Can we live better, healthier lives, and in some cases, maybe even extend our lives by enjoying the medicinal properties of Persian spices in foods?  Maybe!  

Join the Beats as they explore the depths of knowledge in an insightful chat with Dr. Mahtab Jafari and explore  Persian spices highlighted for medicinal health benefits include saffron, turmeric, cinnamon and rose.  Dr. Mahtab is a doctor, a professor, a research scientist, an author, and a director… and so much more.  She currently teaches Life 101 in the School of Pharmacy at UCI (see complete bio here in the reference section of the show notes).

Dr. Jafari does research in a lab studying fruit flies.

Fun factoid:  we share 75% of our disease genes with fruit flies!

Philosophies - as long as there are no inherent dietary deficiencies, you can get what you need in terms of vitamins and minerals from proper nutrition in fresh, healthy food sources!

The spices, herbs and fresh produce, beans, and legumes used in Persian foods provide great health benefits.

• Saffron - from the stigmas crocus statimus, in the crocus family

• Fun Factoid:  Need 4,500 flowers to make one ounce of saffron!
• Medicinal properties include possible anti-cancer properties (preliminary studios done in vitro)
• Antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties and positive impact on mood - studies done in Iran, showing that saffron can work as well as drugs such as prozac, and similar drugs
• Saffron has 150 compounds in it including antioxidants and vitamins
• No conclusive evidence, however the studies are promising

• Turmeric - curcumin

• Testing on fruit flies
• Medicinal properties - anti cancer and anti inflammatory
• Challenge - right dose and high standard properties
• Fresh turmeric root is preferable for medicinal properties
• No conclusive evidence, however the studies are promising

• Cinnamon

• Currently testing on fruit flies - improving health span and increasing life span
• Cinnamon has thermogenic properties - can help keep us warm!
• The data is not conclusive on claims that cinnamon aids with weight loss

• Rose

• Studying on fruit flies - increases life span, potentially from the scent of rose!
• Medicinal properties - the scent of rose oil can improve mood and decrease signs of anxiety and depression
• Conclusion:  stop and smell the roses!

References:

Dr. Mahtab Jafari

• Doctor of Pharmacy with residency at clinical pharmacy from UCSF
• Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UCI
• Botanical Sciences. The focus of her research lab at UCI is on the impact of botanicals and dietary supplements on lifespan and healthspan
• Author - newly published award winning book, “The Truth about Dietary Supplements: An Evidence Based Guide to a Safe Medicine Cabinet”.
• • Book has received 3 awards: Firebird Award, Royal Dragon, and a runner up at Southern California Book Festival
• Director of UCI’s Center for Healthspan Sciences

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines a spice as an “aromatic vegetable substance, in the whole, broken, or ground form,” whose significant function in food is “seasoning rather than nutrition” and from which “no portion of any volatile oil or other flavoring principle has been removed” (Food and Drug Administration 2007:205-208).

All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: Episodes

Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: BeatsEats – Persian Girl Desperately Addicted to Food!

Co-host Bita Arabian blog: Oven Hug - Healthy Persian Recipes | Modern Persian Recipes

Bita’s recipe for Tahcheen

Bita’s recipe for Adas Polo

Bita’s recipe for Loobia Polo

Bita’s recipe for Yazdi Cakes

Beata’s Recipe Links:

Persian Jeweled Tahchin – BeatsEats

Giti Joon's Famous Tacheen Recipe – BeatsEats

Lubia Polo for the Persian New Year Sezdeh be Dar Picnic

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In today’s episode, you will learn to make the easiest one pot, no strain rice, in Farsi called “kateh”.

What is the “kateh” method? A specific, one pot rice technique with no straining required

Steps:

• Use Indian long-grain, white Basmati rice
• Wash and rinse the rice until the water rinses out clear
• Transfer the rinsed rice to a pot
• General rule of thumb, fill up the pot about an inch and a half above the level of rice in the pot - visual trick, use a finger dipped into the water - almost up to middle knuckle of pointer finger
• Bring to a boil, uncovered
• Reduce heat, cook until most of the water is absorbed - rice should be al dente
• If going for tahdig, add oil, partially cooked rice mixed with saffron, a little water, and rest of rice… may need to add more water and oil/and or butter
• Cook low and slow for the “damming” steaming portion, about 30 minutes depending on amount of rice
• Put a cover on the lid of the pot once the rice starts to steam - called a “damkoni” in Farsi
• Make vertical tunnels or steam vents in the pot of rice
• Finish cooking

Strategies for keeping rice intact and the rice grains as separate as possible

• Rinsing rice initially until the water comes out clean and clear
• Steam holes and damkoni right before steaming 

Ask the Beats:

Ava from San Luis Obispo asks “what is the one Persian dish you can’t live without?”  

Bita: bread and butter; bread tahdig - crunchy, greasy bread tahdig

Beata: sabzi khordan - a platter of fresh herbs, especially enjoyed with breakfast!

Episodes referenced:

Episode #3 Rice

Episode #11 Tahdig

Episode #40 Damkoni

All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: Episodes

Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: BeatsEats – Persian Girl Desperately Addicted to Food!

Co-host Bita Arabian blog: Oven Hug - Healthy Persian Recipes | Modern Persian Recipes

Recipes: 

Kateh Persian Rice with Tahdig – BeatsEats

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

Make your first Persian stew or “khoresh”, an easy Persian celery Stew | Khoresh/t Karafs!  This healthy stew is a great dish to start with, including ingredients that are easy to find.

Guess what, it’s home chef, Beata’s joon’s very first Persian dish she made herself!  For co-host Bita, she grew up eating it on regular rotation as a healthy choice, made with chicken.  

What we like about it:

• Readily available ingredients
• Easy to make
• Can easily make it vegetarian/vegan

Basics of recipe:

• Celery, onions, herbs (parsley and mint)
• Fried onions with turmeric
• Add chopped fresh herbs and chopped celery
• Cook meat along side and add later

Recipe variations:

• Artichoke version
• Tomato sauce or tomato paste
• Meat of choice or vegetarian
• Addition of dried sour lemon, limoo omani or lemon juice 
• Fresh, frozen or dried herbs

Interesting to note, there is a hot debate between Khoresh/t Karafs and Ghormeh Sabzi!

Ask the Beats

Sara from Burlingame, California wants to know, “I’m allergic to tomato based products, what’s a substitute for tomatoes in Persian stews?”

Well, you can simply omit tomato paste/sauce/tomatoes from most Persian stews. Try adding lemon juice for sourness, or “ab eh aloo” (sour plum juice) to experiment with adding sour notes and more color.

Link to Episode 8: Persian Stews | Khoresh

All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: Episodes

Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: BeatsEats – Persian Girl Desperately Addicted to Food!

Co-host Bita Arabian blog: Oven Hug - Healthy Persian Recipes | Modern Persian Recipes

Beata’s recipe for: Vegan Khoresh Karafs – Celery Stew With Mint and Parsley

Beata’s recipe for: Khoreshteh Karafs Celery and Herb Beef Stew

Bita’s recipe for: Khoresht Karafs | Persian Celery Stew Recipe - Oven Hug

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

Have you heard of smoked rice?  Smoked basmati rice is just one of the smoky flavors the Beats explore in ingredients, dishes, and beyond.  There are so many delicious and unique smoky flavors in Persian cuisine, the most notable one being smoked fish.

Fish

• Purchase smoked from a store or a restaurant
• Smoke it yourself
• Open invitation to join us as a special guest on the podcast!

Smoked rice

• Available in middle eastern or Persian markets or online

Char-grilling on the grill, in the oven under the broiler, straight on the burner, or on an indoor grill pan

• Kababs
• Tomatoes and onions
• Corn | Balal
• Eggplant

Modern ingredients

• Smoky salt
• Smoky butter

Ask the Beats

Rebecca from Canada asks, “Beats, where are you from?”

Bita’s response - born in Iran, grew up in Michigan, college in Wisconsin, born into a Persian family and married into a Persian family. Live in the SF bay area, 2 young adult daughters and 4 pets, also a part time residence in Orange County.  Founder and manager of Ovenhug.com

Beata’s response - born and raised in SF/Marin, lived in NY city for 4 years where she started beatseats.com, Now lives back in SF, has 2 young children.

Link to: San Francisco Salt Company

All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: Episodes

Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: BeatsEats – Persian Girl Desperately Addicted to Food!

Co-host Bita Arabian blog: Oven Hug - Healthy Persian Recipes | Modern Persian Recipes

Bita’s recipe for Balal | Persian Street Corn

Bita’s recipe for Kaskh Bademjan | Persian Eggplant Dip

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

Are you ready to get nutty?!

In this single ingredient episode, co-hosts Bita and Beata get excited about “pesteh” which is Farsi for pistachios, specifically how to add vibrance, texture and color to everyday dishes and beyond.  

Before the Beats dive into ways to incorporate this rich, decadent nut into Persian recipes and beyond, let’s explore a few questions.

Why are Persian pistachios special? 

Roasted and seasoned - marinated in citrus, salt, and saffron 

How do Persians eat them? 

Plain, served in a big bowl or with ajeel, garnished on foods/rice dishes and desserts 

Garnish on savory dishes 

• Tahchin
• Jeweled rice | Shirin polo
• Adas polo
• Reshteh polo
• Salads
• Roasted veggies

Garnish on desserts 

• Persian ice cream, akbar mashti
• Persian milk pudding, shir berenj
• Ice in Heaven, yakh dar behesht
• Baklava
• Halva
• Sholeh Zard

Roasting pistachios

• Marinate in citrus (optional)
• Add saffron and or spices
• Be careful not to burn!

Ask the Beats!

What are the top 3 things you pick up from the Persian market?

Bita’s response: Jam (cherry, rose, and quince), Dough, and Ready made food such as kebabs and khoresh

Beata’s response: Sour Cherry (Albaloo) Jam, barbari bread, and dried omani lemons (limoo omani)

Episodes referenced:

Episode 34: Bastani | Persian Ice Cream

Episode 55:  Persian Nuts

All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: Episodes

Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: BeatsEats – Persian Girl Desperately Addicted to Food!

Co-host Bita Arabian blog: Oven Hug - Healthy Persian Recipes | Modern Persian Recipes

Recipes:

Beata’s: Persian Jeweled Tahchin

Beata’s: Pomegranate Glazed Chicken Wings

Bita’s:  Tah-cheen Baked Chicken and Rice Casserole

Bita’s:  Persian Crispy Rice Cups | Tahchin Bites

Bita’s:  Persian Jeweled Rice | Shirin Polo

Bita’s:  Milky Persian Rice Pudding | Shir Berenj

Bita’s:  Ajeel | Persian Trail Mix

Bita’s:  Persian Nice Cream | Bastani

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

The Beats have so much fun geeking out about Persian food with Dan Ahdoot, a comic actor/writer, and most recently, very first Persian with his own show on Primetime TV!  Dan will be the host of a new show that follows “Chopped” on the Food Network (first show airing on Dec. 28th) called “Raid the Fridge”.  Help us support Dan in what is sure to be a hit show - with Dan’s wit and energy, this is going to be a cooking show like no other.

What Dan, doesn’t like to eat in terms of Persian food:

• Quince!  He doesn’t like the way it sounds in Farsi, “beh”... and he is not a fan of too much sweet mixed into his savory meals, specifically as in Khoresh eh Beh, Persian stew made with quince fruit
• “Garagharoot”!  The most sour lavashak you can get, made from cooked down kashk.  In Dan’s terms, it’s sour in a weird, bovine way, resembling bile (!)

Side note:  Dan is a huge fan of most Persian foods - an under-represented food cuisine with delicious flavors and a rich history, coming not from poverty but from royalty.

What Dan, does like, and in fact, loves eating in terms of Persian food:

Essentially anything that consists of mashed up beans and meat (Dan has a type!), what he refers to as Persian truck driver food.  Dan loves the expression “meechaspeh” which is used to describe rib sticking comfort foods and literally is translated from Farsi as meaning “sticking”.

• Dizi/ Deezi - Ab Ghousht
• • Loves the paste made when the beans and meat are mashed together along with some sangak bread into a type of delicious, comforting paste
• Kaleh Paacheh - organ soup
• • A super viscous soup made from cooked down head and hooves - in Iran most often prepared with lamb.  In the U.S., often made using beef.  Cooked with standard Persian base of friend onions and turmeric.  Traditionally also has Seville oranges (sour oranges).  
  • Dan prefers it cooked fresh by his mom vs from a restaurant
• Aasheh Sholeh Ghalamkhar…to Dan, the most comforting of all Persian soups
• • The ‘ugly step-sister’ of the more popular, iconic Persian soup or aash, Aash Reshteh
  • Made with meat, beans, and herbs

Tie in to Dan’s new show on Food Networks, Raid the Fridge (first show Dec. 28th)

What is the show - Four chefs and four mystery refrigerators.  Chefs will choose a fridge and create a meal, for example an omelet, using only the ingredients that are in their chosen fridge.  The winner is awarded $10k bucks!

• Use the ingredients you have to create Persian flavors and dishes
• Normalize Persian ingredients by incorporating them into other dishes - example, Dan loves to sprinkle ground limoo amani (Persian dried limes) on just about everything, especially on his ramen noodles!

References:

Joon Rice Truck - mini tahchin in Queens Night Market

Tahdig Tacos

Vartamelon

Reference to Chef Beeta Mohajari of Orange County Beetz Eats

Find more about Dan at https://www.standupdan.com and Dan Ahdoot (@standupdan)

All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: Episodes

Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: BeatsEats – Persian Girl Desperately Addicted to Food!

Co-host Bita Arabian blog: Oven Hug - Healthy Persian Recipes | Modern Persian Recipes

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In this episode we are gifting you with 5, fun Persian-inspired cocktails!

• Pomegranate fizz
• Sekanjabin mojito
• Watermelon slushie
• Gohl Getter
• Cardamom Hot Toddy

With our unique ideas you’ll have festive cocktails twists to ring in the new year.

Disclaimer: all of these drinks can easily be made without any alcohol as mocktails.  If you choose to drink, be sure to drink responsibly and have a designated driver.

Pomegranate Fizz - a fun, pinkish, fizzy drink - make with pomegranate juice, club soda or ginger ale, and pomegranate arils as garnish.  Optional to spike it with gin.

Sekanjabin mojito - sekanjabin syrup (cooked down sugar/honey, vinegar, and mint), mixed with muddled fresh mint and grated cucumber.  Optional to spike it with rum. See Sekanjabin micro episode for more info on how to make the syrup.

Watermelon Slushie - blended frozen innards of fresh  watermelon, and sugar, garnished with a small wedge of watermelon.  Optional to spike it with vodka. Can use the watermelon from Yalda winter festival, learn more in the Yalda episode.

Gohl Getter - a play on words, as in “goal getter” - go get your new year’s resolution goals!  Made by mixing rose petal jam with Brut rosé, lime juice, garnished with rose petals and/or rose buds.  To make this drink non-alcoholic, use a Martinelli’s sparkling apple cider in the place of the rosé. We talk more about flowers in the Gol episode.

Cardamom Hot Toddy - Tea bag with Persian black tea flavored with cardamom, honey, lemon, hot water.  Optional to spike it with whisky or bourbon 

Ask the Beats - 

In their last Ask the Beats segment of 2021, the Beats as each other, do you have any goals/intentions for the new year?

• To double the number of Modern Persian food listeners!  To help us reach our goal, please ask one person you know who you think would love hearing this episode to listen!
• Drink more water and stay hydrated!
• Spread love and positivity around the world

Other episodes referenced:

Episode 35: Sekanjabin Persian Syrup

Episode 63: Yalda

Episode 26: Flowers | Gol

All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: Episodes

Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: BeatsEats – Persian Girl Desperately Addicted to Food!

Co-host Bita Arabian blog: Oven Hug - Healthy Persian Recipes | Modern Persian Recipes

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

Do you want to make warm, delicious, comforting, nutritious iconic Persian soup,  Aash Reshteh, also known as Persian Noodle and Bean and Herb Soup?!

Join the Beats as they walk through their recipes including short-cuts and techniques, and a fun modern take on blending American and Persian cultures - making and eating it for the Western calendar new year on January 1st of the Gregorian calendar (vs the traditional time aash reshteh is enjoyed, the Persian New Year Norouz/Norooz which falls on the first day of spring in March).

Ingredients:

Noodles:

• Persian Reshteh, reshteh is Farsi for the special noodles that go in this soup - reshteh noodles are long, a bit flat, and slightly saltier and starchier than Italian pastas 
• • Can be found in Persian or Middle Eastern markets or ordered online
• Italian linguine, fettuccine, or spaghetti can be substituted for reshteh noodles

Herbs 

• Fresh - parsley, cilantro, dill, mint
• Dried - Mint, dill 
• • Used both in the soup as one of the primary ingredients as well as part of the topping (fried onions with dried mint, garlic and turmeric)

Vegetables

• Onions
• Spring onions
• Leeks
• Spinach (optional)

Spices

• Turmeric is the main flavor note
• Cinnamon (in Beata’s recipe version)

Kashk 

• Fermented dairy product
• • Texture is thicker than yogurt;  flavor is salty and a little umami
  • Used drizzled on top as part of the garnish and/or mixed into the soup

Beans

• Use cooked dry beans, frozen beans/peas, or canned beans
• Lentils 
• Chickpea /garbanzo 
• Red beans or kidney 
• White or cannellini beans 
• Blackeyed peas
• • Clever blending of cultural traditions - use black eyed peas, a southern new year’s tradition, in this soup to serve on American new year, Jan. 1st

Garnish or topping for the soup

• Kashk
• Fried onion, fried mint
• Modern options:  yogurt, vinegar, lemon juice

Episode 12, 3 Persian Soups

Episode  Norooz Part 3:  Persian New Year Siz Dah Behdar

All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: Episodes

Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: BeatsEats – Persian Girl Desperately Addicted to Food!

Co-host Bita Arabian blog: Oven Hug - Healthy Persian Recipes | Modern Persian Recipes

Bita’s recipe for Aash Reshteh | Persian Noodle Soup

Beata’s short-cup recipe: Ash Reshteh | Persian Noodle Soup

Beata’s traditional recipe: Asheh Reshteh – Persian Noodle Soup – Original Recipe Post

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In this heartfelt episode, co-hosts Bita and Bita share 3 ways to celebrate the Persian Winter Festival this year, Shabe Yalda, including 1. How to set it up (the sofreh or special table setting), 2. What to do (traditions and our modern takes), and of course, 3. what to eat (traditionally and what they plan to eat)!

Before jumping into the 3 ways to celebrate ShabeYalda, what exactly is it and when is it celebrated?

What is Yalda?: A winter solstice festival, falling on the longest/darkest night of the year, the turning of the seasons from fall to winter

When is it?: Typically falls on either Dec 20th and 21st - this year the winter solstice is the morning of the 21st where we are in western hemisphere

Ok, now let’s get into how to celebrate this very historical and symbolic occasion, the Persian winter solstice festival!

How does one celebrate Yalda?: A family gathering to set a spread or special table setting, to gather with family, eat a delicious meal, drink (mostly tea!), read and recite poetry, and stay up late! Stay up ward off evil and to welcome light and love in the days following and leading up to the next season, spring!

A song!  Leila Fourohar, famous Iranian pop and classical singer. The title of the song is: Madar Bozorgh (which means Grandmother) 

In the song Leila sings about Yalda….spend time with elders, stay up late telling stories, learning life lessons ….

The set up:

• The Yalda setup includes a sofreh or special table setting - red, candles (some slight cross over with Christmas in terms of color and light); winter fruits (pomegranate, apples, persimmons, and watermelon), and nuts/Persian ajeel, a book of poetry (often Hafez or Rumi)
• Some possible symbolic meanings behind the sofreh - ward off evil of the longest darkest night, bring in love and light
• Side notes about the book of Hafez and “fall eh hafez”...a sort of fortune telling, interpreting the opening of the book specific poem and interpreting the meaning as a prediction of the future
• Ideas of sharing Ajeel, Persian trail mix as holiday gifts
• Watermelon crafts and cookies as a modern theme to shabeh Yalda

What to do:

• Gather with family, listen to music, read poetry

What to eat:

• Traditional dishes include aash, mahi polo, and bademjan/bademjoon, also fesenjoon!
• Modern ideas of what to cook on this night include Persian meatball Koofteh, quick and easy fesenjoon meatballs
• Drinking tea!

Poetry readings: 

• Bita reads a Persian poem by Hafez
• Recording of Beata’s dad reciting a poem called the The Symbols of Love by Salak (Mojtaba Kashani)
• Beata translats parts of the poem her father read

References to the following two previous MPF podcast episodes include the following:

Episode 62 Persian Christmas Traditions

Yalda Winter Flavors episode reference

Episode 16: Khoresh Fesenjoon | Persian Pomegranate and Walnut Stew

All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: Episodes

Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: BeatsEats – Persian Girl Desperately Addicted to Food!

Co-host Bita Arabian blog: Oven Hug - Healthy Persian Recipes | Modern Persian Recipes

Bita’s post Ajeel Persian Trail Mix

Bita’s recipe for Fesenjan Persian Pomegranate Chicken

Beata’s recipe for Walnut and Pomegranate Stew – Khoreshteh Fessenjoon

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

Looking to start some fun new winter holiday traditions? The Beats share several Persian inspired cross-cultural menu ideas to bring Persian flavors to your table this Christmas.

Breakfast/brunch

• Jeweled Cinnamon Rolls - using a dried fruit and nut spread along with Persian spices, this is a unique delicious twist to easy cinnamon rolls.  Use Ajeel, a Persian trail mix that can also be used for Yalda.
• French toast casserole versions - try with challah bread, Persian barbari bread, vanilla, cardamom, persimmon or quince, top with whipped cream and/or powdered sugar and fresh fruit, pomegranate arils or berries

Appetizer and snack ideas

• Baked brie bites
• • Use puff pastry or crescent rolls, brie, jam (a peppered jam is great here!), nuts (pecans or walnuts, and fresh herbs (rosemary looks festive) - serve warm
• Cheese board or platter

Main meal/dinner

• Standing prime rib roast served with a pomegranate horseradish sauce
• Roast beef with mixed roast vegetables
• Roast lamb with garlic cloves and dijon mustard
• Sumac roasted vegetables
• Christmas enchiladas - green salsa or enchilada sauce and red salsa or enchilada sauce
• Seafood - saffron roast shrimp or salmon
• Jeweled Rice, Shirin polo - Persian fruit and nut layered rice or Tahchin

Dessert

• Cookies!  The annual cookie exchange...mix cookie platter with Persian cookies
• Jeweled Cinnamon rolls

Yalda Winter Flavors episode reference

All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: Episodes

Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: BeatsEats – Persian Girl Desperately Addicted to Food!

Co-host Bita Arabian blog: Oven Hug - Healthy Persian Recipes | Modern Persian Recipes

Bita’s recipe for Persian Jeweled Rice | Shirin Polo

Bita’s recipe for Easy Marinated Salmon

Bita’s index of Cookie Recipes

Beata’s recipe for Jeweled Cinnamon Rolls

Beata’s recipe for Persian Jeweled Tahchin

Beata’s recipe for Persian Tea Cookies with Aunt Pari Joon

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio