The 10 Most Delicious Iranian Foods
Apart from the historical and cultural values of Iran, according to the present literature and reviews, native Persian foods are of pivotal importance for international visitors. Iran is a great country with diverse cultural varieties and different climates, and potentially home to many peculiar, tasty, and enticing foods. The attraction of Persian foods, drinks, and preparations could motivate tourists to visit Iran. Kashan rose water extraction season is an obvious example of the massive participation of international tourists in such a popular, festival of Persian Rosewater. The fascination of Persian foods does not only come from their tastes, it rather comes from the generosity and bounty of a culture that has kept bestowing the beauty, grandeur, and peculiarity of Persian spirit to the lovers of this legendary territory. To show you only a glimpse of such an amazing carnival of aroma and glow, we invite you to join us in taking a selective look at the ten most delicious Iranian foods.
Without a doubt, Persian Chelo Kabaab (Meat Kebab served with Persian Rice) is definitely the king of Iranian foods. The very adjective I gave to this peculiar food, is not accidental. Factual story dating back to the Qajar dynasty when Nasir Al-Din, the famous Qajaar king craved a rich food made of lamb meat. His royal cook created a recipe of minced meat mixed with grated onion, salt, and a tinge of turmeric shaped like a ruler put on a metal stick to be barbequed and served with Persian Saffron rice, and grilled juicy tomatoes, Persian basil, lime, and spring onion. The rice should be boiled and then steam cooked for 30 mins. For its dressing, we need to add hot water to saffron powder or threads and let them be dense and dark red to be poured on top of the white rice. Creatively, there is another stick with tender fillet meat already marinated in onion and salt that comes with the Kebaab dish. When ready, Iranians are accustomed to pouring sumac powder on top of Kebaab rice which gives it a very special taste everyone would like a lot.
“Murassa’” Polo, or the Royal Chicken Rice, is indeed the queen food of Iran. The whole chicken is already marinated in olive oil, grated onion, lime juice, and salt, and then cooked in the oven while stuffed with the desired fragrant herbs and dried sour-sweet apricots. The boiled and steamed Persian rice is then served with an amount of Persian Barbery already boiled and fried for minutes scattered in creative patterns on top of the saffron-dressed rice. Since it is royal, Iranian would beautifully color up the rice dish with pieces of shiny sugar crystals, together with thin pistachio and almond slices. They finally put the whole stuffed saffron chicken on top or side the rice dish which looks really majestic and elegant.
“Khorest-e-Qormeh Sabzi” is a particular vegetable, and meat stew that is often the most favorite Persian food among international tourists. Parsley, chives, cilantro, fenugreek, baby spinach, or beet leaves should be extremely fried to look black. Lamb chops of moderate size should be also fried, and cooked together with the fried vegetables. Cooked red beans and a couple of dried limes are the must to be added to the materials. This sour green stew is served with Persian saffron rice and fresh onion pieces.
“Khoresht-e- Bademjan” or the Eggplant Stew is another lovely Persian stew again served with Persian saffron rice. Persian slender eggplants should be cut into two thin layers and fried. Lamb chops of moderate size should be also fried with onion and cooked with a good amount of tomato paste, a tinge of saffron, and cinnamon. When cooked well, two or three spoonfuls of lime juice should be added together with a tinge of red pepper. The stew should be well juicy and thick at the end.
“ Kalam Polo-e Shirazi” or Shiraz Lunar Cabbage Rice Dish, is without doubt a unique, and memorable food from Shiraz that would definitely mesmerize everyone. The boiled Persian rice should be steamed with layer-by-layer fried, chopped tarragon and basil already mixed with thin slices of cooked and fried lunar cabbage. Another layer should be fried lamb meatballs to be steam-cooked with rice. Steamed after 45 mins, it will be served with Shirazi diced cucumber, tomato, and onion salad that comes with a sour sauce made of lime juice, olive oil, salt, and mint powder.
“ Beryooni- e-Isfahan” or Isfahani Biryani is another special food from Isfahan. This tasty food is made of lamb meat cooked with onion, saffron, and cinnamon. When cooked well, it should be quite crushed with hands then fried in a small round pan and then put on an oily piece of Sangak (Persian Thick Traditional Bread) bread with a cinnamon and lime juice dressing served with a handful of basil and onion.
“ Koufte Tabrizi” or Tabriz Meatball is also a very peculiar food from Tabriz to be tried. This traditional meatball is made from minced lamb well mixed with cooked split peas, cooked rice, chickpea flour, raw egg, chopped savages, and chives. These materials are shaped like a big ball, like a big orange stuffed with fried onion, walnut pieces, barberry, dried apricots, and a whole boiled egg. After getting quite dense in the fridge for a while, these balls should be golden fried and then cocked in hot water, tomato paste, and saffron. After being cooked, it will be served with a side dish of yogurt and cucumber mix.
“Ghalieh mahi- e- Booshehri” or Booshehr Fish Stew is another magic food from the south of Iran. This is a hot and sour stew made of fish and tamarind. The fried fish fillets already marinated in turmeric and salt, should be kept to be put in the vegetable stew that is going to be ready. To make the stew, cilantro, fenugreek, garlic, and onion should be chopped nicely and fried well. Tamarind should be well soaked in water and its fine juice should be added to the fried vegetable mix. Finally, the fried fish fillets should be poured into the sour vegetable stew to be quite thickened and juicy. This exotic stew could be served with garlic bread or Persian saffron rice.
“Ash- e- Reshteh Tehrani” or Persian Noodle Pottage from Tehran is really a grand, traditional royal pottage that is incredibly enticing. To make this delicious pottage, we need to steam-cook red and white beans together with lentils and chickpeas. They have to be mixed with well-chopped dill, chives, parsley, spinach, and cilantro in 40 mins. Persian noodles then need to be added to the materials for only 15 mins. When ready, Persian whey sauce should be added in and one thick layer as a final dressing on top decorated with fried mint sauce, small garlic dice, and a handful of fried onion.
” Khoresht- e- Fesenjan” or Pomegranate and walnut stew is a sour food from North Iran. This mouth-watering stew is basically made of Pomegranate juice and walnut mixed with chicken fillets. Breast or thigh chicken fillets should be fried with onion first. A good amount of onion needs to be fried with about 300 gr crushed walnut and then mixed and boiled with about 6 glasses of water. When they get oily enough after about 3 hours, three spoonfuls of Pomegranate paste and fried chicken fillets should be added to the materials. If you like it to be a bit sweet as well, you can add one spoonful of brown sugar to it as well.
Enjoy the funfair of Persian foods in Iran. This is the land of the supernatural indeed.