Borani Laboo – Beetroot Yoghurt Dip
Borani Laboo doesn’t only feed the eyes with its vibrant colour, it also tickles the tastebuds with the subtle sweetness of beetroot and the reviving freshness of mint. Serve it as a side or enjoy it with crackers, bread or on it’s own!
Salad Olvieh – The Best Potato Egg Salad
Salad Olvieh doesn’t have the typical Persian flavours and that’s because it originally comes from Russia. It has made its way into the Iranian kitchens a long time ago and I can honestly say, I never went to an Iranian party where they didn’t serve Salad Olvieh. It has become one of the most popular Persian party foods!
There are a few tricks you need to keep in mind to make the PERFECT Olvieh and you will learn them in this post.
Khoresh Mast – Sweet Saffron Yogurt
Khoresh Mast is a tasty side dish from Esfahan which translates to yogurt stew, however it is actually a side dish. Sweet saffron yogurt is one way to describe it. It is cooked like stew or pudding actually, but this is not the traditional method of preparing it, I am told.
In order to achieve the creamy consistency, we need to bring the soft yogurt, like Greek style yogurt, to boil together with egg yolks and then keep it cool in the fridge for at least 12 hours. This allows it to firm into a rich, creamy yogurt.
Salad Shirazi – Shirazi Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad
Salad Shirazi, as the same suggests, comes from Shiraz and it’s the most popular salad in Iran. It consists of finely chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and red onions, dressed with verjuice (or lemon juice as as alternative) and seasoned with dried mint and salt.
Mirza Ghasemi - Persian Grilled Smoked Eggplant with Tomatoes and Eggs
Mirza Ghasemi is a flavourful Persian aubergines/eggplant dip from northern Iran. If you tried my previous Mirza Ghasemi recipe, I encourage you to give this one a go as well, whether you want to serve it with real or vegan eggs.
In this recipe the smoked aubergines are at the forefront of the dish, not being overpowered by the tomatoes, eggs or any other flavours. I promise you, it tastes like a piece of heaven.
Dalaar - Persian Green Salt
Dalaar is a salty Persian herbal paste, that’s often referred to as green salt. It comes from northern Iran and serves as a seasoning for different fruits, such as oranges, cucumbers and goje sabz (greengage). Since goje sabz season has begun, I thought it’s the perfect time to share my Dalaar recipe with you. It contains lots of salt, so that it can be stored in the fridge for quite a long time. I don’t know how long exactly, because it never lasts longer than 2 days. :D
Kookoo Sabzi - Persian Herb Frittata
Kookoo Sabzi could be described as a Persian Herb Frittata. It’s quick and easy to prepare and makes for a delicious side dish or Persian sandwich ingredient. Kookoo Sabzi and Sabzi Polo ba Maahi are a match made in heaven!
Zeytoon Parvardeh - Persian Enriched Olives
Zeytoon Parvardeh are Persian enriched olives. They are coated in a paste made of fresh herbs, walnuts, garlic and pomegranates. This mouthwatering snack comes from the Gilan province in the north of Iran.
Swiss Chard Borani - Yogurt Dip with Swiss Chard
Swiss Chard Borani is a yogurt dip with Swiss chard, garlic and walnuts. Borani refers to delicious Persian yogurt dips, that make great snacks, sides or nibbles for parties! There are lots of versions of Borani! A popular one is Borani-ye Esfenaj - yogurt spinach dip. This time, I thought I’d switch the recipe up by using Swiss chard instead.
Mast o Khiar – Yogurt Dip with Cucumber, Raisins and Walnuts
Mast o Khiar is a delicious, creamy yogurt dip, that you can enjoy simply on its own, with crackers as a snack, or as a side to a main meal. Mast o Khiar simply translates to ‘yogurt and cucumber’ and so the basic version is made of yogurt, cucumbers and garlic, seasoned with salt.