Shab-e Yalda 2014: Baslogh Recipe to Celebrate the Persian Yalda Night

The early sunsets, short days and long nights of autumn will be coming to an end this upcoming Sunday, December 21st. The earliest sunsets of the year occur during the week leading up to the winter solstice and on the shortest day of the year the sun sets at 4:32 PM and rises again at 7:17 AM the next day here in New York. Starting on the 1st day of winter the days become longer and of

Khoresh Kadoo Halvaie - Persian Beef and Pumpkin Stew

One of the beauties of fall is the abundance of many varieties of winter squashes that come in different shapes, sizes and colors. I typically use butternut squash for its flavor and color in my cooking however this time I chose to use کدو حلوایی - kadoo halvaie, the vibrant orange small sugar pumpkin that is both beautiful and delicious. It is the same kind of pumpkin my mother used to roast

Ash-e Haft Daneh - Persian Seven Bean Hearty Soup - Mehregan Festival Recipe

Mehregan/Mehr is an ancient Iranian festival celebrating the start of the beautiful fall season. With its vibrant foliage, crisp days, and harvesting of crops, مهرگان (Mehregan) is traditionally celebrated a few days after the first day of fall (Autumnal Equinox) on the 10th day of  (Mehr) (the seventh month of the Iranian calendar). In the past, festivities would last for several days.

Ranginak - Persian Date Dessert (Recipe #2)

We are in the midst of خرما پزان - khorma pazan season, a term used by locals in the south of Iran when the temperature reaches its peak of 100+ degrees Fahrenheit combined with an elevated humidity above 60 percent, thus making outdoor activities unbearable. However, it's due to this intense heat that dates become fully ripened/"cooked" while on the tree and ready for harvest. This recipe

Estamboli Polow - Persian Tomato Rice with Potatoes

This recipe is perfect all year round since most pantries are always stocked with fresh tomatoes and canned tomato products. However, I waited for the weather to warm up and for the peak tomato season to arrive to hopefully cook with vine-ripened tomatoes and not the dull and tasteless tomatoes that are picked green. This recipe is loosely based on my grandmother's recipe who was known for her

Ab-Haveej Bastani - Persian Carrot Juice and Saffron Ice Cream Float

Summertime is officially upon us and a carrot juice ice cream float is the perfect way to cool down on a hot day. Carrot juice is refreshing, healthy and a great source of vitamin A all on its own. I initially made this recipe with plain vanilla ice cream but then decided to change it up for the next batch and make it with scoops of saffron ice cream instead. The addition of a little bit of

Torshi Liteh - Persian Pickled Eggplant and Vegetables with Sibzamini Torshi (Sunchokes)

ترشی - Torshi (pickle) is a very common side dish in Persian cuisine served alongside rice and khoresh, kebobs and other traditional dishes. I have posted several of my favorite pickle recipes so far such as pickled eggplant and pickled vegetables among others.  لیته - Liteh is a combination of pickled eggplant with a few other vegetables and herbs. For this recipe I'm thrilled to have finally

Haft Seen Photos - Nowruz 2014

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous Nowruz - Persian New Year. After a few days of preparation and Nowruz related activities I finally got a chance to gather all of my haft seen photos and share some of them with you. For me, there's such a joy in photographing a haft seen table, especially with loved ones included. For more information about Nowruz and the haft seen you

Loze Nargil - Persian Coconut Sweets with Rosewater and Pistachios for Nowruz

It's that time of the year when Iranians from the four corners of the world celebrate the vernal equinox, the first day of spring and the arrival of نوروز (literally meaning the "new day"). This ancient جشن - festival of Nowruz originally began as a Zoroastrian celebration during the Achaemenid dynast, dating back 3,000 years, welcoming the rebirth of nature with all its radiance, blooms,

Iranian Movie Inspired Menu

In recent years, I have developed an increasing appreciation for Iranian movies that began after watching the very touching movie باشوغریبه کوچک - Bashu, the Little Stranger for the first time. It was a movie that was like no other Iranian movie I'd seen before. It tells the story of a boy who loses his family in the war in the southern region of Khuzestan and runs away on the back of a

Abgousht Bozbash - Persian Lamb Stew with Black-Eyed Peas and Herbs

It's been very cold lately and the temperature continues to fluctuate between cold and bone-chilling cold. It's this type of weather that makes me crave hot and hearty soups. آبگوشت بزباش - Abgousht bozbash is one of those soups that will warm you up and lift your spirit - especially if you grew up eating abgousht/abgoosht in Iran. Bozbash is a cross between a dizi/abgoosht (lamb soup) and