When it comes to food most of us want to taste all those new foods, local foods and traditional dished all around the world. If you enjoy cooking, eating or other aspects of food and really into food tourism try Iranian foods that are rich and full of flavors.
Persian foods are so well-done, nutritious, delicious and come in all sorts of varieties from foods that are strictly made of vegetables to those that are pure meat.(lamb,chicken,duck,fish,shrime,beef,camel meat)
The vital ingredient of Iranian foods is rice. Iranian rice cooking method includes three primary procedures that are called: polo (pilaf), chelo and kateh. Chelo is plain rice that is served with stew or kebab. Polo is rice which is mixed with something like barberries, lentils etc. And when rice is cooked until the water is absorbed completely, it is called kateh.
Here it is some famous stews and kebabs which are served with chelo
Ghorme sabzi stew (Fresh herb stew of Iran)
This pleasant stew considered to be national dish of Iran. It is a stew prepared with mixture of fried fresh herbs, beans, lamb or beef. What give this stew such a unique taste is black dried lime or Persian lime.
It is a must eat food.
Fesenjān/fesenjoon (Walnut stew)
This wonder of Persian cuisine has different recipes among Iranians. It has silky texture of walnut with sweet and sour taste of pomegranate. It is made by chicken or meat.
Gheimeh (Yellow split peas stew)
Gheimeh which means finely minced meat is the most favorite stew among Iranians. It is made with split peas and finely chopped meat and it is topped with French fries in thin slices.
Khoresh Bademjan/Bademjoon stew (Eggplant stew)
It is prepared with eggplants as well as lamb or beef. Like a number of stews in Iran an acidic ingredient like sour grapes or dried limbs are added to create a unique blend of flavors.
Kebabs
Kebabs mostly served with steamed saffron rice or bread
Koobideh kebab (Minced meat kebab)
Koobideh kebab are the most juicy and tasty Iranian ground meat kebabs ever. Ground meat, ground lamb, grated onions are the minimal ingredients. They are shaped on wide skewers then grilled to perfection. It is mostly served with grilled tomatoes
Joojeh kebab (Chicken kebab/)
Succulent chicken kebabs marinated with different ingredients but the most common are aromatic and tangy lemon, yogurt and some fresh herbs. You won't believe how easy and delicious these chicken skewers are.
Barg kebab
This scrumptious kebab is like sirloin steak and consists of pieces of lamb or beef. It usually employs fillets which are cut into strips and marinated before they are skewered and grilled.
Shishlik kebab
Which means skewered lamb shops and serve in five to six pieces.
It is very well-known kebab especially central Asia and Europe. In Iran it is served in large parts of lamb and grilled pepper and tomato.
Kebab Bolghari or Negin
It is a combination of joojeh kebab (Chicken Kebab) and barg kebab.It is a good choice for those who want to try two types of kebabs simultaneously.
Kebab Soltani
It is also a mixed kebab which is combination of one skewer of barg kebab and koobideh kebab.
Vaziri kebab
It is another mixed famous kebab. That's combination of joojeh kebab (Chicken Kebab) and koobideh kebab
Chenjeh kebab
It is sliced meat of lamb which is flavored by lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper
Kashk e bademjan (Eggplant and walnut dip)
It is a combination of two main ingredients: drained sour yogurt (Kashk) and fried eggplant. Dried mint, Minced garlic and fried onion are other ingredients
Tahdig
It is a golden-brown crispy crust at the bottom of the steamed Persian rice. It can be a layer of bread, rice, mixture of rice and saffron and thin slices of peeled potatoes. It is the best part of rice; you could not find any person who doesn't like this.
Persian dolma(Stuffed grape leaves)
It is a great appetizer. The grape leaves are filled with rice, meat, split peas, herbs and pomegranate paste with wonderful sweet and sour combination.
Dizi or abgoosht (Meat broth)
It is a kind of traditional Persian stew. Abgoosht is a hearty soup or juicy stew which is undoubtedly the most favorite dishes among Iranians. Abgoosht is also called dizi which is referred to the traditional stone pitcher. Ingredients of this nutritious and flavory dish are lamb, white beans, chickpeas, onions, potatoes. It is served in different ways:
1.solid ingredients are separated and are served with bread
2.The broth is mixed with little sliced bread
3.All solid ingredients are mashed together and produce a soft paste. it is served with bread as well.
Try this unforgettable dish in Iran.
Aush
Aush is a Persian thick soup that is cooked with different ingredients and the recipes of aushes are vibrant and veggie heavy. They are the best choices for vegetarians as they are mostly made by vegetables and legumes.
Aush Reshteh (Persian vegan noodle soup)
This is one of the main dishes of Nowruz (Iranian new year festival). Aush reshteh's flavor is defined by two uniquely Persian ingredients: reshteh(thin noodles) and kashk (a dairy product that made from cooked yogurt). different herbs and some legumes such as chick peas, black eye beans are used as well. It is topped with fried onion, mixture of dried mint with oil, kashk.
Aush doogh (Sour Yogurt soup)
Doogh is the persian word of sour and yogurt drink which is originated from Adrabil. Peas, rice, garlic, doogh and vegetarians are the main ingredients.
Aush Anar (Pomegranate Persian thick soup)
For those of you who love sweet, tart and savory mixed together this aush is highly recommended.
Ingredients are pomegranate, rice, split peas, herbs, minced meat or meatballs. This hearty aush mostly served in yalda's night (a famous Iranian festival ) .
Aush Shalgham(Persian Turnip nip soup)
This wholesome and wonderful aush is the best cold remedy in cold winter because it is highly boosting the immune system. Root vegetable like Turnips, grains, mush beans, lentils, rice are the ingredients.
Aush shole ghalamkar
This is another savoring Persian aush that most iranians make in Ramadan (the most important sacred month of the year in Islamic culture) when Muslims go fast.
Beans, peas, lentils, rice, onion, vegetables, aromatic herbs, garlic, kashk (drained sour yogurt) are the ingredients. Cooking this aush is so demanding and time-consuming, it takes at least two hours to get ready.
Polo
Polo is rice that mixed with various ingredients like herbs, vegetables and meats, here it is some famous polows
Zereshk polo (Rice with barberries)
Zereshk polo with chiken is undoubtedly the most common Persian meal for any occasions. It is made by barberries (zereshk), chicken, rice and saffron. Some folks layer the rice with barberries and steam them together while others make chelo and add the zereshk a top.
Morasah polo (Jeweled rice)
It is one of the most delicious dishes among Iranian cuisines.it has wide range of colors and flavors. Barberries, strand candied oranges peel, pistachios, almonds, golden raisins, carrots, saffron, spices and rice. It is mostly served on a big round copper tray.
Baghali polo (Persian dill and broad bean rice)
This palatable food is usually served at parties.it is the mixture of dill and fava bean and served with lamb necked, minced meat and tender lamb shanks.
Adas polo (Persian lentil rice)
It is a very nutritious Iranian dish which is mostly served in dinner for family gathering. As its name suggest, it is made by lentil rice and raisins with chicken or minced meat.
Loobia polo (Persian lamb and green bean rice)
As It is obvious from its name, it requires green beans and rice with meat (mostly tender lamb). this is one of those quick and comforting dishes.
Tahchin e morq (Backed rice with chicken)
It is a savory rice cake that can be prepared with chicken, meat or veggies especially eggplant. It is layers of saffron rice with yogurt-marinated chickens between and a crispy golden crust which topped with mixture of pistachios and barberries.
