Modern Persian Food

In Episode #34, co-hosts Bita and Beata dream of rich, decadent, flavorful Persian ice cream known as Bastani in Farsi.

Unique attributes to Bastani

• Saffron and rose water
• Frozen chunks of cream
• Pistachio nuts

Unique attributes of Persian ice cream sandwiches

• Lightly sweetened, thin, crispy wafers
• Where to find ice cream sandwiches
• • International/middle eastern markets
  • DIY make at home Persian ice cream platter sandwiches

Other frozen Persian treats

• Faloodeh - frozen vermicelli noodles laced with lime juice and cherry syrup
• How it's served
• • Solo or "makhloot" meaning mixed in Farsi - mixed with Persian ice cream, half and half
• Carrot Ice Cream Floats - in Farsi Ab Haveej Bastani
• • What is it? - Persian ice cream and carrot juice served in a tall decorative glass

Ideas for Persian frozen treats with Persian flavors and flair

• Vanilla ice cream served with pomegranate molasses, pistachios, and pomegranate arils
• Vanilla ice cream served with date syrup and walnuts

Modern ideas for healthy frozen treats

• "Nice cream" - dairy free soft serve
• • Base of peeled frozen bananas, add frozen fruits
  • For Persian version try it with saffron, rose water and pistachios!

Ask the Beats!

Megan from NYC asks "how do you bloom saffron?"

• Grind dried saffron and dissolve in hot water
• Grinding and storage tips

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In Episode #33, co-hosts Bita and Beata have a fun conversation describing what Persian cucumbers are and how they are enjoyed in Persian culture and cuisine.

What sets Persian cucumbers apart from other standard, larger cucumbers?

• Smaller size - approximately 5 inches long
• Smoother skin or peel
• Smaller seeds and less watery
• Milder flavor

How they are used in Persian culture and cuisine

• Always raw
• To snack on with salt
• As part of a large fruit platter
• In appetizer or side dish recipes

Recipes that call for Persian cucumbers

• Salad Shirazi - simple salad of finely chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, tossed in olive oil and lemon juice (and seasoned with salt and pepper)
• Mast o Khiar
• • Simple version - yogurt, cucumbers and dried mint (or dill)
  • Fancier version - yogurt, cucumbers, dried mint, walnuts, raisins/cranberries, and sometimes garnished with dried culinary rose petals
  • Other cultures with similar yogurt and cucumbers dishes: Greek tzatziki (usually has dried dill and a thicker, full fat yogurt); Indian riata which is more watery and liquidy than the Persian version

Other fun uses for cucumbers!

• Save the peels for a natural facial
• Cut into slices for a cooling eye mask

Ask the Beats!

This week's question comes from Reddit where one of our listeners asks, "how to make bangin' Persian food for young professionals that don't live with their families/ how to meal prep to cook Persian food"

• Batch cook on the weekend
• • Pre-cook stewed meats, chicken, other meats to be repurposed into other dishes
  • Wash and trim vegetables and herbs, store layered in paper towels to absorb the moisture and help stay fresh
  • Batch cook the fried onions (in Farsi "piyaz dagh") to be used through the week in recipes
  • Cook Persian soups and Persian stews (in Farsi "khoresh") enough for the week

Resource links and recipes from this episode:

Bita's recipes:

• Salad Shirazi | Persian Cucumber and Tomato Salad
• Persian Cucumber Yogurt Dip Mast o Khiar

Beata's recipes:

• Beata's recipe for Persian Salads: Maast-o-Khiar with Shallot and Salad Shirazi

The Modern Persian Food podcast is available for free on all podcast downloading sites or at: ModernPersianFood.com

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In Episode #32, co-hosts Bita and Beata welcome a very special guest, Maz Jobrani. Maz is a well-known Iranian American comedian who has been featured in numerous films, specials, shows, and comedy clubs. He has more recently also started a podcast called "Back to School". Maz is well loved in the Iranian community and Bita and Beata are happy to have him talk about their favorite topic, Persian food, specifically Maz's personal experiences with eating and enjoying Persian food in childhood, as a young adult, and more recently with his family.

Maz immigrated to the US at the age of 6 and grew up in northern California, in Marin, with Beata's brothers. He now resides in Los Angeles, Southern California.

Foods and traditions Maz remembers from his childhood

Maz's favorite dishes to order from Persian restaurants

• Enjoying tea with parents and grandparents - chai shirin, Persian tea with sugar
• Eating traditional Persian breakfasts of tea, bread, cheese, and delicious jams
• Sabzi polo ba mahi (herb rice with fish, white fish)
• Kashk bademjoon (Persian eggplant dip)
• Mast-o-museer (yogurt with shallots)
• Appetizers
• • Sabzi khordan (fresh herb platter)
  • Gerdoo (walnuts)
  • Paneer (Persian cheese, typically feta)
• Stews served over Tahdig (crispy rice from the bottom of the pot)
• • Khoresh ghormeh sabzi
  • Khoresh ghemeh
  • Khoresh fesenjoon

Maz's favorite restaurants in the LA area

• Darya Restaurant
• Shamshiri Grill
• Raffi's Place
• Attari Sandwich Shop for their sandwiches, i.e. mortadella sandwiches (with pickles, tomatoes, and butter), kotlet sandwich, kookoo sandwich, soups

Reference to "What I Eat - Around the World in 80 Diets" - one of the couples/authors sited Persian food as the best in the world.

Reference to Padma Lashmi's special, "Taste The Nation'' where he was one of the guests and joined in at the Elat Market. (Persian breakfasts)

Reference to Anthony Bourdain in his episode about Iran where he refers to Iranians as "the most hospitable people in the world"

Eating Persian food as a young adults/ in early 20's

• Beef soltani plate
• Rice with oil, extra butter, raw egg
• • All seasoned with sumac

Experiences traveling as a comedian with Persian food

• Restaurant hospitality (Australia, DC, SF)

Food as a bridge to cultural gaps. Food as the #1 way to teach other people about people different than themselves and bring them closer in a way everyone understands, eating and food. A great foray into other cultures. Like comedy, food brings people together in joyful experiences of laughing and eating.

Ask the Beats!

Maz asks Bita and Beata after sharing that he is good at eating food but not so much at making it, "what is the simplest Persian dish to cook?

• Bita answers with Tacheen
• Beata answers with Maast-o Khiar or Maast-o Laboo

Resource links and recipes from this episode:

• Maz Jobrani
• Back to School with Maz Jobrani Podcast
• Darya Restaurant
• Shamshiri Grill
• Raffi's
• Atari Sandwich Shop
• Amoo's Restaurant
• What I Eat by Peter Menzel, Faith D'Aluisio
• Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi
• Parts Unknown

Tacheen Recipes:

• Bita's recipe for Tacheen Baked Persian Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Bita's recipe for Persian Crispy Rice Cups Tachchin Bites
• Beata's recipe for Persian Jeweled Tahchin

Yogurt dip/sides Recipes:

• Beata's recipe for Maast-o Laboo | Persian Beets and Yogurt
• Beata's recipe for Persian Salads: Maast-o-Khiar with Shallot and Salad Shirazi
• Bita's recipe for Persian Cucumber Yogurt Dip Mast o Khiar

Stews:

• Beata's recipe for Walnut and Pomegranate Stew | Khoreshteh Fessenjoon
• Bita's recipe for Khoresh Fesenjan | Persian Pomegranate Chicken (an Instant Pot recipe)
• Bita's recipe for Khoresh Gheymeh | Persian Yellow Split Pea Stew

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In Episode #31, co-hosts Bita and Beata have an informative conversation with Omid Roustaei, known as the Caspian Chef. Omid is an author, food blogger, recipe developer, chef and cooking instructor, among other things. In this episode Omid shares about the vibrant, fresh, vegetable and herb-forward dishes of northern Iran in the Caspian Sea region. The foods of this region are also known as "Shomali" in Farsi.

Omid's background - Omid's parents are from Babol (in the Mazandaran Province). He grew up eating primarily traditional Persian foods and specifically some foods of the Caspian Sea region.

Omid has been blogging for almost 3 years in this space. His background transitioned from cancer research towards prevention which led him to study health through food. Omid went to a plant-based, vegetable focussed cooking school in Boulder Colorado. He then gained experience as a private chef and with teaching cooking classes. His passion is in bridging the cultural gap between Western culture and Iranian culture through food.

Foods of the Caspian Sea region as described by Omid

• Plant-forward with most of the dishes starting with and based on vegetables and herbs
• Herbs local to the region in Farsi: Cho-chag, khalvash, ooji (also known as fersem or soosan ambor)
• Herbs treated as vegetables and used in abundance (bunches and bunches of herbs vs used as a garnish)
• Using herbs for flavor instead of relying on spices for flavor (most dishes have only salt, pepper, turmeric, then loads of fresh herbs), plus garlic!

Region specific dishes shared by Omid

• "Morgh e Torsch" - Sour Chicken
• • Chicken, parsley, cilantro, mint, chives, walnuts, sour grape juice, bitter seville orange juice
• Anar Bij
• • Pomegranate walnuts, fresh herbs, ground meatballs
  • Described by Omid as "Fesenjoon with swag!"
• Bij bij (also known as vaveeshka)
• • Seasoned ground meat (salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic), fried onions, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, poached eggs - all served over steaming mound of rice
• Mella Ghormeh - Eggplant dish with herbs and poached eggs
• White flesh fish (mahi sefid)
• • Fried - tender & buttery
• Mahi Shekam Por
• • A very large fish stuffed with the following ingredients; barberries, walnuts, herbs, fish rooh, then tied and baked in the oven

Ask the Beats!

Question asked by the Caspian Chef: "What are your thoughts on traditional cooking tools, traditions and approaches that require skill, patience, and labor, vs time saving tricks and getting things done faster - what do you prefer and what are your thoughts on the matter?"

Bita's response: Tries to make traditional recipes in a way that is practical in her everyday life, while respecting what it is and not changing it too much. She tries to make it healthier and easier. Ultimately anticipating that Persian food in Western culture may change just as how Mexican food in the US is different from traditional foods in Mexico, and how Chinese food in the US is different from what people actually eat in homes in China.

Beata's response: Loves food and appreciates authentic Persian cooking but current lifestyle limits her being able to cook the traditional recipes at home. Just as the Caspian Sea regional foods were influenced by what was accessible, she has the same approach to the foods she cooks in her kitchen. She is proud of the foods she makes and shares on her blog, by using substitutions that still hold the integrity of the dish but with time saving shortcuts.

Resource links and recipes from this episode:

Omid Roustaei: The Caspian Chef - Omid Roustaei

Bita Arabian: Oven Hug - Healthy Persian Recipes | Modern Persian Recipes

Beata Nazem Kelley: BeatsEats – Persian Girl Desperately Addicted to Food!

Khoresh Morgh-e Torsh - Chicken in walnut and herbs sauce

Anar Bij - Meatballs in pomegranate and herb sauce

Mella Ghormeh - Eggplant with herbs and poached eggs

Khoresh Bij Bij - Caspian Sea stew with poached eggs

Mahi Shekam Por - Caspian Sea style stuffed fish

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In Episode #30, co-hosts Bita and Beata explore different versions of a delicious Persian dish called "tahchin". Tahchin is a baked casserole dish most often made with chicken (in Farsi, "morgh"). The duo also shares cooking and preparation techniques including short-cuts for midweek, modern versions, plating and garnishing techniques for special meals, and various options for filling the center layers of this dish.

What is tahchin?

• A crispy baked, layered rice dish (most often made with chicken/morgh), yogurt, eggs, and spices
• Note, "tahdig" is the crispy bottom of the pot delicacy in Persian cuisine and is literally translated as "the bottom of the pot"
• "Tahchin" can be literally translated as coming from the bottom of the dish and layered (or arranged)

Versions

• Traditional (most commonly made with chicken/morgh)
• Khoresh (hearty Persian stew) stuffed with for example ghormeh sabzi
• Stuffed or layered with eggplant
• Stuffed with veggies
• Modern - prepared in muffin tins for mini crispy rice cakes - great for individualized servings, portion control, and Covid friendly events

A Beats cheats - be sure whatever you are layering into the tahchin is at least partially if not half way cooked through

Optional garnishes

• Traditional - topped with sauteed/candied dried barberries (in Farsi "zereshk"), and slivered almonds or slivered pistachio nuts
• Modern - orange marmalade and dried fruit such as apricots

A Beats cheats - rehydrate dried barberries/zereshk in a bit of boiling water to soften before sauteing, especially if coming from having been stored the freezer

Plating and presentation

• Make designs with optional garnishes
• Stack different sizes of inverted rice "cakes" to tier them up
• Serve with greens, salads, or a yogurt side dish

Tahchin can also be spelled tacheen, tachin, or tahcheen

Resource links and recipes from this episode:

Bita's recipe for Persian Crispy Rice Cups | Tahchin Bites

Bita's recipe for Tah-Cheen | Baked Chicken and Rice Casserole

Beats's recipe for Persian Jeweled Tahchin

Beata's recipe for Giti Joon's Famous Tacheen Recipe

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In Episode #29, co-hosts Bita and Beata explore the foods that are associated with the fasting month of Ramadan that many people in the Persian culture participate in.

Ramadan is a one month long fasting period, following an Arabic calendar. Many folks in Persian culture who are Isalmic in religious beliefs fast for the month of Ramadan. Fasting occurs from sun-up to sun-down. The date moves forward by approximately 10 days each year. It is a time of spiritual reflection and self improvement.

Foods associated with Ramadan are often sweets to break the fast along with tea or hot water, but also energizing foods and comforting soup-y stews.

Sweets associated with Ramadan:

Halva

• Caramel colored thick and creamy paste
• Made with wheat flour, butter and syrup of sugar, saffron, cardamom, and rose water (all very Persian flavors)
• Different from Arabic and other regional halvas in that it typically does not contain any tahini/sesame seed paste

Sholeh Zard | Dairy free Persian saffron rice pudding

• A rice pudding made with water vs milk or cream
• Rice, water, and loads of saffron and sugar
• Decorated with cinnamon and slivered nuts

Zoolbia Bamieh

• Persian deep fried funnel cakes drizzled with sweet syrup
• Always enjoyed with Persian tea

Other foods associated with the month of Ramadan

• Adas Polo - lentil rice with caramelized dates and raisins
• Khoresh Ghemeh - split pea, tomato, and fried potato stew
• Haleem - grain and turkey porridge
• Aash Reshteh - hearty herb, bean, and noodle soup

Ask the Beats!

Question from Reddit: What is a good substitute for zereshk (tart/sour dried barberries)?

Zereshk polo is a traditional Persian rice made using zereshk cooked in butter, sugar and saffron - a great substitute for zereshk in this dish is dried cranberries. Less sugar can be used in this dish when substituted cranberries for zereshk.

Resource links and recipes from this episode:

Ash Reshteh

• Bita's Aash Reshteh | Persian Noodle Soup
• Beata's Ash Reshteh | Persian Noodle Soup

Additional recipes:

• Bita's Adas Polo | Persian Lentil and Date Rice
• Bita's Khoresh Ghemeh | Persian Yellow Split Pea Stew

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In Episode #28, co-hosts Bita and Beata share how eggs are used in Persian recipes and Persian cuisine, not just for breakfast!

Eggs in recipes

• Khagineh - eggs fried in a pan with flour and sugar
• Khormah maloos - caramelized dates cooked with eggs
• Eggs for breakfast covered in "Persian Breakfast" episode #27
• Salad Olivier - Persian chicken and egg salad
• Kookoos - koo sabzi, other kookoo varieties - with eggplant or potatoes

- what is koo koo? A frittata type egg based dish made with a little flour and the additive of herbs, or potatoes, or eggplant, spices

• The "Beats" versions and ideas for deviled eggs

- Bita - with mustard and saffron; use plastic bag to pipe and make pretty presentation

- Beata - idea to stuff hard boiled egg white with salad olivier

Eggs served with rice

• Raw served on rice with a decadent version of chelo kabab (rice and kabab)
• Cooked fried egg over rice as a meat substitute for protein

Ask the Beats!

Question from Hazar from Instagram: What are some easy "sham" (Persian dinner) ideas?

• Tahcheen made with leftover rice and chicken (just add yogurt, saffron, and eggs)
• Using leftover rice to make a veggie stir fry with eggs
• Kateh (easy rice) with sheet pan dinners such as salmon and veggies
• "Pasta Egg Pie" - using leftover pasta cooked with eggs French toast style

Resource links and recipes from this episode:

Deviled Eggs:

• Bita's Healthier Deviled Eggs Recipe
• Beata's Classic Deviled Eggs recipe

Koo Koo:

• Bita's recipe: Kookoo Sabzi | Quiche Muffins
• Beata's recipe: Persian Frittata Koo Koo Sabzi

Tacheen (Tachin):

• Bita's Tahcheen | Baked Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Beata's Tacheen Recipe

Additional recipes from the episode:

• Khormah Maloos | Persian Dates and Eggs
• Salad Olivier | Persian Potato Salad
• How to Make Boiled Eggs in an Instant Pot
• Beata's Katte Persian Rice with Tahdig

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In Episode #27, co-hosts Bita and Beata share thoughts on Persian breakfasts when entertaining and on the regular weekday rotation.

Beata's Persian brunch

• A show stopper egg dish
• • Persian omelette with tomatoes
  • Nargessi with spinach
  • Sosees with hotdog or sausage
• Variety of jams such as fig or quince
• Fresh fruit and nuts

"Noon o Moraba bah chai"- Persian bread (such as barbari) and jam with tea. Sometimes with Feta cheese or butter.

Jams or "Compote"

• Bita's favorites are rose or quince jam
• Bita's shares her recipes for sour plum jam and honeydew melon jam (both low sugar)
• Sour cherry jam
• Carrot jam
• Orange marmalade
• Beata covers how to make quince jam and the use of a damkoni

Haleem

• Traditional porridge of oats or barley slow cooked with turkey or chicken, served with melted butter and cinnamon sugar - savory and sweet
• Nutritious with protein and healthy fibers

Bita and Beata's breakfasts on the regular:

• Bita's fruity breakfast bowls - loaded with fresh fruits like figs, pomegranate, mulberries, nuts and seeds
• Soft boiled eggs
• Hard-boiled eggs

Ask the Beats!

Question from Instagram: What's the hardest parts of cooking Persian cooking?

• Finding all of the ingredients for a recipe
• Finding the time to cook at home - balancing take out/eating out vs cooking for the family
• Finding a balance

Resource links and recipes from this episode:

Egg based dishes:

• Beata's Khormah Maloos dates and eggs: Khormah Maloos | Persian Dates and Eggs

Jams:

• Bita's Melon Jam recipe
• Bita's Fresh Red Plum Compote Jam
• Beata's Quince jam: Persian Quince Jam – Morabah Beh
• Beata's fig jam: Persian Fig Jam – Morabah Anjeer

Additional resources:

• Carrot Jam recipe available in Yasmin Khan's book: The Saffron Tales

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In Episode #26, co-hosts Bita and Beata uncover the subject of flowers in Persian cuisine and in Persian culture. Bita and Beata are joined by a special guest, Maman Jaleh (MJ for short) with over 20 years of experience in the flower industry as a designer, business manager, and owner.

MJ speaks on some of the history of flowers in Iran:

• Iran is called the country of flowers and nightingales.
• Potted flowers are popular because of a history of a shortage of water.
• Flowers in Persian cuisine, two of which are both aromatic and pleasing to the eye are saffron and rose petals.

Beata chimes in and notes the role of flowers sofrehs:

Sofreh aghd

Sofreh aide Norooz/Nowruz

Saffron in cuisine:

• In rice, with barberries called Zereshk Polo
• In preparing tahdig
• In steeping tea
• Use sparingly - it is considered a precious commodity and is strong in both color and flavor...it is a flavor enhancer, brings color and fragrance to the dish

Rose and rose water, also best used in moderation:

• In Persian sweets and desserts
• Rose water in Bita's Jeweled rice
• Rose petals in loobia polo and mast o khiar
• In tea
• MJ touches on 'real rose water' from Iran

Golnar (also known as the fire flower):

• The flowers on pomegranate trees - very beautiful
• MJ speaks of her passion of pomegranate trees
• The color of fire

Golpar - angelica

• Finely ground and served sprinkled on fava beans
• Also sprinkled on pomegranate arils

"Awakens all your senses"

Sumac

• Medicinal - antibacterial
• Most traditionally used on kababs and beef

Ask the Beats!

More info regarding the "hot and cold foods" question from episode #21 asked by Mahsa, the Moody Persian.

• Regional (DNA influenced by where you are from, palate gets used to what is available)
• Hot and Cold foods in nature have to be in balance with each other
• Chai nabat (Tea with rock sugar) will help balance the foods
• The mast-o-khiar balance example… yogurt (cold in nature) with raisins and mint (both warm in nature)

Resource links and recipes from this episode:

Rice dishes:

• Bita's Persian Jeweled Rice | Shirin Polo
• Beata's Lubia/Loobia polo: Green Bean Rice | Lubia Polo

Yogurt sides:

• Bita's Persian Yogurt Cucumber Dip Mast-o-khiar
• Beata's yogurt cucumber dip: Persian Salads: Maast-o-Khiar with Shallot and Salad Shirazi

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In Episode #25, co-hosts Bita and Beata explore fava beans including why they are nutritious, how they are used in Persian cuisine, and some modern ways to use them in recipes.

Methods to eat and enjoy favas

The season for fresh fava beans in short, about 2 weeks, and is typically in the late spring season.

From fresh:

• Steam
• Peel the outer skins (optional to eat and consume this outer shell)
• Peel and remove the 2nd skin of the beans (not good for eating)
• Enjoy simply with salt

From frozen:

• Can be found already shelled and skinned from middle eastern or Persian markets

In Baghali Polo | Persian Mixed Rice with Fava beans and dill

Substitutes for fava beans when making mixed rice with dill:

• Green peas
• Lima beans
• Edamame

Traditionally Baghali polo is served with Maycheh (braised lamb shanks) - also sometimes served with chicken, or an egg, or simply with the favas for vegetarian/vegan option

Modern recipes using fava beans

• In a sort of green hummus or fava bean tapenade

Growing fava beans in a garden:

• Plant in the fall
• Harvest and use in cooking (kids love doing this)
• Reuse the nutritious, rich soil for the next rotation crop in the garden

Ask the Beats!

Question from Instagram, How did the beats, Bita and Beata meet and what do they share in common?

• Met initially over Instagram
• Met in person in GG park, San Francisco
• Both food bloggers
• Both appreciate a modern approach to Persian cooking!

Resource links and recipes from this episode:

Recipes:

• Bita's recipe for: Baghali Polo | Persian Fava Dill Rice
• Bita's recipe for Green Hummus for Spring (a Fava bean tapenade)

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio