Persian Cuisine Classes

Greetings cook enthusiasts,

Persian food is exotic, hearty and healthy. Ingredients are grains, vegetables, nuts, and fruits. How to combine them is my secrete, and I'm doing cooking class to reveal the secrets of Persian cuisine to you.
As you may know me, I was born in Iran, and have lived in Brookline Mass for the past 24 years. I remember my teen age years when my mom kept me in the kitchen,
(of course, I did not want to) and teach me how to make sure the rice does not get smooch, or how to clean the meat out of it's fat, and how to add spices without measuring spoon, and how to brew tea before it gets to boiling stage. These learning has stack up and (I am still learning), and has made me, who I am as a mom, and as food enthusiast. I cook every  night for my family, and enjoys doing it.  
I am hoping to get you excited to cook with me, and enjoy what you cook with your family and friends.

Khoresht Sabzi (Vegetable Stew)

Ingredients: (4 servings)

 

 

1 1/2 lb. Beef for stew      1 lb. Parsley
1 lb.  chive  ¼ lb. spinach  2 medium clove of garlic
1 Medium onions      1 cup black eye beans 3 large dried preserved lime ( available in Mediterranean and Indian store)     
3/4 cup of Canola cooking oil      1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt, paper,  as desired

Directions:
1) Add 1/4 cup of oil to a large pan.

2) Cut the garlic and onion into small squares, then fry in oil until slightly golden.
3) Cut meat into 1x2 inch pieces and fry with onions until color changes.
4) Bring 2-3 glasses of water to  boil, and add to meat. Add salt and pepper, and
turmeric, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat.
5) Clean, wash, and finely chop the vegetables (with knife and board, no food processor).
6)  Fry the vegetable with 1/2 cup oil and one tea spoon of turmeric until its color change to dark green.
7) Add the fried vegetable to the meat.
8) Tap the dried preserved lemon with tip of the knife and make few holes in different side of the lemon, and add to the stew,
9) Let the stew cook in low heat for about another  1 1/4 hour for the meat and vegetable to cook together and meat becomes tender..
10) Add the black eyed beans to the stew to cook another 45 minutes or until you serve it.

Serve with white Basmati Rice garnished with Saffron.
 

Kabbab Koobideh (Ground beef kabbab)

 

 

 

Kabbab Koobideh
Ground beef kabbab

 

 

 

 

Ingredients: (4 servings)

• Ground lamb or beef, 1 lb.
• Large onions, 2 (grated)
• Garlic, 1 clove (grated)
• Medium tomatoes, 4
• Small onion  4
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Turmeric, one teaspoon (optional)
• mixed cummen & corinder gronded
• Sumac (optional)

Directions:

Mix  ground meat, onions, garlic, and all spices well and leave in the refrigerator.

Divide the meat to hamberger size portions. Press the meat around long, thick metal skewers and shape evenly.  Barbeque each side for about five minutes, turning frequently. (If skewers are not available or barbequing is not possible, kabab-e koobideh can be shaped into long, thin portions on aluminum foil and grilled at high temperature in the oven. The oven should be pre-heated and kabab-e koobideh should be placed as high as possible near the source of the heat. Again, turn a few times.)

Thread whole tomatoes on another skewer. And also onions in separate skewer.

Serve with hot Basmati rice or on middle-eastern bread. If serving with rice, some sumac may be sprinkled on top.

 Look up  for Basmati rice recipe.

 

 

 

 

 

Turmeric health benefits

As I grew up as a kid in an Iranian family, I learned kitchen is the hub of the house and knowing and using spices is the art of the Hub. Every fall my parents and my Aunt and uncle went to Bazar to get all type of spices and grains to save for winter month. One fascinating spice that i wonder why we use it was Turmeric. It just added warmer color to the dish.

Never the less i have been using it in all my cooking for the past 40years, but now with new age of cooking and uses of self-medicating spices, I learned the benefit of it and wanted to share it with you.

First time I heard about the benefit of turmeric was when I heard a friend using the Turmeric pills to reduce the inflammation of a tumor in her son brain. Now here is more.

 go all the way back to ancient India. Turmeric is a yellow, culinary spice widely used in Southeast Asia. Recent research reveals why this herb is such a powerful healer due to its turmeric anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. The medical ingredients present create many Turmeric Health Benefits.

Turmeric and Cancer

Studies have been conducted on the turmeric cancer connection. They reveal that turmeric can induce a process that triggers the self-destruction of cancerous and damaged body cells. Turmeric is effective in treating cancer since it increases liver function. The liver helps to eliminate toxic substances from your body. Given its antibacterial properties, turmeric is beneficial in treating many types of cancer, most noticeably:

• Breast Cancer
• Colon Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Leukemia
Turmeric hampers the growth of cancerous cells. This is just one of the many turmeric health benefits.

Turmeric and Liver Diseases

The liver helps by detoxifying your blood through the production of enzymes. These enzymes break down and eliminate the toxins found your body. Taking a turmeric supplement or using turmeric recipes increase the production of these vital enzymes, thus increasing liver function. Studies conducted on rats revealed that enzyme production increases by 14% within fourteen days of taking turmeric.

Turmeric and Arthritis

Turmeric isn’t something most people think of when dealing with arthritis or joint pain. Recent studies show sufferers should consider turmeric as it is a powerful anti-oxidant. Like other anti-oxidants, turmeric works to destroy free radicals in your body which are responsible for damaging body cells.
Due to turmeric’s anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties , turmeric health benefits provide relief to those suffering from moderate to mild joint pains. Arthritis patients taking turmeric were found to benefit from reduced morning and evening joint pains. It has now become a natural remedy for arthritis sufferers and provides significant pain relief while also increasing walking speed for patients.

Turmeric and Wounds

As an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agent, turmeric works to heal wounds, cuts and other skin injuries. Using a saucepan, boil coconut oil and add a small amount of turmeric to it. Mix the two together, turn the stove off. When it is no longer too hot to touch, use a cotton swab to apply some of the mixture to the wound. Saving the extra oil in an airtight container allows you to use it in the future without needing to go through the boiling process again.
Turmeric can cause allergic reactions and rashes in a few individuals. For this reason it is a good precaution to talk to your doctor before using this treatment. If you try it and you develop a rash, it is a sign that it’s not the best treatment for you.

Turmeric and Alzheimers

Brain inflation is suspected to be one of the leading causes of Alzheimer’s disease. Studies done with turmeric have shown that one of the major turmeric health benefits is helpings to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Turmeric anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties might help to prevent or delay the onset of this ruthless disease. It is believed that turmeric blocks the production of IL-2 protein, which is known to destroy the protective sheath found around the nerves.

Turmeric and Cardiovascular Disease

Unhealthy cholesterol levels are the primary cause of most cardiovascular disease. When cholesterol oxidizes, it builds up on the walls of body cells. Turmeric contains vitamin B6, which regulates homo-cysteine levels. Homo-cysteine is directly responsible for damaging body cells. Through interaction with the liver, turmeric lowers the cholesterol levels in the body, which aides in preventing most cardiovascular diseases.

For more info go to: http://turmerichealthbenefits.org

 

Aash-e' Reshteh (vegtable & Beans Soup)

Aash-e' Reshteh (Celebration Soup)

Ingredients: (4 servings)

Reshteh, 1 lb. (Reshteh is similar to Chinese flat noodle in shape and should be obtained from an Iranian store)

• Herbs (parsley, spinach, leek or  spring-onion ends, in equal amounts), total 2 1/2 lb
• 1/3 lb. Chick-peas,
• 1/3 lb. Red beans,
•  1/3 lb. Lentils,
• 4  tbs. Dried mint,
• 4  Medium onions,
• 2 cups Yogurt
• 2 tbs  Flour,
• Cooking oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1/2 tbs.Turmeric    

Directions:

Soak chick-peas, red beans, and lentils in warm water for about two hours. Add 2-3 glasses of hot water and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes add salt and pepper, turmeric, If necessary, additional hot water should be added while cooking.

Wash and finely chop the herbs. Add to the mix, and continue cooking over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Brake the Reshteh in 2 inch length and add to the mix and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes.. While adding the Reshteh steer the mix so the Reshteh stays intact. After the Reshteh is completely cooked, dissolve flour in a glass of cold water, add in, and mix well. Remove the mix from heat .Add water as necessary. It should not be a very heavy soup.

For garnish, Peel and thinly slice onions. Fry onion in oil until golden. Fry dried mint in oil for a minute. use Kashk or yogurt as desire

Quick cook tips: Use prepared cooked can chick peas and beans, can shorten your preparation time.

Baghali Polow (lima bean green rice)

Baghali Polow
Lima bean with rice

This is a traditional food for Persian New year, which is beginning of Spring, March 22nd,

Ingredients: (4 servings)

• 1 lb. Frozen Lima bean
•  1 lb. .Long-grain or basmati rice,
•  ¼ lb. Dried Dill,
•  1/2 tsp.  Saffron,
• 1/2 cup Cooking oil
• Salt
•  ¼  tsp. Turmeric
•    Black pepper
  
  Directions:
  Soak rice in water for 3-4 hours with 3 table spoon of salt covered with water, Bring 5 cup of water to boil in a 12 inch pot.. drain the rice from the salt water and add to the boiling water in hi heat, until it just softens. Drain water and empty the pot over the frozen lima bean.

Heat the pot  add ¼ cup oil wait till it’s very hot. Remove fom the stove. Put a layer of white rice to the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle dry dill . mix the rice and lima bean, now alternatively put the rice and lima bean and then dry dill until it’s finished. Cook it for 10 minutes in medium heat until the steam is out. Sprinkle another ¼ cup of oil on the rice and then cover with 2 layer of paper towel and cover the lid.
Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes.
Dissolve saffron in 1/3 cup of hot water and pour over the rice. Mix well before serving.

Serve with fried fish or broled chicken,  lamb.

 Vegeterian option, serve with Koko sabzi 

Kookoo Sabzi& Maust va Khiyar (Vegetable Souffle & Yogurt Dip)

Kookoo Sabzi

Vegetable soufflé

Ingredients: (4 servings)

         Vegetables (parsley, dill, cilantro, chives, spinach), total 2 lb

• 4 large    Eggs                                                                              
  1/8 cup  Cooking Oil                                                                  
  1/2 tsp   Salt (to your taste & diet)
  1/2 tsp   Black pepper                                                                                                                             
  1/8 tsp   Turmeric                                                                         
  1/2tsp    Crushed cumin                                                         
  1/2tsp    Crushed coriander seeds                                                  

Directions:

Wash vegetables and rinse thoroughly. Chop finely.

Beat eggs well, then add  all spices to the egg, and then add vegetables and mix well.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan until it is hot. Pour in the mix, flatten the surface with the back of a spoon, and place the lid on. Reduce heat and fry for about 10 minutes, until kookoo is cooked under. Cut radically into 4 equal pieces, turn over, and fry for another 10 minutes.

Koko Sabzi is a full meal with bread and salad, or as appetizer with yogurt dip.

Maust va Khiar (Yogurt dip):

Your favorite yogurt mix with Graded cucumber, crushed mint, salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients well and fridge it for 15 minutes before serving 

 Serve it as an appetizer with toasted pita bread.

Enjoy, 

Giti