Thursday, November 15, 2012

Zucchini Stew (Khorest-e- Kadoo)









You need:
8-19 zucchini
1 pound (450 grams) cubed beef (beef stew meat)
1 can tiny diced tomatoes
1 large onion chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 tea spoon black pepper
1 tea spoon pf cinnamon powder
1 tea spoon of turmeric powder
2 table spoon of lemon or lime juice
4 tablespoon of corn oil or olive oil

How to make it
With a knife scratch the skin of the zucchini and remove the skin (Do not peel)
Cut the zucchinis in half length-wise
Put the oil in the pan, heat up and saute' the zucchinis until browned
Take the zucchinis out and dry on a piece of a paper towel
In a pot saute the onions in oil, add the meat, stir and saute again
Add salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon powder
Add the can of diced tomatoes, stir and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes 
Add 1/2 cup of water and cook the meat for 15-18 minutes until soft (Pressure cooker time 8-10 minutes)
Add the lemon/lime juice and adjust the spices/salt
Lay the zucchinis in a bake-ware Pyrex dish
Pure the cooked stew meat/sauce on the top of the zucchinis
Cover with foil and leave in the oven for 15-20 minutes on 275 degree

Serve on the top of plain basmati rice or eat with bread 


Enjoy!
 

Friday, November 9, 2012

Lentil and Red Cabbage Soup (Soup Addas Va Kalam)



You need:
8 to 10 Oz. lentils (or a cup and half)
1 cup chopped green or red cabbage
1 can of tiny diced tomatoes
2 tablespoon of tomato paste
2 tablespoon of olive oil
1 bunch of flat leave parsley
1 carrot stick shredded
2 medium potatoes finely diced
1 onion and one bell pepper diced
1 tablespoon of salt 
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of paprika (optional)
1 fresh lime squeezed
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar or red wine

How to make it
in a pot cook lentils in 4 cups of water adding salt/pepper/turmeric/paprika
when lentils are tender but not mashed add the potatoes/bell pepper/carrots and the cabbage
Add the can of tomatoes and the tomato paste
leave on medium heat for 15 minutes 
 stir the soup occasionally so it would not stick to the bottom of the pot
Add the parsley
Add olive oil, vinegar or wine and juice of the lime
leave on low heat for another 15 minutes

Serve in a bowl with bread on the side
(you may add hot sauce, heavy cream or sour cream as garnish)

enjoy!



   


Sunday, November 4, 2012

Persian Lunch Box!






Mortadella (Italian style ham & Bloglines but made by the Christian Iranians in California!)
Sliced thick
Sliced Pickles
Sliced Tomatoes
Good crusty bread for a sandwich 
or
Flat Taftoon bread (Pita) for little bite size delights

You may have a garnish of chopped onions/parsley and or Mayonnaise/mustard

 Enjoy!

Persian zucchini Meatballs (Koofteh Kadoo)









You Need:
2 Pounds of lean ground beef
3 zucchinis
1 can of tiny diced tomatoes
1 medium size onion chopped
1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder (or nutmeg)
2 cloves of garlic graded or finely chopped
1 tablespoon of dried savory leaves
2 tablespoon of olive oil
How to make it
Grade the zucchinis and saute in the olive oil until golden and soft. Set aside and let it cool down to room temtrature. drain access water before adding to the oil
In a bowl put the ground beef and add salt, pepper, cinnamon, garlic and the chopped onions
Add the zucchini to the mixture and mix well by hand
Make small balls as big as a ping-pong ball
Preheat the oven on 350f and put the meatball there and bake for 12-15 minutes until firm and browned
In a pot or deep pan pour in the can of tomatoes adding the savory leaves with a cup of water and cook on medium low heat for 5-10 minutes until tomatoes get consistency and loose the water in them
Take the meatballs out and after draining the access oil, place one by one in the tomato sauce that you made in the pan or pot
Let the meatballs cook in the sauce for 8-10 minutes(add water if the sauce is too thick)

Serve with plain rice or pasta
 or
 have it as a meatball soup with crusty/toasted bread

 Enjoy!