Persian

آشپزی ایرانی

Saffron rice with a crisp crust, herb-dark stews soured with dried fruit, and kebabs over charcoal. Restraint, balance and perfume.

Persian court kitchens were influencing the Mediterranean and Central Asia two thousand years ago, and the Abbasid and Mughal courts both borrowed heavily. The Safavid dynasty fixed the chelow method of rice cooking in the 16th century. New World tomatoes and potatoes joined the pantry in the 19th century. The cuisine travelled with exiles after 1979 to Los Angeles, London and Toronto, where it has stayed remarkably unchanged, down to the brand of rice.

Sweet and sour balance is the signature: pomegranate, dried lime, barberries, sumac and verjuice against sugar and fruit. Herbs are used in kilos, not sprigs. Spicing is gentle, with turmeric, saffron, cinnamon and dried rose, and chilli is rare. Rice is cooked to separate grains with a golden tahdig. Lamb, chicken and yoghurt anchor most meals.

Countries and regions

Tehran and the central plateau · Gilan and the Caspian coast · Iranian Azerbaijan · Khorasan

Dishes 7

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