IRANIAN FOOD

 BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER WITH GREAT RECIPE


                                          FOOD WITH VEGETABL

Khoresh Bademjan 


 

                                       INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

8–9 tbsp. Vegetable oil, divided
6 small Japanese eggplants (about 2 lb.), peeled, halved lengthwise
Kosher salt
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. Turmeric
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup double-concentrated tomato paste
3 medium tomatoes (about 1 lb.), seeds removed, coarsely chopped
3 Omani lemons (dried black limes) or 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Cooked basmati rice, parsley leaves, plain yogurt, and flatbread (for serving)

Step 1Heat 6 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Working in batches, cook eggplant in a single layer, adding another 1 Tbsp. oil if pan looks dry, until deeply browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels; Season with salt. Step 2 Add remaining 2 Tbsp. oil to the same pot and cook onion over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned around the edges, 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle turmeric and cinnamon over and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes;cook, still stirring, until tomatoes have burst and the mixture is very thick, 7-9 minutes. Step 3 Nestle the eggplant into the sauce and season lightly with salt. Pour in 5 cups of water; bring to a simmer. Pierce dried Omani lemon with a paring knife and add to pot. (If using lime juice instead, add when the dish is finished cooking.) Cook, gently stirring occasionally, until thickened and eggplant is almost creamy in texture, 40-50 minutes. Step 4 Divide rice among bowls; Ladle stew over. Top with parsley and yogurt and serve with flatbread 

 

FOOD WITH CHICKEN

Joojeh kebab



   

                                 INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

                                                                                                                
  • Chicken:  Joojeh means young chicken, and this Persian kebab would taste the best if made with young and organic chicken.
  • Bloomed saffron:  Don't use saffron threads directly in the marinade. Learn how to bloom saffron for maximum flavor, color and aroma. My favorite saffron to use is this one (affiliate).  
  • Yogurt:  You can use either non-fat or whole milk yogurt. My preference is whole property. Yogurt makes the chicken very tender
  • Lemon : It adds some brightness to the marinade
  • Onion:  Sliced ​​or grated onion would work perfectly
  • Olive oil:  Try to find the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can find
  1. Start by making the marinade . Mix the yogurt, sliced ​​onion, oil, lemon juice, salt and bloomed saffron in a large bowl. Add the chicken to the yogurt mixture and make sure all the pieces are well coated with the marinade. 
  2. Cover and refrigerate the chicken for at least 3 hours up to overnight. This will help the chicken get all the flavor it needs. Before you start cooking the chicken, place the bowl on the counter for 15 minutes so the chicken comes to room temperature. This will help with even cooking
  3. Preheat the grill to medium high and thread the chicken pieces on skewers. Grill for about 5 minutes on each side until they are cooked and  juicy

  5.     FOOD WITH MEAT
  6. KUBIDE KEBAB


                                             INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

1 ½ pounds ground beef (80-85% lean)
1 pound ground lamb (80-85% lean)
1 ½ medium yellow onions, quartered
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp  sumac  (sold at the Middle Eastern markets)
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp turmeric powder
¼ cup butter, melted (for brushing over the kabobs after grilling)
FOR THE GRILLED VEGETABLES
4 ripe but firm Roma tomatoes
1 large green bell pepper, stem removed, deseeded and quartered
Olive oil to brush the vegetables with before grilling


You will need ten 1-inch metal skewers
For best results, the meat should be fresh (not previously frozen) and at room temperature
Finely chop the onion pieces in a food processor until very juicy. Place a fine metal mesh over a bowl and strain the processed onion by pressing it with a spatula. Discard the juice
Add the remaining onion pulp to a medium bowl
Add the ground beef and lamb, minced garlic, salt, spices and egg to the bowl. Knead all of the ingredients for several minutes until the mixture is paste-like and sticks together without falling apart
Fill up a small bowl with tap water, this is for wetting your fingers so the meat does not stick to them when you are making the kabobs
Divide the meat into 10 equal balls
Get one of the balls of meat in the palm of your hand, place the skewer on top of it and squeeze the meat around the skewer. Once you make sure that the meat is not going to fall off, start squeezing it from top to bottom and cover the middle section of the skewer. Leave the top and bottom of the skewer clear. Wet your fingers with the tap water and keep squeezing and spreading the meat evenly around the skewer. The meat should be about ½ inch thick all around the skewer
Set the skewer gently on a shallow baking sheet with sides, so the meat does not touch the floor of the baking sheet. Continue making the rest of the kabobs. At this point the uncooked kabobs can sit over the counter while you get the grill ready
To Grill Kabob Koobideh: You will need two square metal pipes that you will place parallel to each other on the top and bottom of the cooking grate of your grill lengthwise. The top pipe is for placing the tip of the skewers and the bottom one is for the handles. This is so the skewers are raised and the meat does not touch the hot grate, otherwise it will stick and fall right off
The coals are ready when they are gray and covered with ash
If you are grilling vegetables it is always better to skewer them separately from the kabobs. I use thinner skewers for the vegetables because if the skewers are too wide the turgid vegetables such as green peppers will tear and fall apart
The vegetables take longer to grill than the meat, so if the space is limited, grill the vegetables first and keep them warm under an aluminum foil. If there is enough grilling surface, start grilling the veggies first and halfway through grilling, start the kabobs
Place as many kabob skewers as you can fit on the grill, leaving some space between them. As soon as you are done arranging all the skewers, start turning the first skewer and keep turning the rest in the order that you have placed them on the grill. The reason for this quick turning is to cook both sides of the kabobs for a short time so the meat cooks and firms up all around and does not fall off the skewer. Do not overcook the kabobs because they are thin and tend to dry out. Turn the kabobs again until you get the doneness you desire. The kabobs should have a nice grilled color on the outside and no longer pink inside, but still very juicy
When the kabobs are ready, remove them from the heat and into a container lined with a large aluminum foil. Keep the kabobs covered with the foil until ready to serve
To serve, use a piece of flat bread (Sangak, soft lavash, or pita bread) larger than the palm of your hand. Start at the end with the handle, grab the kabob and slide it off the skewer onto the serving platter. This is the easiest and safest way to pull the kabobs off the skewer. The flavorful kabob juices make the bread so delicious that everyone will want a piece
Brush melted butter over the kabobs
Enjoy Kabob Koobideh with  Persian rice  that has been tossed with cubed softened butter and a sprinkle of sumac. Serve it with a side of grilled vegetables, a slice of raw red or white onion and Sabzi Khordan (fresh herbs). The drink of choice is usually Doogh (Persian yogurt drink)
This kabob is equally delicious served with grilled vegetables over Sangak or Lavash, which are both Persia 
flat breads

Shirazi salad 




: Ingredients 

  • Cucumbers, it's important to use Persian cucumbers (or Lebanese) as they are crisper, full of flavor and are less watery
    If you cant access these, you can use regular or English cucumbers. I would suggest to remove the seeds as they are usually quite large and can be watery
  • Tomatoes, make sure they are medium firmness, as too hard will have no flavor and too soft will be mushy when diced. Roma or regular tomatoes will do fine
  • Red onion is a perfect addition for its sweetness and taste. In this recipe I use less onion than normal, so adjust the quantity based on your preference. Spring onions can also be used as a substitute
  • Lemon - traditionally Ab Ghooreh (unripe sour grape juice) is used for the dressing. It is sometimes harder to find, so I’ve used lemon juice here. Lime juice can also work
  • Fresh mint is my herb of choice. Traditionally dried mint is used, however I prefer using fresh herbs. If you're not a fan of mint, I would suggest using fresh Parsley over cilantro or dill

  • How to make Shirazi Salad

    Time needed: 10 minutes

    There are many versions of the Shirazi salad with small differences, as this salad is also very popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. This recipe uses cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion as the core ingredients.

    1. Prepare ingredients

      Dice cucumbers into small cubes. Next chop tomatoes into similar-sized cubes

      Then dice the onion into small pieces

    2. Add Dressing

      Add all ingredients to a large bowl and pour over olive oil and lemon juice then season with salt

      Top with fresh mint, mix together and allow it to sit for 10-15 mintues before serving

      Serve alongside so many dishes such as rice, stews, seafood and meats. I also like adding some chickpeas or even cooked lentils to make it a vegan main meal.

  • olvieh salad


  • : Ingredients 

  • Chicken: Use Bone-in chicken breast or thigh with skin removed
  • Potatoes: I like using yellow gold potatoes for their balance in starchiness, flavor and texture
  • Eggs: Choose pasture raised eggs when possible
  • Other vegetables and herbs: These include onions, carrots, green peas, celery, green onions and parsley
  • Cucumber pickles: Finely chopped pickles add tiny bursts of tart flavor. Choose savory pickles rather than the sweet version
  • Olives: You can use green or black olives
  • Mayonnaise: The salad tends to be heavy so I use avocado oil based mayonnaise or lighter versions
  • Dijon Mustard: Some recipes do not include this. I use the one that is not alcohol based. You can also try spicy mustard
  • Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil
  • Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar works well, but any white vinegar will be fine too
  • Lime juice, salt and pepper

HOW TO MAKE OLIVIEH SALAD

  1. Cook Chicken: Place chicken, onions and salt in a pot. Cover and cook until well done. Cool, debone and chop. Reserve broth for later
  2. Boil Eggs and Vegetables: Take potatoes, and eggs in a large cooking pot and cover with water. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat and simmer. Take eggs out after 10 minutes and cook potatoes until fork tender 
  3. Carrots and Peas: Steam the carrots. Shell or thaw the peas, add to the steamer and turn off the heat
  4. Prep Other Ingredients: Chop the other vegetables, herbs, pickles and olives
  5. Dressing: Whisk together all the dressing ingredients
  6. Assemble: Cool and cut cooked vegetables and eggs. Add to the other ingredients. Pour dressing and combine 
  7. Serve it as a mound and decorate

 






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