Persian Nuts

The art of packing!

  

A friend brought me a gift from Iran

Quick Persian Chicken Stew (Khorak-e Morgh)

You need:

2 Lbs. skinless chicken (breast, thigh and legs) or skinless/boneless chicken breast

2 large potatoes skinned and cut in small peices

1 can of tinny cut tomatoes

1 large onion Julian cut

2 cloves of garlic tinny cut

1 tablespoon of turmeric powder

1 teaspoon of cinnomon

1 tablespoon of salt

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 can of sliced mushrooms (optional)

How to make it:

In a pan or a pot saute' the onions in oil until they are soft and a bit browned

Add chicken

Stir on high heat

Add salt, pepper and turmeric, cinnamon. Mix well

Add tomatoes from the can

Stir for 3 or 4 minutes

Add one cup of water then cover the pan or pot and let the chicken cook (about 10-15 minutes)

Add the potatoes and mix

Let it cook on low heat until the potatoes are done and soft but not mashed

(Option: Add the can of mushroom while adding the can of tomatoes)

Eat with bread as a stew or serve with rice

Enjoy!

Lime-Cilantro Chicken Steak-kabob (Joojeh Geshneez Kabob)

You need:

6- 8 pieces of flat chicken meat (Steak style) that can be breast or dark meat

one lime 

2 tablespoon olive oil

3-4 branches of fresh cilantro chopped

1 teaspoon of salt

Pinch of crushed black pepper

Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

How to make it:

Marinate the chicken meat in olive oil, lime juice and chopped cilantro

Add salt and pepper

Leave for 1 or 2 hours 

Grill on open fire or broil in oven (preheated on 400f) for 12-15 minutes

Serve with rice or veggies

 Enjoy! 

Fava-Dill Rice (Baghali-Polo)

You need:

4 cups of aged basmati rice

1 package of frozen fava beans (peeled and split. Usually found in Iranian or oriental stores)

1 cup of fresh dill-weed chopped (or 4 tablespoon of dried dill-weed)

2 tablespoon of salt

1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon of Persian saffron grinned and melted in 2 tablespoon of hot water 

2 tablespoon of corn oil or olive oil

How to make it:

Bring water to boil with the salt added

Add the rice (wash the rice before putting it in the boiling water)

Let the rice cook for about 8 minutes

Add the frozen fava and dill-weed

Cook another 4 minutes

Drain the water while trying not to loose any of the dill-weed from the draining process (use a fine colander)

Add oil in the bottom of the pot (or an electric server pot)

Pour the rice mixture into the pot

Add 3-4 spoon of the rice mixture into the melted saffron (this is for the garnish)

Sprinkle the rice mixture with the cinnamon powder

Add the saffron rice and spread lightly on the top

Cover the pot and have the heat on high for 1 minutes

Reduce the heat to low and let the rice steam for 15-20 minuts

Serve with you favorite meat (stewed lamb shank, pot-roast beef, baked chicken) 

or if you don't feel like meat, top it off with one or 2 fried eggs

Enjoy!

   

Persian Plain White Rice (Polo)

Summer Grill Party!

Pizza on a Pita

You need:

5 pieces of Pita bread 

(Best pita is is the Indian Nunn or Naan bread that has some oil and won't come apart during cooking

Naan in Farsi is the word for bread)

4 tablespoon on tomato paste

Pinch on dried basil or 15 leave of fresh basil chopped

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

Mozzarella cheese (sliced from the block or shredded) 

How to make it:

Add water to the tomato paste enough to make it as thick as yogurt or ketchup

Add garlic powder, dried or fresh basils

Spread the above sauce mixture evenly on the pita bread

Cover with the cheese

Add toppings: Peperoni, ham, bell-pepper, mushroom, onions, olives, feta cheese... Etc.

(make meat and vegetable pizzas separately and make one combination) 

Add more cheese on the top

Preheat  oven on 400 f

bake pizza for 8-10 minutes until cheese start bubbling

Take the pizza out and let stand for 2 minutes

Cut and slice according to your serving style and place on a plate

Enjoy!

 

Stuffed zucchini (Dolmeh Kadoo)

zucchini

Persian Pickled Vegetables (Torshi)

Ingredients:

(Makes about 10 jars, about 10-15 pounds)

1 stack of celary

1 head of cauliflower

6-8 medium carrots

4 large onions

2 whole eggplants

2 green bell pepper

2 red bell pepper

10-15 cloves of garlic

1 bunch parsley washed and dried

1 bunch cilantro

1 fistful of dried savory leaves

2 tablespoon dried mint

1 gallon of red wine vinegar

5-6 tablespoon of salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

2 tablespoon turmeric

1 tablespoon of Persian hog weed (angelica) powder

1 tablespoon of black sesame seeds (optional)

1 teaspoon of red hot crushed pepper 

How to make it:

Chop all vegetables into small pieces

Chop the parsley and cilantro leaves

In a large pot pure the vinegar and add salt and let boil 

Cut the eggplants with the skin on into small pieces

Add the eggplants to the vinegar in the pot

In a large bucket mix all chopped vegetables adding all the rest of the ingredients

When the eggplants get soft in the vinegar remove the pot from the heat and pure the whole thing (eggplants and the liquid) into the vegetable bucket

Mix well with a long wooden spoon

Pure into jars before the mixture gets cold. Put the lid on the jars tightly

Leave the jars in room temperature for an hour or so

Transfer the jars to the refrigerator  (This will make your Torshi Pasteurized!)

After one day you may store the jars in room temperature for the Torshi gets ready faster. You can store in a refrigerator if you don't want to eat the Torshi before 2-3 weeks

This can be aged for as many as 2 or 3 years for a stronger flavor

Use as pickle or condiments on the side of your favorite food

Enjoy!