Persian

The classical, formal Persian cooking tradition: layered saffron rice (chelo) topped with elaborate khoresh stews, charcoal-grilled kababs (koobideh, joojeh, barg) and meticulous patisserie scented with rosewater, orange blossom and saffron. More restrained and herb-driven than its Indian and Turkish neighbours; the seasoning is precise, and the rice work is its own art form. Bastani, faloodeh and shirini close meals; Nowruz (Persian New Year) brings the cuisine to a peak.

15 recipes

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Recipes

Ash Reshteh

Dried beans (chickpeas + kidney beans + green lentils, OR the popular cheat of mixing all dried into one pot) soak overnight. Onion fries in oil; turmeric, salt and the soaked-and-drained beans go in with stock; simmers for 1 hour 15 minutes until tender. A heaping double handful of finely chopped fresh herbs (parsley, coriander, dill plus blanched spinach) goes in. Reshteh noodles (Persian flat egg noodles, sold at Iranian shops) add for the last 10 minutes. The bowl finishes with a sour-fermented kashk drizzle, dried-mint-and-garlic-in-oil sizzle, deep-fried golden onion, and a swirl of yogurt. Garnishes are not optional.

2 hours 10 minutes Serves6

Baghali Polo Ba Mahiche

Lamb shanks brown hard; cook for 2 hours 30 minutes with onion, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon and saffron in a covered pot with a small amount of stock until fork-tender. Meanwhile, basmati rinses and soaks for 1 hour. Frozen (or fresh, podded) broad beans simmer briefly until tender; the rice parboils for 6 minutes in heavily salted water; drains. The rice layers in the cooking pot with the broad beans, dill and saffron: bottom oil-and-rice for tahdig; then a mixed layer of rice + beans + dill; another rice-and-bean-and-dill layer; topped with rice and saffron-water; lid-wrapped-in-towel; steam for 40 minutes. Plated with the lamb shanks alongside.

4 hours 30 minutes Serves4

Chelo Kabab Koobideh

Mince mixes with very finely-grated onion (squeezed dry), salt, pepper, turmeric and a hit of saffron-water. The mixture chills, then forms onto wide flat skewers in long sausage shapes. Charcoal grills are traditional; a hot grill pan or barbecue works at home. The kababs grill for 3-4 minutes per side; whole tomatoes char alongside; rice piles on the plate; everything assembles together.

1 hour 45 minutes Serves4

Khoresh Bademjan

Aubergines are peeled in stripes, sliced into 1 ½ cm-thick rounds (or 2 cm-thick long pieces), salted heavily on both sides and rested for 30 minutes to weep bitter juice. Patted dry and shallow-fried gold in sunflower oil. The base: onion fries in oil until deep gold; lamb cubes brown in; turmeric, cinnamon, salt and pepper toast briefly; tomato paste cooks for 2 minutes; water and yellow split peas join; everything simmers for 1 hour. Verjuice (or lemon juice), saffron-water and the fried aubergines go in for the last 30 minutes. Served over chelo rice.

2 hours 45 minutes Serves4

Khoresh Karafs

Lamb shoulder is browned in oil; sliced onion is softened to gold; turmeric and a pinch of cinnamon toast briefly; water covers; the pot simmers for 1 hour 15 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, lots of celery is sliced into 2 cm-long pieces and sautéed with parsley and mint over medium heat 8-10 minutes until fragrant and just softened. The celery-and-herb mix goes into the pot for the last 25 minutes. Saffron-water and lemon juice at the end. Salt to taste.

2 hours 10 minutes Serves4

Kotlet

A medium potato grates fine (on a box grater); a small onion grates the same way. The grated potato and onion squeeze in a clean tea towel to extract excess water. They combine with mince, egg, turmeric, salt, pepper and a touch of cinnamon into a paste. The paste rests for 30 minutes (firms up; the salt seasons through). Shaped into 12 oval patties, about 8 cm long, 1 cm thick. Shallow-fried in sunflower oil 3 minutes per side until deep gold.

1 hour 20 minutes Serves4

Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh

Basmati rice rinses thoroughly; soaks for 1 hour in salted water. Bone-in chicken (thighs and drumsticks) browns; cooks for 45 minutes with onion, turmeric, tomato paste, cinnamon, saffron and a splash of water until tender and the sauce thick. Rice parboils for 6 minutes in heavily salted water; drains. The Persian rice technique: a layer of yogurt-rice (or just oil and rice) goes in the bottom of the pot to form tahdig; remaining rice mounds on top in a cone; a cloth-wrapped lid clamps on; cooks for 40 minutes over low heat. Meanwhile, zereshk berries are rinsed (they're salty), sautéed in butter with a touch of sugar and saffron. Plated with the rice spread out, chicken nestled on top, and zereshk-and-nuts scattered across.

2 hours 45 minutes Serves4