Tahchin, an Iranian rice cake primarily consisting of rice, yogurt, saffron, and eggs.

This is a list of Iranian foods and dishes. Iranian cuisine (Including Persian cuisine) comprises the cooking traditions of Iran. Iran's culinary culture has historically interacted with the cuisines of the neighboring regions, including Caucasian cuisine, Turkish cuisine, Levantine cuisine, Greek cuisine, Central Asian cuisine, and Russian cuisine.[1][2][3][4] Through the various Persianized Muslim sultanates and the Central Asian Mughal dynasty, aspects of Iranian cuisine were also adopted into Indian and Pakistani cuisines.[5][6][7]

Typical Iranian main dishes are combinations of rice with meat, vegetables, and nuts. Herbs are frequently used, along with fruits such as plums, pomegranates, quince, prunes, apricots, and raisins. Characteristic Iranian flavorings such as saffron, dried lime and other sources of sour flavoring, cinnamon, turmeric, and parsley are mixed and used in various dishes.

Outside Iran, Iranian cuisine is especially found in cities of the Iranian diaspora such as London, the San Francisco Bay Area, Toronto,[8][9][10][11] Houston and especially Los Angeles and its environs.[8][9][12]

Iranian foods

Bread

Lavash: Thin, flaky, and round or oval. It is the most common bread in Iran and the Caucasus.
Sangak: Plain, rectangular, or triangle-shaped leavened flatbread that is stone-baked.
Taftun: Thin, soft and round-shaped leavened flatbread that is thicker than lavash.
Tanur bread: Leavened bread baked in an oven called tanur.
Qandi bread: A sweet bread, sometimes brioche-like.
Barbari: Thick and oval flatbread; also known as Tabrizi, referring to the city of Tabriz.
Baguette: A long, narrow French loaf, typically filled with sausages and vegetables.
Sheermal ("milk-rubbed"): A sweet pastry-bread, also widely known as nan-e gisou
Komaj: A sweet date bread with turmeric and cumin, similar to nan e gisu.[13]

Rice

Method Description
Polow and chelow Chelow is plain rice served as an accompaniment to a stew or kebab, while polow is rice mixed with something. They are, however, cooked in the same way. Rice is prepared by soaking in salted water and then boiling it. The parboiled rice (called chelow) is drained and returned to the pot to be steamed. This method results in an exceptionally fluffy rice with the rice grains separated and not sticky. A golden crust, called tadig, is created at the bottom of the pot using a thin layer of bread or potato slices. Often, tadig is served plain with only a rice crust. Meat, vegetables, nuts, and fruit are sometimes added in layers or mixed with the chelow and then steamed. When chelow is in the pot, the heat is reduced and a thick cloth or towel is placed under the pot lid to absorb excess steam.
Kateh Rice that is cooked until the water is absorbed completely. It is the traditional dish of Gilan Province.
Dami Rice that is cooked almost the same as kateh, but at the start, ingredients that can be cooked thoroughly with the rice (such as grains and beans) are added. While making kateh, the heat is reduced to a minimum until the rice and other ingredients are almost cooked. If kept long enough on the stove without burning and over-cooking, dami and kateh can also produce tadig. A special form of dami is tachin, which is a mixture of yogurt, chicken (or lamb) and rice, plus saffron and egg yolks.

Polow and dami

Sabzi polow: Rice with chopped herbs, usually served with fish.
Lubia polow: Rice with green beans and minced meat. 		Albalu polow: Rice with sour cherries and slices of chicken or red meat.
Morasa polow: Rice "jewelled" with barberries, pistachios, raisins, carrots, orange peel, and almonds.[14][15]
Shirin polow: Rice with sweet carrots, raisins, and almonds.[16]
Adas polow: Rice with lentils, raisins, and dates.[17]
Baqali polow: Rice with fava beans and dill weed.[18]
Dampokhtak: Turmeric rice with lima beans.[19]
Tachin: Rice cake including yogurt, egg, and chicken fillets.
Kabuli polow: Rice with raisins, carrots and Beef or lamb.
Kalam Polow: Rice with cabbage and different herbs.
Zereshk Polow: Rice with berberis and saffron.

Kebab

Kabab koobideh: Barbecued ground lamb or beef, mixed with parsley and onion.
Juje kabab: Grilled chunks of chicken; one of the most common dishes in Iran.[20]
Kabab barg: Barbecued and marinated lamb, chicken or beef.
Kabab torsh: Traditional kebab from Gilan and Mazenderan, marinated in a paste of crushed walnuts, pomegranate juice, and olive oil.
Kabab Bakhtyari: Mixture of barbecued fillet of lamb (or veal) and chicken breast.[21]
Chenje: Skewered and grilled cubes of meat. Iranian equivalent of shish kebab.[22]
Shashlik: A popular form of shish kebab. In Iranian cuisine, shashlik is usually in form of large chunks.
Kabab tabei: Homemade grilled meat, prepared on the pan.[23]
Bonab kabab: A type of kebab that is made of ground lamb, onion, and salt in the city of Bonab.

Stew

Khoresh e bademjan: Eggplant stew with tomato, Verjuice and saffron.
Khoresh e fesenjan: Stew flavored with pomegranate syrup or ground walnuts.
Khoresh e qeyme: Stew with split peas, French fries, and dried lime.
Qorme sabzi: Stew with herbs such as leek, cilantro, and dried fenugreek.
Khoresh e karafs: Stewed celery and meat.[24]
Khoresh e alu: Stewed prunes and meat.[25]
Khoresh e alu-esfenaj: Stewed prunes, spinach, and meat.[26][27]
Khoresh e havij: Stewed carrots and meat.[28]
Khoresh e qarch: Mushroom stew.[29]
Baqala qatoq: Gilak stew with fava bean, dill, and eggs.
Dizi (piti): Mutton stew with chickpeas and potatoes.
Kufte rize: Azerbaijani and Kurdish meatball stew.

Soup and āsh

Sup e morgh: Chicken and noodle soup.[30]
Sup e jow: Barley soup.[31]
Sirabi: Tripe soup; also known as sirab shirdun.[32]
Tarkhine: Grain and yoghurt soup.
Gazane: Nettle soup.
Adasi: Lentil soup.
Āsh e reshte: Noodle thick soup.
Āsh e anār: Pomegranate thick soup.
Āsh e doogh: Buttermilk thick soup.
Kalle Joosh: Kashk thick soup.
Bozbash: meat soup with red or white beans, green vegetables, herbs, onions and leeks, dried limes and spices.
Shole: Thick soup with meat, different Legume, wheat Bulgur, rice, Nutmeg and other Spices. Shole is originally from Mashhad.

Other

Kuku: Whipped eggs folded in with herbs or potato.
Kotlet: Mixture of fried ground beef, mashed potato, and onion.
Salad Olvie: Mixture of potato, eggs, peas, and diced chicken (or sausage), dressed with mayonnaise.
Caviar: Salt-cured fish eggs.
Dolme: Stuffed peppers or vine leaves.
Kufte: Meatball or meatloaf dishes.
Zaban: Beef tongue.
Pache: Boiled parts of cow or sheep; also known as khash.
Pirashki (pirozhki): Baked or fried buns stuffed with a variety of fillings.
Sosis bandari: Traditional sausage with onion, tomato paste, and chili pepper.
Nargesi: A type of spinach omelette. 		Sirabij: A type of garlic omelette.
Gondi: Iranian Jewish dish of meatball.
Iranian pizza: A typical Iranian pizza.
Dopiaza: Traditional Shiraz curry prepared with a large quantity of onions.
Joshpara: Azerbaijani meat-filled dumplings.
Shenitsel: Fried breaded meat.
Tomato scrambled eggs: A dish made from eggs and tomato.
Jaqur-Baqur: A dish made from sheep's heart, liver and kidney.
Biryan: A traditional dish in Isfahan made from minced meat, fat, onion, cinnamon, saffron, walnut and mint that served with baked lung.

Appetizers

Torshi: Mixed pickles salad.
Salad Shirazi: Chopped cucumbers, tomato, and onion with verjuice and a little lemon juice.
Borani: Yogurt with spinach and other ingredients.
Mast o khiar: Strained yogurt with cucumber, garlic, and mint.
Sabzi (greens): Fresh herbs and raw vegetables.
Zeytoon Parvardeh: Olives in a paste made of pomegranate, walnut and garlic.[33]
Mirza Qasemi: Grilled eggplant with egg, garlic and tomato.
Kashk e bademjan: Mixture of kashk, eggplant and mint.

Desserts

Fereni: Sweet rice pudding flavored with rose water.[34]
Sholezard: Saffron rice-based dessert.
Halva: Wheat flour and butter, flavored with rose water.
Bastani e zaferani: Saffron ice cream.
Falude: Vermicelli mixed in a semi-frozen syrup of sugar and rose water.
Sarshir: Creamy dairy product similar to clotted cream.
Liqvan and feta: Brined curd cheese, typically eaten for breakfast.
Samanu: Germinated wheat, typically served for Nowruz.

Snacks

Koluche: Cookies, with major production in Fuman and Lahijan.
Bamie: Deep fried dough soaked in sugar syrup.
Baqlava: Pastry made of filo, nuts, and sugar syrup.
Reshte khoshkar: Fried and spiced rice flour and walnut.
Nougat and gaz: Made of sugar, nuts, and egg white.
Sohan: Saffron brittle candy with nuts.
Sohan asali: Brittle candy with honey.
Nan-e berenji: Rice flour cookies.[35]
Tabrizi Lovuez: Diamond-shaped, made of almond powder, sugar, and saffron.
Nokhodchi: Chickpea cookies.[36]
Qottab: Almond-filled deep-fried pastry.
Kolompe: Pie made of dates and cardamom.
Nabat chubi: Rock candy, commonly flavored with saffron in Iran.
Pashmak: Cotton candy.
Trail mix: Dried fruit, grains, and nuts.
Quince cheese: Made of quince and sugar.
Ajil e Moshkel-gosha: Traditional packed trail mix for Nowruz.
Gush e fil: Dough topped with pistachios powdered sugar.
Poolaki: Thin candy made of sugar, water, and white vinegar.
Baslogh: Pastry made of grape syrup, starch and almond.[37]

Drinks

Doogh: Cold yogurt drink.
Pomegranate juice
Carrot juice,[38] sometimes mixed with ice cream.[39]
Khakshir: Cold sweet drink with Descurainia sophia seeds.[40]
Sekanjebin: Cold drink made of honey and vinegar.
Aragh sagi: A type of distilled alcoholic beverage.
Sharbat: Cold and sweet drink made of fruits or flower petals.
Shiraz wine: Wine produced from Shiraz grapes around the city of Shiraz in Iran.

See also

References

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  2. ^ electricpulp.com. "ĀŠPAZĪ – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org.
  3. ^ "Iranian Food". Archived from the original on 14 April 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  4. ^ "Culture of IRAN". Cultureofiran.com. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  5. ^ Achaya, K. T. (1994). Indian Food: A Historical Companion. Oxford University Press. p. 11.
  6. ^ Stanton; et al. (2012). Cultural Sociology of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa: An Encyclopedia. SAGE Publications. p. 103. ISBN 978-1452266626.
  7. ^ Mina Holland (6 March 2014). The Edible Atlas: Around the World in Thirty-Nine Cuisines. Canongate Books. pp. 207–. ISBN 978-0-85786-856-5.
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  9. ^ a b Ta, Lien (November 27, 2011). "The Best Persian Food In LA (PHOTOS)". HuffPost.
  10. ^ "Bay Area chef circles back to childhood with Iranian breads". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  11. ^ Nuttall-Smith, Chris (13 December 2013). "The 10 best new restaurants in Toronto in 2013". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  12. ^ Whitcomb, Dan (January 4, 2018). "Los Angeles' large Iranian community cheers anti-regime protests". Reuters.
  13. ^ Tales of a Kitchen (March 5, 2013). "Persian date bread with turmeric and cumin (Komaj)".
  14. ^ Shafia, Louisa. (16 April 2013). "Morasa polo". The New Persian Kitchen. ISBN 9781607743576.
  15. ^ "Jeweled Rice (Morasa Polo)". Parisa's Kitchen. October 9, 2014.
  16. ^ Daniel, Elton L. Mahdī, ʻAlī Akbar. (2006). Culture and Customs of Iran. p. 153. ISBN 9780313320538.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Batmanglij, Najmieh. (2007). "Adas polow". A Taste of Persia: An Introduction to Persian Cooking. p. 96. ISBN 9781845114374.
  18. ^ Batmanglij, Najmieh. (2007). "Baqala polow". A Taste of Persia: An Introduction to Persian Cooking. p. 104. ISBN 9781845114374.
  19. ^ Batmanglij, Najmieh. (1990). Food of Life: A Book of Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies. p. 103. ISBN 9780934211277.
  20. ^ "Saffron and lemon chicken (Joojeh Kabab)". Irish Times. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
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  22. ^ Sally Butcher (Oct 10, 2013). "Kebab-e-Chenjeh". Snackistan. ISBN 9781909815155.
  23. ^ Aashpazi.com. "KABAB TABEI".
  24. ^ Vatandoust, Soraya. (13 March 2015). "Khoresh-e Karafs". Authentic Iran: Modern Presentation of Ancient Recipes. p. 132. ISBN 9781499040616.
  25. ^ Ramazani, Nesta. (1997). "Khoresht-e aloo". Persian Cooking: A Table of Exotic Delights. p. 138. ISBN 9780936347776.
  26. ^ Dana-Haeri, Jila. Lowe, Jason. Ghorashian, Shahrzad. (28 February 2011). "Glossary". New Persian Cooking: A Fresh Approach to the Classic Cuisine of Iran. p. 221. ISBN 9780857719553.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  27. ^ Goldstein, Joyce (12 April 2016). "Persian Stew with Lamb or Beef, Spinach, and Prunes". The New Mediterranean Jewish Table: Old World Recipes for the Modern Home. Illustrated by Hugh D'Andrade. (1st, ebook ed.). Oakland: University of California Press. p. 319. ISBN 978-0-520-96061-9. LCCN 2020757338. OL 27204905M. Wikidata Q114657881.
  28. ^ Ramazani, Nesta. (1997). Persian Cooking: A Table of Exotic Delights. p. 130. ISBN 9780936347776.
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  31. ^ Vatandoust, Soraya. (13 March 2015). "Soup-e Jow". Authentic Iran: Modern Presentation of Ancient Recipes. p. 22. ISBN 9781499040616.
  32. ^ Meftahi, Ida. (14 July 2017). Gender and Dance in Modern Iran: Biopolitics on Stage. p. 72. ISBN 9781317620624. sirabi-va-shirdun
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  34. ^ Vatandoust, Soraya. (13 March 2015). "Chapter 8". Authentic Iran: Modern Presentation of Ancient Recipes. p. 186. ISBN 9781499040616.
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  39. ^ Duguid, Naomi. (6 September 2016). Taste of Persia: A Cook's Travels Through Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, and Kurdistan. p. 353. ISBN 9781579657277. ...havij bastani, a kind of ice cream float, made with Persian ice cream and carrot juice
  40. ^ J. & A. Churchill. (1878). The Pharmaceutical Journal and Transactions, Volume 37. p. 385. Khakshir is imported from Persia...

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