Maash Polow - Rice with Mung Beans

Rice with mung beans (maash polow) is a delightful summer dish, light, simple and delicious. Usually, around the beginning of each summer, I go through my pantry and check the shelves for any kinds of grains, peas and beans that have been stored in jars, bags and containers and decide what to make with them so that they won't be left sitting on the shelves throughout the hot and humid summer

A Tribute to Baba and A Healthy Yogurt Dessert For Father's Day

I could get my late father a nice shirt, a warm vest, a fancy pipe with some tobacco or a cologne for father's day and he would have been happy but he also enjoyed a good meal followed by a sweet dessert, preferably ice cream, lots of it. Growing up, I remember him bringing home noon-ghandi (sweet bread), pashmak (cotton candy), ab-nabat (hard candy) to name a few. But ice cream had it's

Halva for All Occasions

Recently, a good friend of ours lost his very sweet and dear mother and I offered to make halva for the memorial gathering which was being held at their house. I always make halva when someone that I care about passes away. This must be one of the things I've picked up from my mother and have learned growing up in a rather traditional home where wheat flour halva is considered a symbol of

KooKoo Bademjan - Eggplant Kookoo

How often are you asked, "What's for dinner?" or as they say in Persian, "Sham chi darim?" My guess is that this must be the most frequently asked question since the beginning of time or perhaps since the discovery of fire! If confronted by the question, especially on a day that you weren't thinking about bringing out the pots and pans from their nicely tucked away shelf, then you may decide

Koofteh Shevid Baghali - Persian Dill & Lima Beans Koofteh

This koofteh/kufte is a combination of rice, ground meat, baby Lima beans and fresh dill, made into a ball with tasty fillings in the center for that additional burst of nutty and sweet flavor. This delicious one-dish meal is worth every bit of effort and time that goes into preparing it. To me, some meals are works of art that you can't help but marvel at and appreciate the ingenuity that