Then there’s the food… (and see the photo gallery below)

Food features conspicuously in the Crimson Ink series. As in most cultures, meals are where family and friends gather and where important and enjoyable conversations take place. Food always seems to smooth the way.

Iranians love to shop from bazaars where there are buckets, barrels, boxes and baskets of dried beans and lentils, spices, olives, dried fruits, nuts, as well as fresh fruit and vegetables.

As is the case in most countries, food in a nation’s various regions is distinctive and reflective of the cultures living there, and family preferences add to the variety. It’s impossible to do justice to these, so what you read below is only very general just to give you an idea. There are endless variations.

Kebab

Whether beef, lamb, chicken, whether in cubes or ground, kebab is typically grilled on skewers. Vegetables such as eggplant, peppers, and especially tomatoes are usually grilled as well. These may be accompanied by various thick sauces, yoghurt mixtures and flatbread. Usually the pungent purple ground spice called somagh (sumac in English) is sprinkled on the grilled food. White long-grained basmati rice is an integral part of this traditional (and almost) national dish. You can find this chelow kebab everywhere, even from street kiosks.

Rice

Rice is steamed in such a way that the individual grains separate easily. The bottom of the pot (tah digh) is the place where butter or oil is heated and then thin slices of raw potato are usually added and the freshly partly boiled hot basmati is spooned on top. The pot is covered and the heat turned low. When the steaming has completed the cooking process, the pot is emptied carefully or tipped onto a large plate. The bottom – rice or potato – is now a golden brown and very crisp. This tahdigh (yes, that is what it is called) is removed to keep it crisp and is split apart and arranged on a plate, from where it is likely to quickly disappear if you don’t get to it quickly enough!

Saffron is highly prized. Plucked from the purple flowers grown especially for the local and global markets, the red-orange strands are bought dried. They are ground to a powder and are added to liquid and mixed with white rice or poured on top.

Persians make a wide variety of vegetable and meat stews. In some stews, dried fruit such as small plums, quince pieces, apricots, cherries, dates and more are an important ingredient. Stews (khoresh) are served with white rice.

Mixed rices abound. To white rice are added a variety of herbs of one or more types. Dried beans or lentils, cubes of meat, and cut vegetables may also be added to make a complete meal. Thick plain yoghurt is served on the side, as are plates of fresh herbs such as mint, tarragon, parsley, chervil, chives and other garnishes. Bowls of yoghurt to which combinations of other elements such as cucumber, mint and raisins, or garlic are added, are often served as side dishes.

Another Persian favorite is doogh, a drink made of yoghurt, water, a bit of salt and mint. It is especially appreciated as a refreshing cold drink on a warm day.

Sweets:

Desserts are many and include puddings and sweetmeats of all kinds. Traditional Persian ice cream is typically made with saffron, pistachios and rose water. Cookies are typically small and made from rice meal, almond meal, chickpea meal, ground walnuts or almonds and more. Halva is another sweet that is enjoyed and there is a homemade version that uses browned white flour. Jams and preserves are made from many kinds of fruits. Dried fruits are ubiquitous: figs, dates, apricots, mulberries and more are often on the coffee table along with pistachios and other nuts for guests.

Tea:

Traditional tea is made using a samovar. The water is heated in the large bottom part and a small teapot sits on top. A hefty portion of dry tea leaves is added to the warm pot and filled with boiling water from the spout in the bottom part of the samovar. The full pot is put on the top again to let the tea steep. It becomes very strong. When the tea has steeped it can be poured in small quantities into tea tiny, delicate glasses or estekan. Then water is added to suit the strength of tea desired. Today water kettles are often used as well as samovars, which are now mostly heated by electricity instead of coal. Nevertheless, the method of tea-making is largely the same.

On special holidays, such as Naw-Ruz, there are many food and other traditions to enjoy. You can check those out HERE & HERE.

Another great site for food photos with descriptions can be found HERE.

These sites are but a sample of many that have some RECIPES as well as How-To and Recipes.