Mango Falooda

 Ingredients:

1 tablespoon basil seed
3/4 cup rice vermicelli, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup cream
a pinch of cardamom
a pinch of saffron, crushed
1 tablespoon agave
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mango puree
1 large mango, diced
vanilla ice cream
chopped cashews

Add 1/2 cup water to the basil seeds and set aside to soak for half an hour.

Cook the rice vermicelli and set aside.

Simmer the cream with the agave, cardamom, saffron, and a pinch of salt. Optionally, add cornstarch slurry to slightly thicken. Set aside.

To assemble layer basil seed, vermicelli, mango pulp, mango chunks, flavored cream, and ice cream. Repeat layers, then sprinkle with cashews.

Saffron Soup

 Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, finely diced
vegetable stock
1 potato, finely diced
a pinch of saffron
1/4 cup vermicelli
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
barberries and lemon wedges, to garnish

Cook onion in the oil until caramelized, add the carrot and cook for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, crush the saffron with a mortar and pestle. Add the stock, potato, and saffron to the saucepan followed by the vermicelli. When the vegetables and vermicelli are tender, Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with parsley and barberries and serve with a wedge of lemon.

Persian Walnut Salad

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and broken
1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
5 persian cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds
3 green onions, chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup mint, chopped
1/2 cup dill, chopped
1/4 tarragon, chopped (optional)
feta, cut into small cubes
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon sumac

Combine all ingredients and serve.

Persian Chopped Salad

Ingredients:

3 cucumbers, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
5 radishes, cut into wedges
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 cup chickpeas (optional)
1/2 cup dill, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sumac
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients and chill before serving.

Fesenjoon

Ingredients:

1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon turmeric
a pinch of red pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon agave
vegetable stock
brown lentils and/or roasted eggplants
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
a handful of pomegranate arils

Cook onion and garlic in the oil and add the seasonings.

Meanwhile, pulse the walnuts in a food processor until they are a fine meal. Add the pomegranate molasses, agave, and the onion mixture. Blend into a paste.

Cook lentils in vegetable stock until they are tender and add the walnut mixture. Bring to a simmer, adding water as needed.

Serve with barberry saffron rice and garnish with pomegranate arils and parsley.

Jeweled Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups rice, soaked
salt and pepper, to taste
a pinch of saffron
a pinch of sugar
zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon vegan butter
2 potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 cup barberries
1/4 cup pistachios, slivered and toasted
1/4 cup almonds, slivered and toasted

Boil rice for 8 minutes and strain. Meanwhile, crush the saffron and sugar with a mortar and pestle. Steep in some butter.

Melt butter in a saucepan and arrange the potatoes on the bottom. Alternate layers of rice and barberries. Pour the saffron and orange zest over, cover, and cook on low heat until rice is tender.

Serve with nuts sprinkled over the top.

Shole Zard

Ingredients:

1 cup white basmati rice
7 cups water
a pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons rice syrup
1/4 teaspoon saffron, crushed and steeped in a bit of water
1 tablespoon vegan butter
2 tablespoons rosewater
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
cinnamon
slivered almonds or pistachios, toasted

Wash the rice several times until clear, to remove starch. Transfer to a saucepan with the water and salt and cook until rice is very tender. Stir in the sugar, rice syrup, and saffron. Cover and allow to cook until liquid is reduced, adding more if needed. Stir in the butter, rosewater, and cardamom. Remove from heat and transfer to serving bowls. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nuts. Serve cold.

Albaloo Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice
1/3 cup sour cherries
1/2 teaspoon saffron
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Soak the rice for a few hours and drain. Steep the saffron in 2 tablespoons of water.

Boil the rice in some water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Pour saffron water into the pot with about 1/3 cup of the rice. Cook until rice is tender and all the water is absorbed. Set aside.

Place half the butter in the pot and add half the remaining rice, 3 tablespoons of the cherry syrup, sugar, and half the cherries. Cook until rice is tender. Set aside.

Add remaining butter to the stove and cook the remaining rice with salt and remaining cherries. Plate this, layered with the cherry syrup rice and then the saffron rice. Or carefully stir them together.

Garnish with pistachios if desired.

Kuku Sabzi

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek (white part), finely chopped
5 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 cup dill, finely chopped
1 cup spinach, finely chopped
1/4 cup fenugreek, finely chopped

Cook onion and leek in the oil. Set aside.

Whisk eggs, salt, baking powder, black pepper, and turmeric together. Mix in all the chopped herbs and the onion mixture.

Line a springform pan or 9 inch round pan with parchment paper and grease generously. Pour the egg mixture in and spread evenly. Cook at 400 for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before flipping over.

Serve with chopped walnuts and barberries if desired.

Persian Okra Stew

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups baby okra
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/2 cup tamarind
2/3 cup imitation beef (optional)
salt, to taste

Cook onion and garlic in the oil until onions are softened. Add seasonings and stir until aromatic.

Add the okra and stir fry for 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce and some water. Bring to simmer and stir in tamarind and imitation beef. Cook until okra are tender and sauce is thick. Season with salt.

Saffron Herb Rice

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon saffron
3 tablespoons boiling water
2 cups basmati brown rice
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons barberry
2 tablespoons pistachios, toasted
3 tablespoons dill, chopped
2 tablespoons tarragon, chopped
2 tablespoons chervil, chopped

Steep the saffron in the water and set aside.

Combine rice, water, butter, salt, and pepper. Cook on low heat until rice is almost tender. Pour saffron onto one corner of the pot and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove rice from heat and stir in barberries, pistachios, and all the herbs.

Legume Reshteh Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon turmeric
2/3 cup yellow split peas
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup chickpeas
1/2 cup fava beans
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
1/2 cup dill, chopped
2 ounces reshteh, broken into 2 inch pieces (may substitute udon)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
lime wedges

Cook onions and garlic in the butter on low heat until wilted. Add turmeric.

Pour in stock and yellow split peas. Bring to a simmer and stir in chickpeas and fava beans, then all the herbs and reshteh.

Season with salt and pepper and stir in vinegar before removing from heat.

Serve with lime wedges.

Sumac Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oil
1/3 cup basmati rice, soaked
1 cup brown lentils, soaked
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/4 cup tarragon, chopped
a few mint leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons sumac
salt and black pepper, to taste
lime or lemon

Cook onion in the oil and add garlic. Pour in the stock, rice, lentils, and tomato. Cover and bring to simmer.

Stir in the herbs and sumac and allow to simmer until they are wilted and the lentils are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and serve with lemon or lime wedges.

Garnish with fried onion and dried mint leaves if desired.

Loobia Polow

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon oil
1/2 package imitation beef strips, cut into small pieces
2 cups green beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
juice of half a lemon
salt and black pepper

Soak the rice in water for a few hours.

Cook onion in the oil and add beans and tomato. Cook for 20 minutes and season with turmeric and cinnamon. Add the tomato puree and imitation beef and bring to simmer. Add lemon, salt, and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the rice until mostly cooked. Stir into the bean mixture. Cover and continue cooking until rice is tender.

Persian Naan

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 cups warm water
4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oil
1/2 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
semolina
sesame seeds
nigella seeds

Combine yeast and sugar. Stir in water and let sit for 10 minutes.

Stir in the flour and salt until dough forms and knead the dough for at least 5 minutes. Cover and allow dough to rest for 1 hour.

Punch out the dough and divide into 2-4 mounds. Flatten each mound and allow to rise 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 500 and place baking stone inside for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine oil, sugar, flour, and water. Bring to simmer and remove from heat when a paste is formed.

Sprinkle some semolina on the hot stone. Place dough on the stone. Smear the flour paste on the bread and cut a few shallow slits on the bread. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and nigella seeds.

Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes.

Persian Eggplant Stew

Ingredients:

3 large eggplants, diced and salted
2 tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup yellow split peas, presoaked
1-1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper, to taste
juice of 1 persian lime

Squeeze eggplant pieces between paper towels. Toss with oil and salt in a bowl and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook onion in some oil and add the garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Stir until aromatic and add peas, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Bring to simmer, cover and cook until peas are cooked though. Add water as needed.

Stir in eggplant pieces, lime juice, and season with salt as needed.

Serve with basmati rice and herbs.

Persian Samosas

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups potato, diced
1/2 tablespoon rose petals, ground
1/1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups brown lentils, cooked
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
fillo sheets
butter or olive oil
nigella seeds

Toss potatoes in half the oil, salt, and pepper. Cook in the oven until golden.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the onion in the remaining oil. Add the spices, potatoes, and lentils. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

Layer three sheets of fillo, brushing each with butter or oil and place filling mixture inside. Fold into triangles. Top with a pinch of nigella seed.

Place triangles on parchment paper and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking.

Ghormeh Sabzi

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup red kidney beans
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon turmeric
1-1/2 cup vegetable stock
4 dried lemons
1/2 cup green onion
1/2 cup leeks
1/4 cup chives
2 cups spinach
1/2 cup parsley
1/4 cup cilantro
1 cup fenugreek leaves
1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
salt and pepper, to taste

Cook onion in the oil and add the turmeric. Add kidney beans and vegetable stock. Bring to simmer.

Meanwhile, finely chop all the herbs.

Pierce the lemons with a fork and add to the saucepan along with the herbs. Stir in fenugreek. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper.

Serve with basmati rice.

Barley Soup with Beans and Herbs

Ingredients:

1 cup barley, presoaked
1 cup chickpeas
1 cup white or kidney beans
1/2 cup brown lentils
1 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup leeks, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup spinach
1/2 cup dill
vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 onion, caramelized
1 teaspoon dried mint

Combine barley, chickpeas, beans, and lentils with water in a saucepan and simmer until they are tender. Add the herbs and vegetable stock. Simmer an additional 30 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Soup should be thick.

Garnish with onion and mint before serving.

Qeema

Ingredients:

1 cup yellow split peas, presoaked
1/2 teaspoon oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4 dried limes, poked with a fork or 2 teaspoons dried lime powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 package imitation ground beef
salt and pepper, to taste
1 russet potato, cut into shoestring fries and baked (optional)

Cook onion in the oil until translucent. Add the turmeric and tomato paste. Then add about a cup of water. Bring to a simmer and add dried lime, cinnamon, and split peas. Cover and cook until mostly cooked. Add the imitation ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until peas are tender.

Serve with basmati rice and top with the potatoes.