little glass spice jars.

Khoresh Kadoo Halvaie

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

1 1/2 pounds boneless beef or lamb stew meat, cut into small bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 pounds peeled, seeded, and cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, peeled, chopped
1 medium carrot, sliced *optional
1 large potato, peeled, cubed *optional
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (8 ounces) can tomato sauce, organic
1 cup aloo bokhara (dried plums), pitted
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
A pinch of nutmeg
Juice of 1 lemon (use more if you prefer)
1 tablespoon table sugar or brown sugar (use less if you prefer)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable oil

Method:

1. In a large skillet heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil, add pumpkin and saute lightly for about 7 minutes.
2. Stir in cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and a dash of salt. Cook for another 5 minutes. Set aside. 
3. In a large pan heat 3 tablespoons of oil, add sliced onions, and saute over medium-high heat until golden. Add minced garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the turmeric powder, stir and mix well.
4. Add beef and cook until brown on all sides, stirring occasionally.
5. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add water to cover all ingredients by about an inch, mix well. Bring to a boil on high heat, lower the heat, cover and cook over medium heat for about 45 minutes or until tender.
6. Add the sauteed pumpkins, potato, and carrots to the stew. Add a little bit of water if necessary. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes over low heat. Add in the plums, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir well, taste and adjust the seasoning, simmer for another 10-15 minutes. 

Serve hot with rice, mast o khiar, and sabzi khordan.

Enjoy!

Dizi - Traditional Iranian Lamb Chickpea Soup

دیزی Dizi, also known as abgousht, is a popular highlight of Persian cuisine. Traditionally, it was cooked in small stone crocks or metal pots. The history of abgoosht (or abgousht) dates back centuries, when it was made simply with lamb and chickpeas. With the introduction of New World ingredients such as potatoes and tomatoes, this modest meat-and-chickpea soup evolved into a more substantial and more flavorful meal. 

Cooking in clay/stone cookware is one of the oldest culinary methods in Iran, where the clay pot is placed over indirect heat or a slow fire for hours, allowing the ingredients to meld together. Because of its long cooking time and the need for a very hot stove, dizi was often purchased from specialty shops rather than prepared at home. In modern kitchens, the clay pot is now used mostly for serving rather than cooking. Still, this slow-simmered, humble, and deeply satisfying dish continues to nourish the body and soul.

Traditionally, it's served in two parts. First, the flavorful broth is strained into a large bowl or individual bowls and served. Then the remaining ingredients, lamb, potatoes, tomatoes, chickpeas, and beans are all mashed together using a goosht-koob (a traditional meat masher). This mixture is served on the side with raw onions, torshi (pickles),  sabzi khordan (fresh herbs), and plain yogurt. Noon sangak is an excellent choice of bread for this dish. Baked in a tanoor (tandoor) over a bed of hot pebbles, sangak's toasty flavor makes it a star of the meal as the stew itself. 

Savoring dizi is an experience of togetherness, bonding, and sharing. Whether you are sitting cross-legged on the floor in comfortable clothing around a sofreh (traditional tablecloth) or gathered at a dining table dressed in designer attire, the joy remains the same: indulging in a warm, comforting blend of flavors while enjoying conversation and creating memories. Every time I prepare abgoosht, I remember the scene from Ganj-e Gharoon, an old Iranian film forever etched in my mind. In it, Fardin and Zohouri mash the meat, tap the marrow from the bones, pound a raw onion by hand, and eat abgoosht as they sing and tease Arman! There are many variations of abgoushts, each with its own regional and family traditions. This recipe was passed down from my mother, which I still treasure and often use.

Dizi - Iranian Lamb & Chickpea Soup

Ingredients
Serves 4-6

-3 lamb shanks (about 3 pounds)
-1 cup chickpeas, rinsed, soaked overnight
-1 cup white beans, rinsed, soaked overnight
-2 large onions, peeled, quartered
-4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cut in half
-3 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled and cut in half
- 3 whole limoo amani (dried lemons) found in Persian grocery stores
-1/2 tablespoon turmeric
-A pinch of cinnamon
-1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Water (8 cups)

Method:

1. In a large soup pot, place the lamb shanks and add eight cups of water. 
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. 
3. Add the turmeric, cinnamon, limoo amani, onions, chickpeas, beans, salt, and pepper.  Cover and cook on medium heat for about 1 hour.
4. In a small skillet,  heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the tomato paste briefly to mellow its raw taste.
5. Add the sauteed tomato paste, tomatoes, and potatoes to the pot, cover, and continue cooking for another 1 hour or until all ingredients are tender.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from the heat. Drain the broth through a sieve, discard the bones, and mash the remaining ingredients using a masher until well blended.

To serve: Ladle the broth into a large serving bowl and spoon the meat and potato mixture onto a serving platter. Serve alongside warm bread, pickles, yogurt, and fresh herbs.

Enjoy!

Kookoo Ghandi - Sweet Saffron Potato Patties

This dish consists of  fried potatoes and eggs, blended with some sugar and saffron. Usually, I like having my meals and sweets separate and each in its own place. However, there are those sweet but occasional dishes such as the sweet rice, beet and yogurt dip and kookoo ghandi that I like to cook once in a while or for special occasions. However, in general we Iranians like our food more on the sour side, adding dried lemons or lemon juice to our soups and stews and most of the time serve pickled vegetables (torshi) with our meals.

Potato was brought to Iran and its neighboring countries in the late 19th century by a foreign diplomat. The Persian/Farsi name for potato is "Sib-Zamini" sib means apple and zamin means the ground/earth.Therefore the name sib-zamini literally means "ground apple" in our language. Potato is widely used in cooking, it adds flavor and texture to the food but in this case it is a dish in and of itself. For the regular Persian Potato Patties (kookoo Sib-Zamini), see the recipe here.

Kookoo Ghandi - Sweet Saffron Potato Patties

Ingredients:

7 medium size potatoes or 3 cups of cooked and graded potatoes
3 eggs
3-4 tablespoons sugar
1/3 teaspoon powdered saffron dissolved in a tablespoon of hot water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil

Method:

1. Wash, scrub and rinse potatoes. Place potatoes in a large pot and pour enough water to cover them plus an extra inch of water. Cook for about 30-40 minutes until the center of the potatoes are well cooked. When an inserted knife comes out clean, drain and set aside to cool.
2. Peel and grind potatoes, add salt, eggs, liquid saffron and sugar. Mix thoroughly. 
3. Set aside for 20 minutes before frying.
4. In a non-stick frying pan heat some oil. When oil is hot take a small scoop of the batter and make it into a round or oval shape, flatten and gently place in hot oil. Fry on both sides.

Serve warm with plain yogurt, sabzi khordan and bread.

Enjoy!

Tas Kabab

تاس کباب Tas kabab is a hearty one-pot beef or lamb stew made with onions, tomatoes, carrots, quince, and potatoes. Traditionally enjoyed in autumn and winter when quince is in season. I love Tas Kabab so much that  I make it year-round, sometimes swapping quince for tart Granny Smith apples when quince isn't available; they make a great substitute.

This flavorful stew can also be made without quince or apples and will still be delicious. Some people even add eggplant for an extra layer of taste and texture. Tas kabab is an all-in-one meal that doesn't require rice. It's best served with warm bread, yogurt, and torshi. 

Tas Kabab

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

-1 pound beef or lamb, cubed
-3 medium onions, peeled and sliced into rings

-4 medium carrots, sliced 

-4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced

-2 large quince, cored and sliced

-2 large tomatoes, sliced
-2 tablespoons tomato sauce 

-A handful of pitted dried plums (aloo Bokhara) 

-2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

-1-2 teaspoons dried lime powder (limoo amani )

-1/2 teaspoon turmeric

-Pinch of cinnamon

-Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. In a large heavy pot, add 2-3 tablespoons of oil, and spread a layer of sliced onions on the bottom of the pot. And sprinkle with turmeric.
2. Layer the meat over the onions. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and turmeric. Then layer the sliced tomatoes, carrots, and quinces in that order.
3. Add the potatoes and dried plums on top. 
4. Season with salt, pepper, lemon powder, and a pinch of cinnamon. Add the potatoes and plums on top. 
5. Add the tomato sauce and pour in 1-2 cups of water. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour or until the meat and vegetables are tender. 
6. Transfer to a serving platter with warm bread, fresh herbs, yogurt, and torshi.

Enjoy!

Salad Olivieh

There have been culinary contributions from other cultures that were well received when they made their way into our culture, such as macaroni, salad olivieh and in the recent years, pizza. As I understand it, salad olivieh was first introduced to the Iranian cuisine somewhere between the late 60's and the early 70's and it easily became one of our popular dishes. It is said that "salad Olivier" was created by a French chef M. Olivier who opened a restaurant in Moscow in the 19th century and this was his recipe, if you are interested you can read more about it, here. The first time I had salad olivieh was at my sister's wedding reception many years ago which was prepared by a caterer.

سالاد الیویه Salad Olivieh is a popular picnic or party dish in Iran. There are many different recipes for this dish. Olivieh salad is a combination of chicken, potato and egg salad all in one!
I like to add lemon juice in addition to the pickles for a more tangy taste.

Salad Olivieh

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

5 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced
2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
3 large eggs boiled, peeled, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, cook according to package directions
3 pickled cucumbers (khiar shoor), chopped
1 cup olives - green or black
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoons lemon/lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Method:

1. Place potatoes in a pot, add enough water to cover potatoes, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender. Drain, let cool, then peel and dice.
2. In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
3. In a large bowl, combine chicken, potatoes, eggs, peas and chopped pickles. Add the mayonnaise dressing and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
4. Spread salad olivieh in a serving dish. Garnish with olives, pickles and peas. 

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Kookoo Sib Zamini - Persian Potato Patties

I serve these delicious potato patties (kookoo sib zamini) either as a side dish or as a main dish for a light lunch or dinner. Fried vegetable and egg dishes are called kookoo/kuku in Iran. There are different variations of this recipe. کوکو سیب زمینی (Kookoo Sib Zamini) is a great dish to bring to your next picnic!

Kookoo Sib-Zamini - Persian Potato Patties

Ingredients:
Yield: 14 potato patties

5 large potatoes
2 large eggs
1 small yellow onion, grated, discard the juice

2-3 tablespoons bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying

Method:

1. Place potatoes in a large pot, add water to cover by a couple of inches, boil on medium-high heat until fork-tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Peel the potatoes and grate them.
3. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl, add the potatoes, onions, turmeric, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine and refrigerate the mixture for an hour.
4. Make small patties, flatten them in an oval or round shape. You can also spoon the potato mixture into the oil.
5. Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry potato patties on both sides until light brown. Drain on paper towels.

Serve warm or at room temperature with fresh herbs, pickles, olives, yogurt, and warm bread.

*Note: Add a handful of chopped parsley or a teaspoon of dried dill to the mixture if you like.

Enjoy!