Shab-e Yalda 2014: Baslogh Recipe to Celebrate the Persian Yalda Night

The early sunsets, short days, and long nights of autumn will come to an end this upcoming Sunday, December 21st. The earliest sunsets of the year occur during the week leading up to the winter solstice, and on the shortest day of the year, the sun sets at 4:32 PM and rises again at 7:17 AM the next day here in New York. Beginning on the 1st day of winter, the days start to grow longer, though the change is so gradual that it won't feel noticeable for several days. 

The longest night of the year is known as  Shab-e Yalda in Persian. The word Yalda means birth, and it refers to the birth of Mithra, the god of light and justice. Traditionally, the night of Yalda is celebrated with friends and family gathering around a کرسی - korsi or سفره  - sofreh (festive spread) or a table with seasonal fruits: bowls of ruby-red pomegranates, platters of sweet sliced watermelons, and ripe persimmons.  A bowl of ajil (nuts, seeds, and dried fruits), sweets, and a book of Hafez's poetry. 

This celebration usually begins after dinner and continues late into the night with poetry reading, storytelling, and music to celebrate the victory of light over darkness, the start of a new season, and to make the long hours of the night go by faster. For me, it is also a way of remembering those who kept this tradition alive through the centuries: people gathered on cold winter nights around a small oil lamp or a simple wood-burning fire, with limited food yet an abundant spirit. And still, they passed down the magic of Shab-e Yalda from generation to generation.

Among the sweets commonly served, baslogh is widely recognized as a classic yalda shirini (Yalda sweet). باسلوق  - Baslogh is a soft starch-based confection infused with rosewater, and each individual piece is completely coated with shredded coconuts and topped with walnuts. In addition to rosewater, saffron and ground cardamom may be used as well. For this recipe, you will need a little patience as it does require constant stirring.

Baslogh (Persian Rosewater Coconut Confection)

Ingredients

Makes about 14 pieces

-1/2 cup cornstarch
-1 cup (8-ounces) granulated sugar
-1 1/2 cups water
-1/2 cup rosewater
-1 teaspoon lemon juice
-1/4 cup walnut halves
-1 tablespoon unsalted butter
-1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Method:

1. Pour the shredded coconut into a large bowl. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce the heat and let it simmer.
3. In a small saucepan, mix the cornstarch and 1/2 cup of cool water together in a small saucepan. Stir until the mixture is completely smooth. 
4. Add the dissolved cornstarch to the simmering sugar syrup. Bring to a gentle boil and stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and no longer lumpy. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently until thickened for about 15-20 minutes. Add the rosewater, butter, and lemon juice, and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Stirring constantly.
5. Working quickly, drop spoonfuls of the hot mixture into the bowl of shredded coconut. Roll and shape each spoonful into a ball, coating all sides evenly in the coconut. Press a walnut half into the center of each baslogh. Arrange the pieces on a serving platter and serve with tea.

Happy Shab-e Yalda!

Ab-Haveej Bastani - Persian Carrot Juice and Saffron Ice Cream Float

Summertime is officially upon us, and آب هویج و بستنی ab-haveej bastani (carrot juice ice cream float) is the perfect way to cool down on a hot day. Carrot juice is refreshing, healthy, and a great source of vitamin A all on its own. I initially made this recipe with plain vanilla ice cream, but then decided to change it up for the next batch and make it with scoops of saffron ice cream instead. The addition of a little bit of saffron and a hint of rosewater greatly enhances the flavor and aroma of this treat. Carrots may have been around for hundreds of years, but this recipe is relatively modern. I'm not certain about the exact origin of this recipe, but it seems to me that this is a different take on the European cafe glace (coffee with ice cream float) that became popular in the 1960s in Iran. I remember on one of our trips to my grandmother's house in Tehran, my sister took me to the upscale Chattanooga restaurant, and that's where I had my first café glace. On the other hand, it's also quite possible that the ab haveej bastani recipe was created by some ingenious Iranian chef in the past. It's been thought that by tapping into the collective consciousness, people from different parts of the world may come up with the same results at the same time!

In our home, carrot juice was served regularly, and we all had to drink it whether we liked it or not and each time we were reminded that carrots are good for us and that they would improve our vision. Our juicer was archaic and pretty much a nightmare to clean. However, that wouldn't stop my mother from juicing almost anything frequently.

زردک - Zardak, meaning "the little yellow one" (wild carrots), goes back about 5,000 years in Iran, Afghanistan, and the neighboring lands. Zardak (yellow carrots) are still cultivated mostly in the region of Isfahan in Iran, but they are not as common and popular as haveej farangi (western carrots). Carrots are a staple in our home all year long and are on my list of foods to always keep in the fridge, and luckily, they are readily available in markets year-round. The in-season carrots, however, are more flavorful, tender, and sweet. Carrots are a versatile vegetable that complements many recipes and are delicious when eaten raw, tossed into a summertime salad, salad olivieh, soup e jo, pickled, or made into delicious carrot halva. They are also great eaten alone or with a dip.

Carrot Juice and Saffron Ice Cream Float

Ingredients

Serves 2

10 large carrots (preferably organic), washed and tops removed
Vanilla ice cream (16 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron dissolved in 3 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon rosewater
1 tablespoon crushed pistachios

Method:

1. Leave the ice cream out to soften. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ice cream, liquid saffron, and rosewater, and mix well. Return ice cream to the freezer for 3-4 hours or until firm.
2. Place your serving glasses in the freezer to chill for 5 minutes.
3. Juice the carrots. Add 2 scoops of saffron ice cream to each glass, pour the carrot juice over the ice cream, sprinkle with crushed pistachios, and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Loze Nargil - Persian Coconut Sweets with Rosewater and Pistachios for Nowruz

It's that time of the year when Iranians from the four corners of the world celebrate the vernal equinox, the first day of spring and the arrival of نوروز (literally meaning the "new day"). This ancient جشن - festival of Nowruz originally began as a Zoroastrian celebration during the Achaemenid dynasty, dating back 3,000 years, welcoming the rebirth of nature with all its radiance, blooms, colors, warmth, and glory. For those of us who celebrate, Nowruz preparations are already underway with khaneh-tekani - cleaning the house, getting rid of the clutter, and making it shine. With this long and freezing winter finally coming to an end I feel a surge of energy and excitement to celebrate nature's new life.

This post was written as part of a collaboration with many of my lovely fellow Persian food writers. This has been an amazing joint effort that brought all of us together for this happy occasion and I would like to thank each and every one of these outstanding bloggers who, through their efforts, made this collaboration meaningful and more delicious! My special thanks go to Sanam joon of My Persian Kitchen for her effort in putting together this fun project and on a more personal note, I'm so grateful for her generous spirit and support over the years. For the complete list of all the food bloggers/participants and their contributions to this round-up please see the bottom of the page.

I vividly remember my last Nowruz in Iran. Together with my parents and two of my brothers, we drove to Abadan to visit my dear aunt and uncle and my two lovely cousins (Yasi and Ladi). The precious memories of our visit to the beautiful city of Abadan during the Nowruz holiday will forever remain in my mind. As well as driving through the charming little towns and visiting the roadside attractions. For us, even the sight of a little stream at a distance in the middle of nowhere was exciting. Throughout our travels, we would stop at any little body of water anywhere in Khuzestan just to wet our feet and wash our faces!

My last Nowruz in Khuzestan

As we are getting ready to gather around our haft-seen table at the time of سال تحویل - sal-tahvil to celebrate the New Year with our loved ones, let us remember those who are less fortunate and pray collectively and globally for a better world.

Poems from Divan-e Shams Tabrizi

Cleaning, cooking, and baking may not be high on your list of priorities these days, but to get into the mood for this beautiful festive occasion, this no-bake and fragrant, melt-in-your-mouth لوزنارگیل loze nargil treat is just perfect for spring.

Loze Nargil

Ingredients:

2 cups coconut, shredded (I used unsweetened shredded coconut to keep the sugar level down)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons coconut milk, unsweetened (I used organic)
2-3 tablespoons rosewater
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
1/2 cup pistachios, crushed

Method:

1. Combine water and sugar in a heavy medium pan, bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Continue to simmer for another 8-10 minutes or until the syrup thickens a little bit. Remove from heat and let cool a little, beat well with a whisk for a couple of minutes. Return the pan to the stove. Add the coconut, rosewater, and coconut milk, mix well over very low heat for about 5 minutes or until well blended. Pour the mixture into an 8 x 8-inch lined pan. Evenly sprinkle crushed pistachios on top. 
2. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until firm. With a knife, cut the loz in diamond-shaped pieces or use a diamond-shaped cookie cutter.

Place the loz pieces on a plate and serve with chai.

Participating Bloggers in The Nowruz Recipe Round-Up - 2014

Afsaneh’s Persian Kitchen: Koloucheh Ahwazi Cookies for Nowrouz
Ahu Eats: Norouz 2014 Recipe: Toot - Persian Mulberry Marzipan Candy
Café Leilee: Northern-Iranian Style Herb-Stuffed Fish

Fae’s Twist & Tango: Naw-Rúz, A New Year Recipe Round-up! 

Family Spice: Norouz Twist on Kookoo Sabzi (Persian Herb Quiche with Chard and Kale)
Fig & Quince: A Norooz ‘a Palooza
Lucid Food: Persian Raisin and Saffron Cookies for Norooz

My Persian Kitchen: Naan Gerdooee ~ Persian Walnut Cookie 
Simi’s Kitchen: New Blog for Nowruz
Spice Spoon: Noon Berenj - Thumbprint Rice Flour Cookies with Saffron & Rosewater for Persian Nowruz

The Pomegranate Diaries: Nowruz Inspired Pistachio, Rosewater and Cardamom Shortbread Cookies 

West of Persia: Happy Nowruz, Recipe Roundup, and a Classic: Kuku Sabzi on TV
Zozo Baking: Nane Nokhodchi Nowruz Iran

Enjoy! سال نو مبارک  - Sal-e No Mobarak!

Moraba-ye Zoghal Akhteh - Persian Cornelian Cherry Jam

Moraba-ye Zoghal Akhteh (cornelian cherry jam) recipe was a last-minute decision, as I was through simply eating a handful of these different shades of red, tangy, oval-shaped fresh summer fruits. Cornelian cherries offer numerous health benefits, and their flavor ranges from slightly bitter to tart or pleasantly tart-sweet, depending on their ripeness. With only one bowl of zoghal akhteh left on the kitchen table, I decided to make jam, and I'm happy to say that the jam turned out great. Still, lavashak-e zoghal akhteh (cornelean cherry fruit roll-up) remains my favorite way of eating this amazing fruit.

If I had a zoghal akhteh tree in my backyard, I would spread a malafeh (bedsheet) or a sofreh (tablecloth) beneath it, shake the branches vigorously, and gather the fallen fruit. This small batch, however, was picked from a Cornelian cherry tree on public property in the New York area. I only learned its English name after posting a photo of Zoghal Akhteh on my Facebook page, and thanks to my lovely followers, I finally discovered the correct name. 

Let's hope that in the future, fruit growers and producers make this delicious fruit readily available at farmers' markets here, so we won't have to hang from tree branches in parks and along busy streets. In the meantime, I enjoyed this rare find, and although cornelian cherries are hard to come by and not widely available, I'm happy to share this jam recipe with you. 

For me, zoghal akhteh is deeply reminiscent of hot Tehran summers and the best seasonal snacks and sour treats, walnuts in brine, faloodeh, goojeh sabz (green sour plums), shahtoot (mulberries), and plump dried zoghal akhteh, to name just a few.

I initially tried to remove the pits before cooking, but the Cornelian cherry pits are difficult to dislodge. As I worked, I found myself thinking of all the women that I had watched growing up in Iran, patiently seated around a sofreh, meticulously preparing fruits and vegetables for jams and pickles. Back then, it seemed like a pointless waste of time. 

In recent years, I've become much more attentive to how I cook, and especially over the past three and a half years of blogging, preserving the authenticity of recipes has become increasingly important to me. Long ingredient lists and extended cooking times are no longer overwhelming. Still, after removing a few pits with a small, sharp knife, I opted for a quicker, less tedious method: partially cooking the cherries first and removing the pits afterward. 

My mother always prepared the sugar syrup separately and added it during the cooking process. Since I had already pre-cooked the cherries, however,  I chose to add the sugar directly to the pot to avoid ending up with a runny jam. If you prefer the traditional syrup method, simply combine 2 cups of sugar with 1 cup of water in a small pot, bring to a boil over medium heat, stir until the sugar dissolves completely, and simmer until slightly thickened.

Moraba-ye Zoghal Akhteh - Cornelian Cherry Jam

Ingredients

-4 cups Cornelian cherries, picked over and washed
-2 cups sugar (adjust to taste) 
-Juice of 1 lime
-2 tablespoons rose water
-1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method:

1. Place the cherries in a non-reactive, heavy-bottomed pot. Add 4 cups of water, bring to a rapid boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Do not leave the pot unattended. Stir frequently and skim off any foam if needed.
2. Set a mesh colander over a large glass bowl. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the contents into the colander.
3. Mash the cornelian cherries with a potato masher or pass them through a food mill to separate and remove the pits.
4. Return the strained liquid to the pot, including any pitted flesh that remains. Add lime juice, sugar, and cardamom powder, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat, add rose water, and simmer on medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes or until the jam thickens.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
6. Pour the jam into a clean glass jar and refrigerate.
7. Serve moraba-ye zoghal akhteh with butter or feta cheese and warm noon barbari or sangak.

Cook's note: You may also use zoghal akhteh whole, without removing the seeds, to preserve their beautiful appearance and make a lovely jam.

Enjoy!

Sharbat-e Tokhme Sharbati - Chia Seeds Drink: Traditional Iranian-Style Summer Drink

The summer heat and humidity persist, providing a good reason to write about this traditional and cooling Iranian-style summertime sharbat (sherbet). I had briefly mentioned Tokhme Sharbati in my post about khakshir, stating that it can be added to a glass of khakshir drink for a richer flavor. However, I feel that شربت تخم شربتی sharbat-e tokhme sharbati needs to have its own post and be recognized as a delicious and nutritional herbal drink with many health benefits. Tokhme sharbati is known to cool down the body, help improve hydration, and is a good source of antioxidants. It's also a beautiful drink to have, with its grayish fuzzy seeds floating in the ice-water glass. It's like looking at the nighttime silver-blue sky covered with the tiniest gleaming stars that seem connected from afar but are actually very far apart.

Finding the English name for tokhme sharbati was quite a challenge. The label on the package that I purchased from an Iranian grocery store said chia seeds. However, after Googling tokhme sharbati,  I also came across names such as basil seeds or mountain basil seeds.

شربت Sharbat has a long history in Persian cuisine with many variations. Ismail Gorgani wrote in his 12th-century Persian book, Zakhireye Khawrazmshahi, which was very much influenced by Ibn Sina's book of Qanoon (Canon of Medicine), about sharbat such as sekanjabin, pomegranate, etc. These sugar-sweetened drinks may be made with fruits, vegetables, herbal seeds, rose water, and saffron. Now that we are told not to eat too much sugar and almost everyone is concerned about not becoming diabetic, I reduced the amount of sugar in this recipe compared to the recipe that was used in our home growing up. You may want to adjust the amount of sugar/sugar syrup to your taste and your diet. You can also substitute honey for sugar. I should point out that the authentic Iranian way of adding sugar to any sharbat is to make a sugar syrup first. For sugar syrup, add a cup of sugar to a cup of water in a small pan, bring to a gentle boil on medium-high heat, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Lower the heat and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the syrup is reduced and thickens a bit.

Sharbat-e Tokhme Sharbati

Ingredients
Serves 2

-2-3 teaspoons tokhme sharbati (chia seeds), can be found in Iranian/Persian markets
-2 cups cool water
-2 tablespoons sugar
-1 tablespoon rose water
-A few drops of freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice

Method

1. Stir the sugar in 1/2 cup of warm water until fully dissolved, or use a couple of tablespoons of the sugar syrup as explained above. 
2. Combine the seeds, water, and the dissolved sugar, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours for the seeds to plump up.
3. Add the rose water and a few drops of lime juice to taste. The drink is best served cold.

Enjoy!

Sharbat-e Khakshir - Persian Refreshing Summer Drink

Sharbat-e khakshir/khakeshir is a refreshing and traditional Persian summer drink. While it's best known as a thirst quencher on hot days, it's also enjoyed year-round for its light, pleasant taste and many health benefits. Served ice-cold, lightly sweetened, and scented with a splash of rosewater, sharbat-e khakshir makes a wonderful drink in warm weather. Beyond its cooling qualities, Khakshir is valued in Persian culture as a herbal remedy. It's believed to help cleanse the liver, improve the skin, and reduce fever, among other benefits. 

In our home, my mother often gave us khakshir throughout the year, not as a sweetened sharbat with ice cubes, but simply for its medicinal properties, plain and unsweetened. Khakshir has the tiniest reddish-brown seeds that settle at the bottom of a glass of water. Upon stirring, the seeds start to move around and float up to the surface of the water. When stirred, they swirl around and float toward the surface, almost as if dancing in the glass. When you take a sip of the sharbat, stir, watch, sip, and repeat.

On a package I once purchased from an Iranian grocery store, khakshir was labeled teff.  In my research, I also found it referred to as London rocket (scientific name Sisymbrium irio), which seems to be the most accurate term. To add to the confusion, a few sources even called it mugwort. 

High-quality khakshir should be free of dirt, but it's always best to rinse it thoroughly before use. The most effective way to ensure that khakshir is free from dirt is this:

-Spoon the desired amount into a large glass and fill it with water. Let it sit for five minutes.

-Stir and gently pour the liquid into another glass, leaving any residue behind. Rinse out the first glass.

-Repeat this process 2-3 times until no dirt is left at the bottom. 

-Once clean, drain out the rinsing water, and the khakshir is ready to be topped with cool water and ice.

Sharbat-e Khakshir
Serves 2

Ingredients

-4 tablespoons khakshir, rinsed with cool water a few times as described above
-1 tablespoon table sugar (or to taste)
-1 tablespoon rosewater (optional)
-Ice cubes
-Cold water

Method

1. Place the clean khakshir seeds in a medium pitcher and add 2 cups ( 16 oz) of cold water. 
2. Dissolve the sugar in a little warm water, then stir it into the pitcher. 
3. Add rosewater, stir well, and pour into ice-filled glasses. 
4. For a slight variation, add a teaspoon of tokhm-e sharbati (chia seeds) along with the khakshir.

Serve chilled. Enjoy!

Baghlava - Persian Baklava

I do miss the days when my father would come home from work carrying a ja'beh shirini (box of sweets) freshly baked from our local bakery store. He'd almost always walk in through the doors with either some seasonal miveh (fruits), naan (bread), or shirini (sweets). And those delicious sweets would be just as enjoyable for my father as they were for the kids. How could the taste of baghlava make such an everlasting impression upon my mind? Was it that it was brought home by my father, usually for Nowruz (Persian New Year), and I would get to eat it while sitting next to him, hearing him make his usual "mmm" sound with every bite? Was it that most desserts tasted delicious as a kid, let alone the most traditional desserts that were made to perfection? Or is it the nostalgic memories of childhood that turn the flavors and aromas into a wonderful experience?  باقلوا Baghlava (baklava) was a favorite in our home back then and happens to be a favorite among my own family now. Who doesn't love the decadent taste of baklava, followed by sips of hot tea or coffee?

You can use a combination of any finely ground nuts for the filling, make stacks of several layers of dough and fillings to bite into, or make it as syrupy as you like. However, Persian baghlava is neither chunky nor too gooey and is usually made with pistachios and skinless almonds along with ground cardamom the sugar, rose water, and saffron syrup. The best baghlava in Iran is from the city of Yazd.

Baghlava - Baklava

Ingredients

-1/2 pound skinless almonds, lightly toasted, finely ground (I used slivered almonds)
-1/2 pound shelled pistachios, finely ground
-1 package of phyllo (thawed overnight if frozen), I used 20 pieces of  9" x 14" phyllo pastry sheets
-1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
-2 tablespoons sugar
-1 cup of unsalted butter, melted

Syrup:

-1 cup of sugar
-2 tablespoons honey (optional) 
-1 cup of water
-1/2 cup rose water
-1/8 teaspoon powdered saffron

Method:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chopped almonds, pistachios, two tablespoons of sugar, and the ground cardamom. Mix well and set aside.
2. Combine sugar and water in a small pot and bring to a boil on medium heat for about 15 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Add the saffron to the syrup, lower the heat, and simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, add the rose water, and allow to cool.
5. Lightly butter the inside of the baking pan.
6. Place the first phyllo dough sheet down and lightly brush the melted butter across, covering the entire surface.
7. Add four more pieces of phyllo dough and lightly brush each with melted butter.
8. Add a layer of ground almonds/pistachios.
9. Add five more phyllo dough sheets. Lightly brush each sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter. 
10. Add another layer of chopped nuts covering all areas.
11. Place five more pieces of phyllo dough, lightly brushing each with butter.
12. Cover the phyllo dough sheets with another layer of the crushed nuts.
13. Place the last five layers of the phyllo dough sheets and brush the surface with butter.
14. With a sharp knife, cut across diagonally to make diamond shapes.
15. Place the baking pan on the center rack of the 350 degrees Fahrenheit preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden.
16. Take the tray out of the oven and turn the oven off.
17. Pour half of the cool syrup all over the baklava and place it back in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
18. Remove the pan from the oven and pour the remaining syrup over the baklava, and let it cool for at least a couple of hours before serving. (It tastes much better the next day, so you may want to make it ahead of time.)
19. To sum it all up, this recipe has 4 layers of 5 phyllo dough sheets and 3 layers of ground almonds and pistachios. It keeps well for a few days, but more than that, I couldn't tell you!

Garnish with chopped pistachios, almonds, or crushed rose petals and serve with hot tea or coffee.

Enjoy!

Sohan Asali - Persian Honey and Saffron Almond Candy

This past weekend marked my third-year anniversary of blogging about Persian cuisine, which is the kind of food I grew up with and to this day love to make all the time and gladly share with you. When I ventured into the world of food blogging, I never thought that one day I would be celebrating my blog's 3rd anniversary! The title of my blog, "Turmeric and Saffron," best describes my late mother's kitchen, with her spice jars and herb bottles everywhere on the counter and shelves, except for her small container of deep red saffron threads from Mashhad tucked away in a cupboard. Among the blend of intoxicating aromas in our ashpaz-khaneh (kitchen), there were various yellow turmeric-stained wooden spatulas, mismatched kitchen rags, her favorite plastic containers, and an array of oversized pots and pans. Then there she was, in the middle of the kitchen, meticulously preparing food for her family while beautifully humming a tune by one of her favorite singers, such as Delkash, Elaheh, and Marzieh.

Almost every meal that we ate at home was cooked by my mother from start to finish, since she would not allow any helpers to cook for us. She was very picky when it came to cooking and eating. Of course, baking was an exception to this rule. My mother would use zardchoobeh (turmeric) extensively to enhance the flavor and improve the aroma of meat dishes, stews, and any recipe that involved using lamb or chicken. When making the traditional abgousht/abgoosht (lamb stew), she would add a full teaspoon of turmeric to the boiling water before adding the lamb shanks and the other ingredients, a cooking technique that I only saw in her kitchen. Zaferan (saffron), on the other hand, was used in most rice dishes and some sweets such as shole-zard to give a bold flavor, gorgeous natural orange-red color, and a delicious aroma. She would usually pour a estekan (small tea cup) of saffron-water mixture over the parboiled rice in the pot before placing the towel-covered lid back on the pot to steam. My mother had a vast knowledge of herbal medicine, plants, food ingredients, as well as how to make healthy food choices. It is not only writing down my mother's recipes and my memories of growing up in Iran that bring me joy and keep me connected to my roots, but more importantly, it's the simple sharing of my mother's recipes that I find even more fulfilling.

For this sweet occasion, I'm making سوهان عسلی sohan asali (honey and almond candy). For best results, I recommend using butter instead of vegetable oil. Even though flavored honey is not used in making this candy, I like to use the orange blossom honey for an added flavor. I would also like to lightly toast the slivered almonds to improve the aroma and the taste. While cooking, the content becomes very hot, so it would be wonderful if someone could give you a hand at the end when you are dropping a spoonful of the hot mixture onto the parchment paper, since it dries quickly, and you still need to sprinkle the ground pistachios on top. Otherwise, you've got to be very quick.

Sohan Asali - Persian Honey and Saffron Almond Candy

Ingredients

Makes about 20 pieces

-1 cup sugar
-3 tablespoons honey
-1 cup slivered almonds
-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
-2 tablespoons rose water
-1/2 teaspoon saffron powder
-1/4 cup pistachios, crushed for garnish

Method:

1. Cover a large baking tray with parchment paper and leave the crushed pistachios nearby.
2. In a medium-sized heavy pot, combine sugar, honey, oil, and rose water on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved. Stir and swirl the pot around a few times.
3. Lower the heat and add the almonds to the sugar mixture, stir frequently, cook for another 7-10 minutes or until they turn light golden.
4. Add the crushed saffron and gently stir with a wooden spoon.
5. When the almonds are well coated with this caramel color syrup, start spooning out the mixture on the parchment paper as quickly as you can, and sprinkle the pistachios on top. Allow them to cool completely.
6. Remove the sohan asali from the tray, store it in an airtight container, and serve it the next day.

Serve with a hot cup of tea.

Enjoy!

Moraba-ye Beh - Persian Quince Jam with Cardamom and Rose Water

Recently, a reader left a comment on my blog asking for a recipe for quince jam, and that's when I decided to make this gorgeous, colorful, and fragrant preserve while quinces are still in season. مربای به (Persian quince jam) was always part of a typical Persian sobhaneh (breakfast) back home in Iran. breakfast often included freshly baked warm bread, barbari, taftoon, or sangak, straight from the tanoor, a hot cup of freshly brewed chai (tea), sarshir (breakfast cream), panir (my favorite is Lighvan), butter, and honey. 

Among the many jams, quince jam stood out with its beautiful color, aroma. and delicate sweetness. I recommend making a large batch, because this is the kind of jam you'll find yourself eating right out of the jar. I wish I could tell you how long it lasts in the fridge, but after a month, I honestly wouldn't know; it never makes it that long in our house. 

It's truly amazing to watch the transformation of this light yellow, tart, and woody fruit into a sweet fruit jam with a deep, ruby-red color and a texture soft enough to melt in your mouth.

This time of year, when quince is in season, is the perfect time to make the hearty one-pot meal known as tas kabab layered with slices of quince, or the comforting fall favorite khoresh-e beh (quince stew).  Quince has a thin, delicate skin that usually doesn't need to be peeled; just rinse it well, and with a sharp knife, gently remove the core. Don't throw away the seeds! They have long been used in Iranian homes for their medicinal properties. As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, a teaspoon of quince seeds steeped in a cup of hot water can help soothe a minor sore throat and chest discomfort.. Nothing from this beautiful fruit goes to waste!

Moraba-ye Beh - Persian Quince Jam

Ingredients

Makes about 4 pint jars 

-7 medium-sized quinces, rinse well under running water, pat dry, remove any brown spots and core, slice or cut into bite-sized pieces
-2 cups sugar (adjust to taste)
-3-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
-1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or 2-3 whole cardamom pods 
-1 tablespoon rose water (optional)

- 4 cups of water

Method

1.  Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice over the sliced quince.
2. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and 4 cups of water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, uncovered. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the syrup thickens slightly. 
3. Stir in the cardamom and add the quince slices to the syrup. Bring it back to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add the remaining lemon juice, and if necessary, add a little more water.
4. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours. To achieve that deep ruby-red color, try not to remove the lid during cooking to ensure that the quince slices develop the desired rich color. 
5. Add the rose water and simmer for another few minutes.
6. Remove from heat and let the jam cool.
7. Ladle it into sterilized jars, seal tightly, and refrigerate.

Serve for breakfast with butter, cheese, and warm bread, or as a topping with thick yogurt or vanilla ice cream. 

Enjoy!

Mint Cucumber Sekanjabin Ice Pops - Ancient Persian Drink Meets the New World

Summer is almost here, with its typical hot and humid weather and the all too familiar music of the ice cream truck driving through the neighborhood, followed by the excited screams of the neighbor's kids. So, I thought what better way to welcome the summer than with a mint and cucumber سکنجبین sekanjabin - but not the usual ancient cool beverage or the syrup dip served with fresh lettuce, but as ice pops! These are not your average frozen pops. They have the sweet and sour combination flavor that is typical of Iranian cuisine, with vinegar and honey/sugar. Ice pops are a wonderful treat any time of the year but having a tasty ice pop on a hot summer day is just a delightful experience. I still remember the taste of the orange popsicles that I used to buy from the corner grocery store of my grandmother's house in Tehran. When my children were little, they enjoyed their ice pops from the ice cream truck after swimming in the pool in the summer. Now, I usually get a box or two of multi-colored ice pops and that lasts us the entire summer.

سکنجبین - Sekanjabin syrup is usually served in a small bowl and eaten with fresh lettuce leaves. Sekanjabin drink is made with 2-3 tablespoons of sekanjabin, ice, water and grated cucumbers. Even though I absolutely love the taste of sekanjabin now, I didn't appreciate its strong flavor and aroma as a kid. Now, by trying to turn this delicious drink into a بستنی یخی bastani yakhi popsicle, I'm hoping it will appeal to the younger generation and those of us kids at heart. This is a simple recipe and a fun one to do with the kids over the summer. I have made few changes in my sekanjabin recipe to make these pops more palatable.

Long before the discovery of electricity and the invention of the refrigerator, having an ice-cold drink on hot summer days required some planning, hard work and patience. Yakhchal (ice pits) were built in hot and dry areas to make ice during the winter and to preserve it for use in the summer. As a child, I visited one of these yakhchals in the south of Tehran with my mother. The image of that man-made ancient refrigerator, which was made out of mud and clay, is still etched in my mind and makes me appreciate making ice-pops in a much more convenient freezer.

Mint Cucumber Sekanjabin Ice Pops - Ancient Persian Drink Meets the New World

Ingredients:
Makes 8 pops

1/2 cup honey *(I used orange blossom honey for its delicate scent and mild flavor but any other fruit flavored honey will do)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar *(I chose apple cider vinegar over white vinegar for its milder taste and for a bit of a fruity flavor)
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest *(to add a hint of citrus taste)
1 small bunch of fresh mint, washed
3 Persian cucumbers, shredded or thinly sliced
1 teaspoon rosewater

Method:

1. In a heavy-bottom pot, combine honey, sugar and water, place on medium heat, bring the water to a boil, stir until honey and sugar are dissolved, lower the heat, and simmer for about 10-12 minutes or until it thickens a little bit. 
2. Add vinegar, lemon zest and mint leaves, stir and simmer for another 7-8 minutes.
3.  Remove foams with a wooden spoon. Taste and adjust the flavors.
4. Add a teaspoon of rosewater, remove from heat and let cool completely and then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. 
5. Place a teaspoon of shredded cucumber and a couple of mint leaves in each mold. Pour the mixture into Popsicle molds. I used this ice pop mold. Insert the ice pop sticks and place in the freezer until firm, about 3-4 hours.

Enjoy!

Masghati - Persian Rose Water, Cardamom Pudding with Almonds and Pistachios

There may be many ways to prepare مسقطی (masghati), but this starch-based version is the one that I know and love the best. It's a simple, quick, no-fuss, and yet decadent dessert. This traditional recipe is infused with aromatic rose water, saffron, crushed pistachios, almonds, and a hint of cardamom; a perfect treat for any occasion or simply to enjoy with a freshly brewed cup of afternoon tea. 

Traditionally, masghati is cut into diamond shapes, garnished with pistachios and almonds, and served with tea. You may also serve it in small bowls if you prefer.

I also made an adorable heart-shaped masghati for Valentine's Day! This tasty treat has an intoxicating blend of aromas and flavors, and it melts in your mouth and is wonderfully addictive. Every bite fills my heart with nostalgia and eshgh (love), the binding force of the universe!

Masghati - Persian Rose Water, Cardamom Pudding with Almonds and Pistachios

Ingredients

Makes about 30 diamond-shaped masghati

-1 cup corn starch or wheat starch (I used corn starch)
-1 1/2 cups white sugar (adjust to taste)
-4 tablespoons butter
-1 cup slivered or coarsely chopped blanched almonds
-1 cup slivered or coarsely chopped pistachios
-1/3 cup rose water (adjust to your personal taste)1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
-A pinch of crushed saffron dissolved in 2 tablespoons of hot water

Method:

1. Heat a cup of water on medium-low heat. Add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Keep warm.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve the corn starch in 1 cup of cold water until smooth and lump-free.
3. In a medium, heavy-bottomed pan, combine the dissolved starch and 3 cups of water. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add the dissolved sugar and stir well.
5. Add the butter, almonds, saffron, cardamom, and 1/2 cup of pistachios (reserve the rest for garnish). Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 5-7 minutes until smooth, well-blended, and thick. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes.
6. Add the rose water in the final 10 minutes of cooking.
7. Remove from heat and spread the mixture into a lightly buttered or oiled rectangular pan (at least 1 inch deep) that has been lightly buttered or oiled. Smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Let it cool for a couple of hours.
8. Cut masghati into diamond shapes, place on a serving platter, and garnish with pistachios and almonds. 

 I wish you all a very happy Valentine's Day filled with love and happiness!

Peace and blessings!
Enjoy!