Gheymeh Rizeh Nokhodchi - Chickpea Meatballs Braised in Tomato Sauce

As is the case with many Iranians living abroad, trips to our home country tend to feel like an epic dream filled with nostalgia! Last year, three months after my trip to Iran with my daughters, I traveled to Iran again with my husband. We visited our families and traveled through Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Yazd, and Kerman during our four-week stay. It was a memorable trip as I tried to capture the beauty of ancient Persian architecture, the vast landscapes, tucked away narrow alleyways, grand bazaars, and small craft shops. I also got to taste many of the dishes that I had dreamt of over the years while being away. I got to talk about food and recipes to anyone willing and interested to share their knowledge. One day during our stay in Isfahan,  I went out for some tea and sweets with my sister-in-law and her friend. My sister-in-law also shared her Isfahani-style pancake recipe with me and I wrote about it a while back. We went to a coffee shop inside the courtyard of a historic house.  As we were sipping tea we talked about traditional Isfahani dishes such as biriani, khoresh mast and gheymeh rizeh nokhodchi, which is the recipe that I'm sharing with you today. Below is the simple yet delicious recipe as was told to me by two lovely ladies on a memorable sunny afternoon in Isfahan.

Ingredients:

Serves 4

Meatballs

1 pound lean ground lamb or beef

2 medium-sized onions, finely grated 

1/2 cup chickpea flour

1 tablespoon dried mint 

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Tomato Sauce

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 large tomato, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon dried mint

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

Method:

1. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, add the sliced onion, and cook until translucent. Add turmeric, stir. Add tomato paste, cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chopped tomatoes, dry mint, salt, pepper, and two cups of water, bring to a gentle boil. Simmer over low heat.
2. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, grated onion, chickpea flour, turmeric, dried mint, salt, and pepper using your hands. Shape the mixture into small meatballs.  
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs, and brown them well on all sides. 
4. Gently drop the meatballs into the tomato sauce, cover, and braise them for 45-50 minutes over low heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve with warm bread or rice and torshi. 

Enjoy!

Khoresh Gheymeh Kadoo Sabz - Iranian Lamb and Yellow Split Pea Stew with Zucchini

Here's my favorite خورش قیمه کدو سبز khoresh-e gheymeh kadoo sabz: a combination of the delicious and popular khoresh gheymeh and khoresh kadoo. Recently, I posted a picture of this dish on my Instagram, and I was asked for the recipe. So I made it again and this time I measured the ingredients instead of eyeballing everything and wrote a new blog post! Traditionally, gheymeh is made with small bite-sized lamb, yellow split peas, limoo amani, fried onion, tomato sauce, and topped with fries. Khoresh kadoo sabz is cooked with cubed lamb, lightly fried kadoo (gray squash/zucchini), fried onion, tomato sauce, and limoo amani (dried limes). Gray squash is lighter in color and more round at the bottom than zucchini. For this recipe, you can use gray squash or zucchini, or baby zucchini if available.

Baby Zucchini

It's worth mentioning that the word کدو kadoo refers to both summer and winter squash such as pumpkin, butternut squash, zucchini, or gray squash. سبز Sabz means green in Persian/Farsi.

  کدو حلوایی/ کدو تنبل Kadoo Tanbal/Kadoo Halvaie (Pumpkin & Butternut Squash), Kadoo Sabz (Gray Squash & Zucchini)

Gheymeh Kadoo Sabz - Yellow Split Pea Zucchini Stew

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

1 pound boneless lamb or beef, trimmed and cut into small bite-sized cubes
1 1/2 pounds regular zucchini, peeled and cut lengthwise into thick slices or whole baby zucchini
1 cup yellow split peas
1 large onion, peeled and diced or thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes or 4 small tomatoes, peeled and diced
4-5 limoo amani (dried limes) make 2-3 little holes in each of the dried limes with a fork or a knife
1 cinnamon stick (small)
1 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper
Pinch of red pepper 
Juice of 1 lemon 
Vegetable oil or olive oil

Method:

1. Rinse yellow split peas, place in a pot, add 3 cups of water, add a small stick of cinnamon and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat or until tender and remove foam as it cooks. Set aside. Remove the cinnamon stick.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Fry the zucchini until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion, saute until soft and transparent. Add a pinch of salt and the turmeric powder, stir. Add the minced garlic and saute for another couple of minutes.
4. Add the meat and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and thoroughly brown on all sides.
5. Spoon in the tomato paste in the center of the pot, cook for 2-3 minutes until the tomato paste changes color.
6. Add the diced tomatoes, yellow split peas, limoo amani, 1 teaspoon salt, a pinch of red pepper and enough water to cover the stew by a couple of inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes. 
7. Layer zucchini slices or whole baby zucchini on top of the gheymeh. Add a little more water if needed. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes over low heat until the meat and the peas are fully cooked and the flavors come together. 
8. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir in the juice of lime or lemon if you like.

Serve warm with rice, mast o khiar, salad shirazi, and sabzi khordan.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Ghormeh Sabzi

Over the years I have received many requests for vegetarian recipes from my readers. I was somewhat hesitant to write vegetarian recipes because I believe that Iranian cuisine is vegetarian-friendly and has many vegetarian dishes. If you search my recipe index you'll see that there are many vegetarian options on my blog, such as bean-based dishes like Ash Reshteh, and the Seven-Bean Soup. There are also vegetable-based recipes such as Koo Koo Sabzi and Koo Koo Sibzamini. As for those polow and khoresh (rice and stew) recipes with meat, you can remove the meat, or with a little tweaking, you can easily adjust the recipes to your liking and enjoy many of the traditional Iranian meals while sticking to your vegetarian diet. Growing up in Iran, I only knew of a couple vegetarians around us. However, with the growing number of vegetarians/vegans and those cutting back on red meat (lamb, beef) for health reasons, some traditional recipes can be modified by substituting ingredients. 

I'm a firm believer in maintaining and preserving the integrity of traditional Iranian food and I am always reluctant to make any drastic changes to our traditional beloved recipes. I am so grateful to those culinary magicians of the past that created many timeless recipes to be enjoyed for generations to come. I wonder, if the inventors of ghormeh sabzi or fesenjoon, had any idea that their creations would surpass time and all borders and would be enjoyed by many for years to come.

For today's recipe, I decided to do my vegetarian version of this most beloved khoresh. There are a few simple options for customizing vegetarian ghormeh sabzi. The first option is to just omit the meat! The second option is to increase the amount of beans (red kidney beans or pinto beans) by 1/2 cup or more if you like. The third option is to replace the meat with tofu, tempeh, or seitan. However, my choice for a قورمه سبزی گیاهی ghormeh sabzi giahi (meat-free ghormeh sabzi) is using baby bella mushrooms for their brown color and meaty texture and flavor.

Vegetarian Ghormeh Sabzi

Ingredients:
Serving 4-6

1 cup dried red kidney beans or pinto beans, soaked overnight
10 oz baby bella mushrooms or large portabella, trimmed and cut into chunks or sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cups chopped fresh parsley
3 cups chopped leeks, or scallions or chives (tareh)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup chopped fresh fenugreek or a tablespoon dried fenugreek
4-5 limoo amani (dried limes)
1 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of a lime
Vegetable oil/olive oil

Method:

1. In a large pot, add beans, cover with water by a couple of inches, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat, cover, leaving the top a little ajar. Cook until beans are tender. 
2. Heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat, saute the chopped herbs for about 10-15 minutes or until their color changes. Stir frequently. Set aside.
3.  In a large stockpot, saute the chopped onions in 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil until golden brown. Add turmeric powder. Stir well.
4. Add the sauteed herbs, cooked beans, dried limes, salt, and pepper to the pot. Add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat. Cover and cook on a low setting for 45 minutes.
5. In the meantime in a large pot heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they have released most of their liquid. Remove the mushrooms from the pan, place them in a bowl and sprinkle with lime juice.
6. Add the mushrooms and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes on low heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add a little more water if needed.

Serve up the khoresh in a large bowl with rice, mast o khiar, and salad shirazi.

Enjoy!

Kookoo Khorfeh - Purslane Kookoo

Every year from mid-spring to late summer I eagerly await the appearance of dark-green خرفه (purslane) sprouts in my backyard, vegetable garden, flower borders, and in between the cement cracks. The often under-appreciated and ignored purslane has always been a favorite of mine. You can throw a handful of fresh purslane in almost any dish and make it taste better with its slightly tart and peppery flavor. Purslane has high levels of omega-3 fatty acids as well as fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B, and many more nutritional values.

Purslane (portulaca oleracea) has been labeled as a garden weed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and I gave up looking for it in stores long ago. In Iran, and in many other countries, khorfeh (purslane) happens to be a popular summer green. I'm always looking for different ways to prepare purslane. However, with the little purslane that I end up gathering, I can't get too creative! I usually add them to salad shirazi, mast o khiar, sabzi khordan and fruit salads. Tokhm-e khorfeh, purslane's black seeds, are used in Iranian baking and sprinkled on naan berenji and shirini keshmeshi.

On a recent trip to the grocery store, I was surprised to find rows of purslane nicely stacked on the shelf. They were imported from Mexico! I bought a few bunches and then decided to make کوکوخرفه kookoo khorfeh - purslane kookoo with parsley, chives and caramelized onion.

Now that summer is almost behind us there are only a few purslane plants out there in the garden and I wanted to write this recipe before the season is officially over. I find it much easier to bake kookoo sabzi in the oven than on the stove-top and it doesn't require turning over the wedges/slices. For this recipe, however, I decided to cook it the traditional way on the stovetop like how my mother used to make almost all her foods. I feel that kookoo cooked on the stove comes out tastier! I understand that many of you like to add a little baking powder to kookoo dishes so feel free to add a teaspoon of baking powder to the mixture if you prefer.

Kookoo Khorfeh - Purslane Kookoo

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

2 bunches of purslane (2 cups chopped) use the leaves and the thin part of the stems. Discard the thicker ends
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley (1 cup chopped)
1 bunch fresh tareh (chives) or scallions (green parts only) (1 cup chopped)
6 large eggs, beaten
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely diced walnuts *optional
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon paprika 

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
A pinch of red pepper 
Vegetable oil/olive oil

Method:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute the onion slices until translucent, add the turmeric powder, stir. Lower the heat and continue cooking the onions, stirring occasionally until brown. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine the chopped purslane, parsley, chives, caramelized onion, walnuts, eggs, paprika, red pepper, and season with salt and black pepper.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, pour in the egg mixture, and spread evenly. Cover and cook for 30 minutes on low. Cut the kookoo in 8 equal wedges. Carefully turn over the slices halfway through cooking using a fork and a spatula. You can also slice the kookoo after it is fully cooked. 

Serve warm or at room temperature with mast o khiar, salad shirazi, torshi and warm bread.

Enjoy!

Khoresh Chaghaleh Badoom - Green Almond Stew

Iranian cuisine is known for its slow-simmered, flavorful, and savory stews served with a platter of long-grain aromatic saffron rice. One of the most famous stews from Iran is the herb-filled ghormeh sabzi. Another favorite is the sweet and sour walnut and pomegranate khoresh fesenjoon. However, this خورش چغاله بادام - chaghaleh badoom khoresh is one of the lesser-known khoresh recipes. It is unique and should also be cherished at friends and family gatherings like all other brilliant Persian khoresh recipes.

A green almond is an unripe almond with a green fuzzy outer skin picked in early spring before the inner nut fully ripens and the outer shell becomes hard. Chaghaleh badoom is one of Iran's favorite snacks. It is traditionally eaten whole and dipped in a bit of salt. By early spring, you will have to be on the lookout for them, otherwise, they will come and go in the blink of an eye since they have such a short season. I remember my mother reminiscing about picking soft-shelled almonds right off the tree branches on the skirts of kuh-e Alvand in Hamadan, where she grew up.

It's hard to find spring almonds where I live, and I have yet to see them in any regular supermarkets or vegetable stores. I was so excited when I spotted green almonds at my local Persian grocery store. I could almost taste them just by looking at them. In addition to going through a bowl of tart and crunchy chaghale badoom, you can slice them into salads or make an Iranian-style tangy herb and green almond stew with a bit of a crunch!

Khoresh Chaghaleh Badoom

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

1 pound stew meat (lamb or beef), cubed
1 pound green almonds, soaked in cool water for 6-8 hours or overnight, drain, use a paper towel to remove the fuzz (you may also slice the green almonds if you like)
3 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1-2 tablespoons dried mint (for added aroma and flavor)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed (you may use verjuice instead)
Vegetable oil

Method:

1. In a large pan, heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat and saute the chopped onions until soft and golden. Add the turmeric powder, stir well.
2. Add the meat to the pan, stirring occasionally, and cook until brown on all sides. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add 3 cups of water or enough to cover the beef. Bring back to boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer gently for 45 minutes.
4. Add the green almonds, parsley, fresh mint, and dried mint. Add a little water if needed. Cover and cook for another 45 minutes over low heat. Add in the lime juice and continue cooking on low heat for another 10-15 minutes.    

Serve the khoresh warm with polow, mast o khiar, and salad Shirazi.

Enjoy!

Ash-e Anar - Persian Pomegranate Soup with Fresh Herbs and Mini Meatballs

I've let many winters and pomegranate seasons go by without writing about آش انار ash-e anar. However, this time as I watch the icy snowflakes rapidly hit the windows and pile up all around the house I'm thinking it's time to post a recipe for this hearty and tasty ash-e anar. The idea of making warm ash on a cold day or when you feel a little under the weather and need a pick-me-up was passed down to me by my mother. I make ash reshteh all the time and chances are if you open my refrigerator you'll find a bowl tucked in somewhere. Not to mention, after all these years living in America, it's only recently that I've been finding large, ruby-red, juicy pomegranates in the market by where I live.

You can make this soup with brown or green lentils if you are not a fan of yellow split peas. If you choose to use لپه lapeh (yellow split peas) I would suggest boiling them for 7-10 minutes on medium heat, remove any of the foam that comes to the surface, drain and then add to the stew. When making the کوفته قلقلی koofteh ghelgheli -mini meatballs try to make them as tiny as possible. They should be easily scooped up by a tablespoon. If you find the recipe a little sour you can add a little sugar to the stew. This recipe serves 6-8 people but if you want to make less you can easily cut the recipe in half. And I think you should definitely serve this ash with نعنا داغ nana dagh - fried dried mint and oil mixture.

Ash-e Anar - Pomegranate Soup

Ingredients:
Serves 6-8

1 pound ground meat (lamb, beef, or turkey)
1 cup rice, rinse well, drain
1/2 cup yellow split peas, rinse well
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch parsley, remove the stems, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1 bunch scallion, green parts only, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup pomegranate molasses, more if you like
Turmeric Powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons dried mint
2-3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
Vegetable oil


Method:

1. Combine the yellow split peas and  2 cups of water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming the foam from the surface, lower the heat and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the onion and cook until golden brown, add the minced garlic, saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, stir well.
3. Add the rice, split peas, and 8 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes with the lid slightly ajar, stirring occasionally. 
4. In the meantime, combine the meat with 2-3 tablespoons of the chopped vegetables, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Take a small piece of meat mixture and form it into meatballs. Continue shaping until all the meat is used.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry the meatballs until brown on all sides. 
6. Add the meatballs, pomegranate molasses, chopped vegetables, salt, and pepper to the pot. cover and simmer on low heat for another 30-40 minutes.
7. In a small pot, heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat, add a pinch of turmeric and 2 tablespoons of dried mint, stir and remove from stove. 

Pour the ash into a large serving bowl, drizzle with nana dagh and garnish with pomegranate seeds, if desired.  Serve with warm bread.

Enjoy!

Yalda Night (Winter Solstice) 2015 and Shami Haveej - Carrot Shami Kabab with Sweet & Sour Tomato Sauce

شب چله/شب یلدا Shab-e Yalda/Shab-e Chelleh, the ancient Persian celebration of the longest night, dates back thousands of years ago to the birth of میترا Mithra the god of light who was born on the eve of yalda (winter solstice). After the longest night of the year, the days will gradually become longer symbolizing the victory of light over darkness. The word یلدا yalda means birth in سریانی Syriac language and for Iranians, the eve of yalda is a time for the joyful celebration filled with poetry, music, and delicious food.  For me, celebrating the Iranian festival of light is a meaningful جشن jashn (festivity) perhaps because it was always celebrated in our home growing up in Iran. The night of yalda is a time to reflect and appreciate how our ancestors kept this tradition alive for several millennia. Looking at our history, I can only imagine how many of those shab-e yalda gatherings took place amid uncertainties, unrest, battles and frightening dark times. However, they did not succumb to the madness of their times and held on to the belief that light will prevail over darkness. It inspires us to light the candles on this night, serve the traditional winter fruits, nuts and sweets, read poetry, share happy memories and pass on the tradition to future generations.

Almost all of the dried autumn leaves in my yard have been raked and the grill cleaned and put away for the season. I'm going to miss the whole experience of outdoor cooking -- the taste and the smell of food cooked on an open fire outside. Perhaps on one or two occasions I'll brave the cold and pull out the grill from under the plastic covers and make some koobideh. kotlet, shami and kabab deegi are stove-top alternatives to grilled kababs although they can be cooked any time of year regardless of the season.

 شامی هویج (Carrot shami) is a favorite in our home. This shami kabab is made with chickpea flour or you can use mashed cooked chickpeas as well. Chickpea flour adds a nutty flavor to these meat patties and the shredded carrots add a little sweetness. This recipe can also be made with زردک zardak (parsnip) instead of carrots. Carrot shami may be simmered in a sweet and sour tomato sauce dressing and it's best served with rice. You can also add a handful of finely chopped herbs to the meat mixture for extra flavor and aroma.

Shami Haveej- Carrot Shami

Ingredients:
Makes about 16 patties

1 1/2 pounds ground beef, lamb, or turkey
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
3 tablespoons chickpea flour
1 large yellow onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Pinch of cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Oil for frying

Ingredients for the sauce:

1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Water


Method:

• In a large bowl combine meat, carrots, chickpea flour, onion, garlic, eggs, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until well blended. 
• In a non-stick skillet or a cast-iron skillet heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.
• Take a handful of the meat mixture, shape it into a small ball, flatten it as the size of your palm and make a hole in the center with your finger. You can also make oval-shaped patties. 
• Fry the patties until the meat is nicely browned on both sides.
• In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onions, saute until soft and golden. 
• Add the tomato paste and saute for a couple of minutes. 
• Add 2 cups of water, pomegranate molasses, sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.  Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, layer the shami kababs in the skillet. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes, 

Serve warm or at room temperature with sabzi khordan, torshi, mast o khiar, and polow.

P.S. I'd like to take a moment here to say it's my seven-year blog anniversary and I would like to express many thanks and my deepest gratitude to my faithful readers and welcome to the new readers!

A collage of  past Yalda nights

Happy Shab-e Yalda! Happy Winter Solstice!

Khoresh-e Holu - Persian Peach Stew with Chicken

I was planning on making this savory peach khoresh during the summer when the lush peaches were at their peak but somehow I just didn't get around to it. Now, several days past the autumnal equinox, I think this savory peach chicken stew is the perfect farewell to summer as well as a delicious way to celebrate the beginning of fall and مهرگان - Mehregan. Mehregan is the annual ancient Persian festival of autumn's bounty and the feast of Mithra the symbol of kindness, friendship, love, and light. I believe now more than ever that we need to reach deep within and incorporate the message of مهر و محبت  mehr-o-mohabbat (love and kindness), compassion and respect for everyone into our lives. Here's a link to my previous post on Mehregan.

As much as I love the fall season it's always hard to say goodbye to the sweet flavor of peaches as well as the many other flavorful summer fruits. And for those that are not crazy about the fuzzy peach skin, there's always the option of smooth, sweet, and juicy nectarines. The best way to enjoy fresh summer fruit is to make a beautiful fruit platter or a colorful fruit salad. Many try to make the most of the fruits that are in season by making sweet and creamy summer deserts. In Persian cuisine, fresh and dried fruits such as apricots, quince, raisins, plums, and pomegranates are frequently used in savory dishes. Here are three examples of recipes made with fruits: Apple Khoresh with Dried Apricots, Fruit Ash, Quince Khoresh

This خورش هلو - peach khoresh is well balanced between sweet and sour due to the slight acidity of the fresh lime juice and the slightly sweet brown sugar. For a more sweet flavor, you may use honey or white sugar instead of brown sugar. This dish may be made with lamb, beef, or chicken. I didn't peel the peaches but if you find them extra fuzzy you may want to remove the skin. I made khoresh -e holu using tomato sauce but after tasting the two stews I do prefer the taste of the stew without the tomato sauce. Both dried peaches and fresh peaches are used in this recipe. Dried peaches are added in the beginning to cook along with the chicken pieces for added flavor and the fresh peaches are added toward the end of cooking since we don't want them to get mushy. You can substitute the dried peaches with dried plums or dried apricots.

Khoresh-e Holu - Peach Stew

Ingredients:
Serves 4

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 firm, slightly under-ripe yellow peaches, peel, remove the pits and cut into slices
4 dried peaches, cut in half
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil or olive oil

Method:

• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pan, add the sliced onion and saute until light brown over medium-high heat. 
• Add the minced garlic and turmeric and saute for another 2 minutes or so. 
• Add the chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and saute until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
• Add the dried peaches, cardamom and stir to combine.
• Add water to cover the chicken pieces. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover and cook for 40 minutes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced peaches and saute lightly on both sides for a couple of minutes.
• Add the sliced peaches to the pot with the chicken. 
• Add cinnamon, lime juice and sugar, stir gently,  cover and simmer for another 15-20 minutes over medium-low heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve warm with rice and salad shirazi.

Happy Autumn. Happy Mehregan!

Chicken Koobideh - Grilled Ground Chicken Kabab

With the arrival of warm weather, it's finally time to take my cooking outside to my backyard surrounded by ivy-covered trees, tall shrubs and evergreens, and get my grill going to make some delicious کباب کوبیده مرغ - chicken koobideh for my family. The entire process of making کباب - kabab from preparing the meat mixture, shaping it on long metal skewers with evenly spaced ridges, to standing over a hot grill on a hot summer day with all the flames, smoke and smell of charcoal is an especially nostalgic experience for me. کوبیده - Koobideh is a dish that I remember the most from my childhood since my mother would make kabab very often while we were growing up. I remember our portable منقل - manghal (grill) that was placed by the side of the hayat (court-yard), always accessible and never put away even during winter. All it needed was some charcoal, matches and a بادبزن - badbezan (handheld fan) to get the fire going -- rain or shine. Well, of course mostly shine and very little rain where I grew up.

There are many varieties of kabab in Persian cuisine. Chelow Kabab Koobideh (saffron steamed plain rice with grilled kabab) is a national dish of Iran and it is traditionally made with ground lamb. However, when I moved here I found the lamb to have a strong smell and flavor and was very different from what I was used to in Iran. Therefore, I mostly use beef instead of lamb in my cooking. This is a low-fat chicken koobideh recipe for those of us trying to cut back on red meat  A cross between kabab koobideh and joojeh kabab that's worth a try!

Kabab Koobideh Morgh - Chicken Koobideh

Ingredients:
Makes 6 metal flat skewers

2 pounds ground chicken (preferably thigh meat)
1 large onion, grated
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
1-2 tablespoons liquid saffron
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
A pinch of red pepper
Juice of 1-2 limes
Olive oil

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine ground chicken, grated onion, turmeric, saffron, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Mix well using your hands. Cover with a plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to come together.
2. Leave a bowl of cool water next to you on the counter. Take a handful of the chicken mixture, place it around the skewer, dip your hand in the water and shape the meat into a long kabab. 
3. In a small bowl mix the 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the lime juice. 
4. Prepare your charcoal or gas grill, place the skewers over the grill, turning them every few minutes until each kabab is fully cooked.
5. Brush the olive oil and lime juice mixture over the kababs on both sides halfway through cooking.

Place the kababs on a platter, squeeze a bit of lime juice over the kabab, sprinkle with sumac. Serve with rice, grilled vegetables, mast o khiar and doogh.

Ode to Choghondar (Beets) + Recipes for Laboo and Kookoo Barg-e Choghondar (Beet Greens)

One wintry day long ago, during one of our trips to Tehran, I remember accompanying my mother as she went all over town running errands and shopping. It was getting late and we were hurrying to get home before dark when my mother stopped at a دکه ی لبو فروشی - dakeh-ye laboo forooshi (street vendor stand selling beets). Many large, glazed purple/red beets were stacked neatly with some floating in their juice on a large tray. How do they make such simple and inexpensive street food so delicious? There must be an ancient secret recipe among the beet vendors in Iran - one that I would really love to get my hands on. Biting into a perfectly sweet, tender, and warm laboo in the snow after a seemingly endless day was especially gratifying. لبو/ چغندرپخته Choghondar pokhteh/Laboo (cooked beets) happens to be one of Iran's popular street foods throughout the winter months. And this recipe brings the cherished memories of my youth back home in Iran.

چغندر - Choghondar (beet) is highly nutritious, low in calories, quite versatile and has a gorgeous color. Beets can be thinly sliced or grated raw into salads, steamed, boiled, or baked. Beets can also be used in both sweet and savory dishes. Those who love the earthy taste of beets can enjoy them throughout the year since they're always available in the market.

I have tried various ways of preparing beets. The simplest one is to roast them until tender and just serve them plain. Beets have a very high sugar content and there's really no need to add any sugar/sweeteners. However, I am on a quest to achieve the delicious and flavorful taste of the laboo I had in Iran.

I like to add honey for sweetness to the dish. You can use table sugar, brown sugar, or honey, whichever you prefer and you can adjust the sweetness to your liking. In addition, adding a good squeeze of lemon juice will enhance the color as well as the flavor of beets. For this recipe, I peeled and sliced them before cooking. You can cook beets whole instead of slicing them. Just remember that beets stain everything and you may want to wear gloves while peeling and slicing them.

Laboo - Beets

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6 

4 medium-sized beets, trimmed, peeled, sliced
2 teaspoons white sugar or brown sugar or honey (I used raw unfiltered honey), use more if you like.
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Water

Optional garnish: chopped pistachios, sliced almonds

Method:

1. Place the beets in a large heavy saucepan. Add enough water to cover the slices by 2 inches, bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 30 minutes.
2. Add the lemon juice and honey, cover, and simmer over low heat for another 10-15 minutes or until beets are tender and glazed. Make sure there is some liquid left in the bottom of the pan.

To serve place the beets in a deep serving platter, pour 2-3 tablespoons of the remaining liquid over them. Sprinkle with almonds and pistachios and serve immediately as a side dish or snack.

Beetroot greens (leaves and stems) also have nutritional value and can be substituted into most recipes that call for spinach. It can be added to ash reshteh, kookoo sabzi, or even ghormeh sabzi for a great flavor variation. After I cooked the beets I decided it was about time to make a dish just using its greens, the under-appreciated and often discarded barg-e choghondar, and that's how this beautiful and delicious کوکوبرگ چغندر kookoo barg-e choghondar was created.

Kookoo Barg-e Choghondar - Beet Greens Kookoo (leaves and stems)

Ingredients:

Serves 4-6

2 cups beet leaves, chopped (I gave them a quick rough chop)

2 cups beet stems, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

4 eggs

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

A pinch of cumin *optional

A pinch of cayenne pepper *optional 

Vegetable oil

Method:

1. In a medium frying pan heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil, add onions, and saute over medium-high heat until light golden brown. Add turmeric powder and garlic, saute for another 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove fried garlic and onion from oil, set aside.
2. In a large bowl whisk the eggs until well mixed.
3. Add the green beet leaves, red stems, fried onion, garlic, flour, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne. Mix thoroughly.
4. In a large skillet heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat, gently pour in the mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 35-40 minutes. There's no need to turn them over. This way they'll maintain their gorgeous color and fresh rustic look.

Serve warm or room temperature with warm bread, salad, mast o khiar, and torshi.

As I am sure many of you may already know, since I have already shared the news on my Facebook and Instagram page, I was recently chosen by Yahoo Food as their blogger of the week. The following three recipes: Zucchini and Yogurt Salad, Fesenjoon, and Khoresh-e Karafs were featured during the week along with a Q&A. I am truly honored and delighted.

Enjoy!