Iranian Food

Iranian Food

Iranian Food
Iranian food, although less well known than other Oriental cuisines, is of very high quality and taste.
The restaurants provide all the flavors, and being invited to eat at a friend’s house will also be a rewarding experience for tourists to experience a real taste of home made Iranian food. Depending on the restaurants, the menus will be more or less inclusive, and there are establishments offering buffets that allow you to taste many traditional dishes. It is in the Iranian families that one can enjoy the richness of a tasty and digestible cuisine, refined without sophistication, of a subtle simplicity and often requiring long preparations.

In ancient times, royal meals were accompanied by dances, songs, artistic or athletic performances. They were also of symbolic importance. Some restaurants will allow you to experience a part of this time, offering traditional music or singers who will interpret the classics of Persian music during your meal. 

Today, the meal time is still a privileged moment of family or friendly gatherings. Some dishes are intimately related to festivals like Nowruz (Persian New Year), seasons of the year and events like a wedding, birth days or funerals. Iranians enjoy picnicking in natural places like parks, in the shade of trees and at the edge of streams. There is custom of offering food to the poor, during the whole year or on the occasion of religious festivals (month of Ramadan or Moharram, the month of martyrdom of Imam Hossein).

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In Iran, meals are served at the table, however in the traditional families people eat seated or cross-legged on the floor covered with carpets or on a small platform (takht). the Iranian foods are arranged on a tablecloth which are unfolded in the middle of the room and the guests seat around it. At noon, the lunches are served between 12 to 14 pm and lunches between 8 to 10 pm. The Iranians use the spoon and the fork, and you seldom see the knife.

Unlike Indian or Indonesian dishes, Iranian cuisine is not very spicy. the taste of Iranian food is balanced and delicate. It mainly uses saffron, turmeric, as well as dill, cinnamon, tarragon, mint, thyme, garlic, oregano, sumac or paprika. Cooks also use soaked peas, verjuice (sour juice extracted from green reasons), flower essences (roses, orange blossom and quince), citrus peel and mandarin orange peel.

On the traditional tables, onions accompany the bread, and a basket contains a combination of herbs that are consumed during the meal: mint (na'na), basil (reihan) kangar (a variety of cardoon that grows in spring in the mountainous regions of Iran), tarragon (tarkhun), a kind of leek (tare), watercress (shahi) and pink radishes (torobche).

In the Iranian tradition, inherited from ancient Muslim medicine, many ingredients are considered to be beneficial for health, for different temperaments and in different seasons. Iranians often speak of foods using terms (hot, cold) that belong to alchemy and that define the properties and the bodily or psychic effects of meals and their ingredients. Dates, bananas, pistachios, sweet foods, dried nuts or chocolate are said to be hot, while fresh nuts, almonds, pomegranates, products containing vitamin C or fish are said to be cold. In a dish in the daily diet, a balance must be found between "hot" foods, which give energy and vitality, and "cold" foods.

Iranian Food: The Fruits  
Iran is a heaven for fruit lovers. People eat fruits during meals and throughout the day and indeed in gatherings and parties. Apples, dates, cucumbers, pomegranates, oranges, tangerines, sweet lemons in winter, tut (a kind of blackberry), kiwis, grapes, cherries, peaches, pears, apricots, plums, watermelons, melons, pomegranates, strawberries, and etc, are the fruits that you will find in Iran.

Dried fruits are widespread, as well as fruit pastes (lavashak), usually in the form of flat leaves. Iran also produces many jams (morabba) made with oranges, cherries, nuts, melons, carrots or flower petals.
As an accompaniment to dishes, there are almost always fruits, vegetables or garlic macerated in grape cider vinegar (torshi). Served as an appetizer, zeytun-e parvardeh is prepared with olives and pomegranate and walnut sauce. Eggplant with a delicious caviar, kashk-e badendjan and zucchini are used in khoresh, and beets or turnips in soups. In northern provinces, Mirza Qasemi is a tasty local food, prepared with eggplant, tomatoes, garlic and onions. Potatoes are sometimes prepared in the form of French fries, served with fried dishes.

Iranian Food: Yogurt (Mast) 
Native to Central Asia, yoghurt is found everywhere. It accompanies the dishes, served in soup or used to marinate meat. It is also seen in desserts and in salads mixed with cucumbers, dill and green onions.

Iranian Food: Breads 
There are several traditional kinds of bread, and even you will see some kinds imitated from the western countries (baguette, balloon.) Generally, the loaves are flat and stacked on top of each other. The bakers cook them by placing them on the walls of an oven. Frequent in restaurants and families, lavash bread is very thin and can be stored well for several days. Thicker than lavash, Sangak is eaten fresh. it is cooked in a big oven bottom-covered with small pebbles, which gives it a particular texture. Taftun is flat and circular in shape and Barbari, of Turkish origin and elongated shape is striped along the length. There are several local breads in different cities or region, such as Hamadan's Shirmal butter bread.

Iranian Food: Cheeses (Panir)
There are several varieties of cheese made with sheep's, cow's or goat's milk and produced mostly in western Iran. In supermarkets we find various kinds of pasteurized cheese with different shapes, tastes and ingredients.

Iranian Food: Soups (Ash)
There are a wide varieties of soups with vegetables, herbs, nuts dried fruits, acid fruits, onions, lentils, yoghurt and fresh fruits.
Ash-e Reshteh is a common soup made with pasta, herbs, peas, lentils, onions and a dairy product (kashk).
Ash-e sholeghalamkar is made of herbs, chickpeas, lentils, dried beans and meat. This soup is barley found in any other part of the world.

Iranian Food: Rice (Polo)
Most dishes offer white rice, with grilled meat or stew. Baked Iranian rice usually has a crust obtained by placing butter and oil on the bottom of the pan, or a thin layer of bread or slices of potatoes. Often flavored with saffron, single rice is called Chelo; When it is mixed with vegetables, fruits, yogurts or meats it is called Polo. Chelo kebab is meat kebabs served with rice. There is also a sweet rice, usually prepared for parties and big events. Unlike regular rice, Kateh is not drained, so it absorbs all the cooking water.  Barberry and Safron are used to decorate rice, and the decorated polo is called zereshk polo.

Iranian Food: Meats (Gusht) and Kebabs 
The preferred meats are mutton and lamb, chicken, hunting products and sometimes veal and beef. Pork is proscribed by Islam, and for historical reasons of hygiene and for symbolic reasons, this animal being a sign of impurity.

In the form of skewers, the kebab is one of the favorite dishes of the Iranian foods. It is found in all restaurants and is usually served with rice, called Chelo Kebab. There are many varieties of kebab, but the followings are the best known. Kebab-e Barg is a skewer of mutton or veal, which has macerated in a mixture of oil, pepper and onion before being grilled.

Kebab-e kubideh is a skewer of minced meat. Shishlikh kebab is a skewer of mutton ribs. The JuJeh kebab is prepared with chicken, with or without bone, and macerated for several hours in a sauce made of lemon juice, olive oil, onions, salt and pepper. There are also mixed kebabs (sheep and chickens), known by different names. (Bakhtyari, special Bonab, Soltani etc ...) Several dishes are prepared with ground meat, and different vegetables. The Tahchin is in the form of a compact cake of saffron rice and chicken.

Iranian Food: Khoreshs
Khoreshs are stew or sauce forms to eat with simple rice. Requiring a long preparation, these Iranian foods are rather rare in restaurants, and it is in families that we can truly enjoy them. Khoreshs are various depending on the regions, the seasons, the available ingredients and the cooks. They are prepared with mutton or chicken meat, vegetables, fruits and a variable seasoning. The most common are the Khoresh-e Badendjan with meat and eggplant; khoresh-e fesendjan with chicken or minced meat, sauce made with pomegranate and reduced nuts. Koresh- Qormeh sabzi with meat and a sauce of green vegetables, prepared with onions, peas, spinach, kidney beans and parsley. Khoresh-e qeimeh with minced meat, yellow peas and potatoes. Khoresh-e karafs with meat and celery; khoresh-e alu with minced meat or chicken, dried prunes and peas. Some khoresh are regionally or ethnically specific, such as khoresh-e khalal in Kermanshah specialty with mutton, tomato juice, milk-based oil and flaked almonds.

Iranian Food: Fish (Mahi)
Fish caught in the Persian Gulf are more popular and more expensive than those of the Caspian Sea. In the Caspian provinces, the white fish (mahi-ye sefid) is the most popular. In the Persian Gulf, shrimp and more than a dozen fish are eaten regularly as Iranian foods. Trout is one of the main fish caught in the country's rivers and produced in breeding centers.

Iranian Food: Iranian Caviar 
living in the Caspian Sea, the sturgeon is a long-nosed fish that may grow as long as 2 meters. Largely exported, the Iranian caviar, according to the experts’ opinions, is the best in the world. Its production is nationalized, and meets high quality and strict fishing criteria. 

Iranian Food: The Salads 
The most popular salads in Iran are a mixture of green salad, cucumbers and tomatoes. The Shiraz salad is made with tomatoes and cucumbers cut into small pieces, with some grated onions, green or lemon juice and dried mint powder. Borani salad is made with yogurt, cucumbers, eggplant, spinach and beets. Depending on tastes, raisins or pieces of nuts are added to the salads. Russian salad is often seen, and some restaurants, under the influence of European cuisine, offer salad buffets.

Iranian Food: The Desserts 
It would be impossible to enumerate the pastries, biscuits, and sweets that inaugurate or conclude meals in Iran. Here are some of the best known. Shir Berenj is a pudding made of rice and milk.  Similar to Shir Berenj, Fereni also consists of milk, rice flour, sugar and milk. The halva is prepared by frying flour in oil and mixing it with saffron, sugar and rose water.

There are also gelatinous desserts like the masghati that contains starch, rose water and flaked almonds. Sekandjabin is a syrup both sweet and sour, prepared with mint, vinegar and sugar, very delicious when eaten with lettuce leaves. Many pastries are made with honey and almonds, sometimes with dates and coconuts. Served for Nowruz and other occasions, Baqlava is a puff pastry cake with almonds. Generally consumed on the evenings of Ramadan, zulbiya is like a skein of starch filaments and yoghurt fried in oil, then dipped in a syrup of sugar and rose water. The ice creams are modern and only one kind with saffron, is traditional (bastani-ye zaferani or bastani-ye sonati). Some cookies are industrially manufactured and sold in supermarkets.

Iranian Food: Drinks (Nushabeh) 
A typical drink, served together with food, is the abdugh or dugh (yoghurt drink), a mixture of yoghurt, water and salt. You can also order cola and water for the meals. Traditional fruit juices and syrups (sharbat) are made with fruits, sometimes with rose water or flower aromas. There are several non-carbonated mineral waters, non-alcoholic beers, and many lemonades.

Served with small glasses, the tea (Chai) is the traditional hot drink that Iranians drink everywhere. Coffee has also become widespread in the recent years and it is accessible where ever you are.

Iranian Food: Saffron
Saffron is a seasoning or spice that is obtained from the stamens of a flower that belongs to the crocus family. Specifically, it is extracted from the crocus sativus that grows in many parts of the Mediterranean arch and the Middle and Near East.

Iranian saffron is reputed worldwide and its price may be higher than gold. But don't worry, if you travel to Iran you can bring some gram of this precious seasoning. Iran is one of the world's leading saffron producers. In fact, a good part of the saffron sold in Spain as Spanish comes from this area of ​​Asia.

A few threads of this species serve to flavor our stews and rice dishes. Saffron is one of the most precious presents we can bring from Iran.

Iranian Food: Iranian Pistachio
Nuts in general are one of Iran's delights. The variety is immense, from the most common such as nuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, raisins or dates to precious pistachios.

Iran's pistachios have the same fame as their saffron . We will find pistachios in all the provinces of Iran, of different sizes, types, qualities and flavors. The most expensive will be the most chosen without any closed and homogeneous size. There are also flavored pistachios with flavors, dyed pink, spicy and etc. The variety is almost endless.

In addition to consuming them alone, the Iranians include them in countless dishes, in desserts such as marzipan and dried fruit pastes. 

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11 Dishes to eat when you are in Iran

By exploring Iran, you will indeed find a wonderful variety of culinary delights. From traditional stews to succulent kebabs and heart-warming soups, each region has something to offer. The variance of ingredients and dishes is partly due to the diverse climates that exist across the country, resulting in rich culinary because of rich ingredients that are used to cook. Here's a list of the 11 best traditional favorites for you - Noosh-e-Jan! (Enjoy your meal).

Iranian Food: Dizi
Also known as 'Abgoosht', this meat and dish of bean broth goes back hundreds of years. It is basically a stew made of lamb and chickpeas with a tomato base. It is usually served in a stone dish called Dizi, same name as the food itself.

Iranian Food: Ash Reshte
The Ash Reshte soup dish is another comforting dish that is usually served in winter. Hot and delicious, this soup is made of chickpeas, beans, noodles and many herbs. Ash Reshte is a typical food served in family gatherings and in ceremonies like Sizdah Bedar (the 13th day of the new year)

Iranian Food: Kabab
If you go out for dinner at an Iranian restaurant popular with local people, there is a good chance that you will be served kebabs and Iranian rice. The Iranian-style kebabs are known to be particularly succulent and tender, and come in several varieties including koobideh, barg, chenjeh and bakhtiari.

Iranian Food: Khoresht Gheimeh
Khoresht Gheimeh is a stew of beef and split peas, a tomato base, usually served with fried potatoes on top. In the month of Muharram, a sacred month in the Iranian calendar, this dish is cooked and served in the streets to those who need it.

Iranian Food: Zereshk Polo Morgh
By far one of the most beautiful Iranian dishes, Zereshk Polo Morgh is a rice dish made with saffron and barberries, accompanied by a stew of chicken and tomatoes. The barberries are bright red and are tart to taste, which makes the taste of this dish interesting.

Iranian Food: Fesenjan
Fesenjan is an iconic dish dating from the Achameinid Empire in 515 BC. Made from nuts, pomegranate paste and chicken or duck, it is common to spot it among the food often served at a wedding ceremony in Iran. In the ancient ruins of Persepolis, archaeologists have discovered a tablet detailing the ingredients used to make Fesenjan, making it one of the most popular dishes.

Iranian Food: Baghali Polo
This rice dish is made with saffron, beans and green dill. It is usually served with lamb. A favorite in the spring, this is one of the most popular rice dishes in the country.

Iranian Food: Tahdig
Tahdig is the crisp golden layer that sits at the bottom of the rice pot. It is normally eaten as a side dish but there is never enough Tahdig for everyone at the table, as it is very delicious and nobody wants to lose it!

Iranian Food: Ghormeh Sabzi
Made with lots of herbs, red beans and lamb, Ghormeh Sabzi is a green dish typically served with rice and is another very popular and inescapable dish in Iran. Each Iranian man believes that his mother cooks the best Ghormeh Sabzi in the world J.

Iranian Food: Kashke Bademjan
Usually eaten as a side dish, Kashke Bademjan is made from smoked eggplant and Kashk - a special diary commonly used in Iranian cuisine. This dish is usually served with delicious Iranian breads like Sangak or Barbari.

Iranian Food: Saffron Ice Cream and Faloodeh
A dessert worth trying is the Iranian ice cream with saffron and faloodeh. Faloodeh is also a cold dessert, consisting of rice noodles mixed with semi-frozen rose water and sugar syrup. You can find them both in the ice cream shops of Iran and make a tasty afternoon snack during the hottest months of the year.

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