Best Persian Food: Iran holds a lot that people do not know, especially for neighboring countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, and former Soviet Union countries. It has many UNESCO World Heritage sites. Despite the strict sanctions on the country, Iran has managed to attract the world over for its delicious food.
Persian food is simply mouth-watering and will leave you wanting more.
Iran’s distinct cuisine, shaped by its rich history, is globally popular. Discover Persian food’s diversity and deliciousness, with unique ingredients. Explore these top 15 dishes when you visit a Persian restaurant.
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Fesenjan
Fesenjan or pomegranate walnut stew is a staple in every Persian wedding menu. Consequently, this iconic stew is simply too good to be true. Firstly, it pairs suckling duck or chicken with tart pomegranate to offer an explosion of taste.
Slowly simmering onions, pomegranate paste, and ground walnuts together makes a thick sauce. Moreover, sometimes, they also add cinnamon and saffron, along with a bit of sugar to help balance out all that acid.
To clarify, this Persian dish has a long pedigree. After that, the ruins at Persepolis reveal lists of the ingredients for this pantry staple.
In other words, a true foodie seems to create the key ingredients of Fesenjan. However, pomegranates have always been a big deal in Iran. Westerners only learned about them later on.
Above all, people consider them fruits from heaven, and they savor every bit of the fruit. In conclusion, Fesenjan does a good job at combining the savory spices with the acidic goodness of pomegranates to create this amazing dish. People eat it during fall and winter as soon as they harvest pomegranates.
Bademjan Vegan Delight:
If you’re in the mood for a vegan Persian dish, look no further than Bademjan. This eggplant and tomato stew is a culinary gem. It combines the lusciousness of tomatoes with the warmth of turmeric, featuring just a delicate sheen of oil on top.
Flavorful Preparation
As with many Persian dishes, it’s prepared until the oils rise to the surface. Bademjan tantalizes the palate with a hint of lemon juice, unripe grapes, and a subtle tartness. The eggplant, fried to a golden-brown perfection, harmoniously balances the stew’s tangy notes.
Customization Options
For those who prefer meat in their dish, it’s common to add some. So, when ordering Bademjan, be sure to specify your preference. Whether you opt for the vegan version or the one with meat, people traditionally enjoy Bademjan with rice.
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Ghormeh
Ghormeh roughly translates as stewed greens. It consists of turmeric-seasoned beef or lamb, dried fenugreek leaves, dried lemons, kidney beans, coriander, leeks, spinach, and parsley.
The most widely eaten stew in Iran is Ghormeh.
People can find this appetizing green dish at just about every Persian dinner party. They eat it while discussing Iranian politics.You will never regret giving this dish a try and will always return for more. It is simply that good.
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Baghali Polo
Baghali Polo is a Persian dish that everyone seems to love. It translates as rice with dill and fava beans. In Iranian cooking, people typically prepare rice with saffron and butter, a dish known as chelo. However, they also create another dish called polo, which incorporates ingredients such as meat, dried fruits, nuts, beans, vegetables, and herbs, making it the centerpiece of the table.
Hence, you can expect it to taste amazing. Best Persian Food
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Zereshk Polo
Zereshk polo, also called barberry rice, is a beloved Persian dish with succulent flavors. Its vibrant red hue comes from barberries, even more tart than cranberries. After rehydration, fresh red berries adorn it. Ample butter balances berry intensity. This classic incorporates Persian staples like pomegranate, sumac, tamarind, and more, promising a delightful taste.
Persians love eating vegetables and gormeh sabzi is a prime example of this fact. This scrumptious dish is made from deep greens, lamb, kidney beans, and herbs. It satisfies every Persian’s desire for herbs and succulence. Dried limes are used for the seasoning. The limes are extremely sour and intense. Their bittersweet taste gives the dish a unique twist. People also add fenugreek leaves to the food, which might amuse Westerners. They include other herbs like scallions, coriander, and parsley in the dish.
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Ash E Reshteh
Ash E Reshteh signifies noodle and bean soup, a delightful Persian dish. Try this appetizing dish to experience its splendor. The richly textured soup includes beet leaves, spinach, herbs, beans, and noodles. It’s garnished with sour kashk (fermented whey), crispy fried onions, and mint oil. These noodles made their way to Iran from China during the Silk Road era. People serve them when embarking on long journeys and enjoy the dish every Nowruz (the Persian New Year) for its auspicious ingredients.
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Tahdig
Every Persian loves tahdig and for good reason. Tagdig means crunchy fried rice. It is the soul food that is worth every bite. The crispy, golden layer of fried rice that is present at the bottom of the pot is the main attraction. It tastes like potato chips and popcorns. They use Basmati rice to make this exquisite meal.It will take you on a journey to times of former glory. Iranian family gatherings revolve around getting a taste of tahdig which is shared by everyone.
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Jewelled Rice
Persians love eating rice and jewelled rice is the epitome of this love. It is rice with dried fruit and nuts which look like precious jewels. This sweet and sour dish shows off the diversity of ingredients of the country including saffron, carrots, barberries, candied orange peel, almonds, and pistachios. To balance the barberries’ sourness, they add a bit of sugar to the meal. People often serve jewelled rice at special occasions like parties and weddings. The sweet components of the dish represent the beauty of a sweet life. It is usually accompanied by lamb or chicken to provide a contrast to its sweetness.
Kebab: Best Persian Food
When discussing Persian food, one cannot overlook kebabs. They come in a wide variety, including ground meat, lamb, lamb liver, and chicken. Koobideh is a popular choice, featuring ground meat seasoned with salt, pepper, and minced onion, offering a beautiful taste.
Then there’s kebab-e-barg, thinly sliced beef or lamb flavored with saffron, butter, onion, and lemon juice. For chicken enthusiasts, there’s chicken kebab, made from the entire chicken for added succulence. However, in American restaurants, chicken kebab is typically made from skinless chicken breast, marinated in saffron, butter, lemon, and onion.
If you’re fortunate, you might get to savor heavenly lamb liver kebab, garnished with lemon and fresh basil leaves.
Sabzi Khordan
Sabzi Khordan, meaning herb and cheese plate, stands out as a unique Persian dish. It’s brimming with edible herbs such as radishes, scallions, cilantro, basil, tarragon, and mint. Feta cheese and walnuts are also included, adding a juicy flavor. Iranians enjoy it with flatbread. To savor this delicious meal, simply tear off a piece of flatbread and start indulging in the stew. Try this appetizing dish; it’s the true Persian champion. This finger-licking delight is a must-eat at every Nowruz celebration.
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Khoresht E Gheimeh
Khoresht e gheimeh is a Persian classic that is mostly consumed in the Northern part of Iran as well as Azerbaijan. It consists of small pieces of meat, fried onions, turmeric, and other spices. There are fried potatoes, saffron, dried limes, and split peas that give it a rich flavour. It also makes for a very nutritious meal.
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Abgoosht
Abghoost, a nutritious dish, will replenish you. If you seek a meal packed with carbohydrates, fat, and protein, it’s a perfect choice. It also includes fresh yogurt. While it was once considered food for the poor, it has gained immense popularity in recent times. You can find it everywhere, from old tea houses to high-end restaurants.
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Tahchin
This post about must-try Persian foods would be incomplete without mentioning tahchin. People prepare this appetizing rice cake by using chicken fillets, eggs, saffron, yogurt, and rice. They also incorporate meat, fish, and various vegetables to give it a unique flavor. The dish comprises two distinct parts: the top layer, known as tahdig, is considered the cherry on top, while the other ingredients make up the bottom layer.
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Doogh
Finally, an appetizer had to be included. Hence, this is where doogh comes into place. It consists of diced cucumbers, mint, and yogurt. Iranians are famous for mixing yogurt with everything and doogh is no exception. Foreigners can have a tough time trying the sour yoghurt drink but it is too good to overlook. It is particularly served at Iranian gatherings. You will find Persians downing the drink.
Persian food is delicious and healthy. Consequently, it might be the reason why Persians are simply the most beautiful people on this planet. Furthermore, if you want to give Persian cuisine a try, make sure to explore the Persian foods mentioned in this post. You will not regret it.
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Khoresht e gheimeh is a Persian classic that is mostly consumed in the Northern part of Iran as well as Azerbaijan. It consists of small pieces of meat, fried onions, turmeric, and other spices. There are fried potatoes, saffron, dried limes, and split peas that give it a rich flavour. It also makes for a very nutritious meal.