Modern Persian Food

Bita and Beata have been looking for a Persian vegan food enthusiast to support you with recipe substitutions while keeping classic flavors and nutritional balance in mind. They found her in Elham! Special guest Elham shares her journey into the vegan lifestyle. The interview covers tofu, beans, and legumes as excellent protein-rich meat substitutions in stew. Beata is desperate to experiment with the can of jackfruit! What will she do with it?! Does Elham miss eating kabab? Listen on to find out.

Elham asks the Beats, "cooking Persian food can be a labor of love and very time consuming - do you have any strategies to cook Persian faster and easier?" The Beats love this question and each give insights on how to take shortcuts to make Persian food happen even on the witchiest of busy nights.

Find Elham at:

Plant-Based Persian

Elham الهام (@plant_basedpersian) • Instagram photos and videos

All Modern Persian Food podcast 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 references:

Episode 78: Vegetarian Persian Food

Bita's Lentil and Date Rice recipe (vegetarian) | Adas Polo

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Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In Episode #123, co-hosts Bita and Beata chat about all things dates! Persian dates that you eat, dates in recipes both traditional and modern, and dates that you go on. They also share experience and stories around Persian matchmaking and getting set up on dates Iranian style.

Persian dates are dates in dried form which taste sweet and buttery/caramel-y.

Hot dates

• Heat in microwave with almond butter for a healthy snack
• Wrap in bacon or prosciutto as an appetizer

Recipes with dates

• Pitted and filled with nuts
• Blended with nuts and other dried fruit and rolled into energy balls
• Used in Persian Lentil and Date Rice | Adas Polo and Reshteh Polo
• Khormah Maloos - cooked with eggs and served for breakfast

Occasions for eating dates in Persian culture

• With tea
• Blended with nuts and other dried fruit and rolled into energy balls
• Memorials
• Breaking fast - start with hot water and dates

Match-making in old Persian culture and personal stories around growing up in Iranian-American families. Introductions for potential marriage.

Ask the Beats!

Question from email: Are there any vegetarian recipes that include pomegranate?

We cover some strategies to leave meat out of Khoresh Fesenjoon | Persian Pomegranate and Walnut Stew. In addition pomegranates make great garnishes to many dishes including salads, cooked vegetables, and mixed rice dishes (shirin polo). Modern ways to add pomegranate to dishes include sprinkling the arils in a morning oatmeal and enjoying mixed into plain yogurt.

Recipe and resource links from this episode:

Bita's recipe for Date and Nut Balls

Bita's recipe for Lentil and Date Rice | Adas Polo

Bita's recipe for Fruited Pomegranate and Kale Salad

Youtube video for How to Deseed a Whole Pomegranate Underwater

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

Beata's recipe for Khormah Maloos - Persian Dates and Eggs

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

Bita and Beata are joined by guest Rachel Kashef from Little Persian Learning to share insights and inspirational resources on how to blend Persian culture into today's modern families. Rachel is a former school teacher and has founded a learning kit and greeting card company in response to what she felt was lacking in today's cross-cultural communities.

The conversation rounds out with the role of food and the incredible flavors of Persian cuisine. Listen, get inspired, and try your hand at a Persian weekend noshing breakfast routine!

If you liked this episode, give us a 5 star rating and review on your favorite podcast player!

References made in the episode:

Little Persian Learning

All Modern Persian Food podcast 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

Sign up for the email newsletter here!

Subscribe+ to the Modern Persian Food podcast on your favorite podcast player, and share this episode with a friend.

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

The Beats uncover the top 5 things to grab next time you find yourself in a Persian or middle eastern market! Whether you have a market near you or you stumble into one on an adventure, Bita and Beata share their favorite things to shop for that are unique and specialty items.

Don't forget to submit a question or comment for us to address live on the show. Simply shoot us an email: [email protected] or leave us an audio message on Instagram! @modernpersianfood

All Modern Persian Food podcast 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

Sign up for the email newsletter here!

Subscribe+ to the Modern Persian Food podcast on your favorite podcast player, and share this episode with a friend.

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In today's episode, Beata and Bita dive into the classic Persian layered rice dish Adas Polo. The medley of lentils, onions, raisins and dates along with the steamed rice provides a nutritious, comforting, and delicious wintry wintery dish. Learn some recipe shortcuts including some modern twists on this staple Persian dish. Are you ready for an umami, savory dish with hints of sweet and cinnamony notes? Which version will you try?

Stay tuned to the end to hear strategies for warming up Persian food leftovers in the Ask the Beats segment!... and keep those questions comin', we love to hear from our listeners.

All Modern Persian Food podcast 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 references:

Bita's Lentil and Date Rice recipe (vegetarian) | Adas Polo

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Subscribe+ to the Modern Persian Food podcast on your favorite podcast player, and share this episode with a friend.

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In today's episode, Beata and Bita take a deep dive into a single ingredient, oranges, and the many forms they are used in Persian cuisine - orange as a fresh fruit, the rind or peel of oranges, and orange blossom water.

Orange you glad you listen to this episode?

Ask the Beats!

Amy from Veggies Save the Day wants to know, what gluten-free and vegan options are there in Persian restaurants?

All Modern Persian Food podcast 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

Sign up for the email newsletter here!

Subscribe+ to the Modern Persian Food podcast on your favorite podcast player, and share this episode with a friend.

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

Beata and Bita, collectively known as the Beats, are honored to be joined by the culinary expert, Andy Baraghani! Tune it to learn about how growing up in a Persian American family influenced and shaped Andy's life in food. Learn how to make a basic Persian "torshi" and have some adventures in pickling. Find out the best ways to eat sour, tart flavors in Persian cuisine, and finally,

Support Andy by grabbing a copy of his new cookbook, "The Cook You Want to Be"

Andy's Instagram handle: @andybaraghani

Andy Baraghani asks the Beats live on the show for the "Ask the Beats" segment, "What is the Iranian dish you can't live without and what is the Iranian dish that you never need to eat again!" and listen to Bita, Beata, and Andy all answer the question.

All Modern Persian Food podcast episodes can be found at: Episodes

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Subscribe+ to the Modern Persian Food podcast on your favorite podcast player, and tell a friend.

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

In this episode we are gifting you with 5, fun Persian-inspired cocktails! With our unique ideas you'll have festive cocktails twists to ring in the new year.

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

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.

Cheers to a healthy, hopeful new year ahead, beh salamaty!

All Modern Persian Food podcast 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

Sign up for the email newsletter here!

Subscribe+ to the Modern Persian Food podcast on your favorite podcast player, and share this episode with a friend.

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

How about a fun and unique twist to holiday baking? Bita and Beata share recipes, inspiration and short-cuts to create delicious and easy Persian-ish desserts to add new flavors to your holiday treats.

All Modern Persian Food podcast 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 references:

Bita's digital download cookbook, Modern Persian Desserts

Bita's Persian Walnut Cookies

Bita's Orange Cardamom Tea Cake

Beata's Jeweled Cinnamon Rolls – BeatsEats

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Subscribe+ to the Modern Persian Food podcast on your favorite podcast player, and share this episode with a friend.

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio

Learn more about the #CookForIran global movement of dinners, restaurants, and chefs. Beata and Bita are joined by Layla Yarjani in an insightful conversation about an opportunity to help spread awareness about the situation and people in current events in Iran.

For more information check the website:

Cook for Iran

All Modern Persian Food podcast 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 references:

Beata's Ash Reshteh | Persian Noodle Soup – BeatsEats

Sign up for the email newsletter here!

Subscribe+ to the Modern Persian Food podcast on your favorite podcast player, and share this episode with a friend.

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio