Mojardara

400ml oil

4 large onions, cut in half and thinly sliced

275g or 1.5 cups green lentils

1 tbsp cumin seeds

300g or 1.5 cups basmati rice 

1 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1.5 tsp turmeric

2.25 cups water

 

Fry onions in oil until golden brown and crispy, drain on a plate with a paper towel. Discard oil.

Boil lentils for 15 minutes until they soften but don't turn to mush. Rinse in cold water.

In the former onion pan, fry cumin seeds for a minute and add rice, spices, and a good amount of salt. Then add lentils (and optional: raisins) and stir. Add water, stir again, cover, and cook 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes to cook through. Mix in the fried onions and serve.

 

Source: Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour

Khoresh-e-Fesenjan

2 large onions, diced

1 tbsp flour

600g walnuts, finely ground in food processor

8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs

salt and pepper

5 cups cold water

3 tbsp sugar

2 cups pomegranate molasses

seeds from 1 pomegranate, to serve

 

Fry onions in oil.

In another pan, toast flour until beige, add ground walnuts and cook through.

Once the onions are browned, season chicken with salt and pepper, increase the heat on the onion pan, and add the chicken to it and sear both sides.

Add water to the walnut pan, stir, cover, and simmer for 1 hour over low-medium heat.

Add sugar and pomegranate molasses to the walnuts, stir 1 minute, then add the chicken and onions to the walnut-pomegranate mixture, cover, and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Serve with pomegranate seeds.

 

Source: Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour

Khoresh-e-Gheymeh

Dried lime, lamb, and split pea stew

 

3 tbsp olive oil

3 small or 2 large onions, roughly diced

1kg boneless lamb neck fillets, sliced into 1" pieces (or lamb stew meat

2 tsp turmeric

2 pinches saffron threads

1 tsp cinnamon

150g tomato paste

salt and pepper

8 Persian dried limes (aka black limes) or preserved lemons

1 cup/200g yellow split peas

 

Cook onions on medium until translucent. Increase to high, fry lamb about 5 minutes. Stir in turmeric, saffron, and cinnamon to coat the meat, then add tomato paste, salt, and pepper, cook 1 minute.

Prick limes with a fork, add them, add just enough cold water to cover the pan, then slow cook for 1.5 hours.

Add split peas, cook 1 hour more.

Serve with basmati rice.

 

Source: Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour

Ash-e Anar

Pomegranate soup with meatballs

 

Olive oil

3 large onions, 2 roughly diced and 1 ground in a food processor

4 fat garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

3/4 cup dried yellow split peas

2 liters water

1 tsp sea salt flakes

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp turmeric

1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped

1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

1 bunch mint, roughly chopped

3 small bunches chives, roughly chopped

1 lb ground lamb or beef

3/4 cup basmati rice

400ml pomegranate juice (or reconstitute from 80-100ml pomegranate molasses + water)

3 tbsp pomegranate molasses

1/4 cup sugar, or less 

Make meatballs: combine meat with ground onion, season with salt and pepper, roll into 1.5" meatballs, set aside.

Saute the roughly diced onions, add garlic. Add split peas, water, boil, simmer 30 min.

Add salt, pepper, turmeric, herbs, saute 20 min.

Add meatballs and rice, simmer 30 min.

Add pomegranate juice, molasses, and sugar, simmer 30 min.

Source: Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour

Salad Olivieh

750g waxy potatoes (fingerling, yukon gold)

1 roast chicken, meat finely shredded

300g brined pickles, finely diced

2 bunches scallions, thinly sliced

8 eggs, hard boiled and chopped

1 large bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

150g fresh or frozen peas, boiled quickly and drained

4 tbsp mayonnaise

Juice of 1 lemon

6 tbsp Greek yogurt

2 tbsp olive oil

Boil potatoes, don't overcook, ice water them to stop cooking. Chop into 1 inch chunks. Combine potatoes, chicken, pickles, scallions, egg, cilantro, peas, and lightly toss. Make the dressing with mayonnaise, lemon juice, yogurt, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix everything, refrigerate 1hr+ before serving.

 

Source: Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour

Piyaz

Turkish white bean salad

 

2 14oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 red onions, cut in half and thinly sliced

1-2 tbsp Aleppo pepper

40g parsley, roughly chopped

1 big garlic clove, crushed

Juice of 1-2 lemons

3 tbsp tahini

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

 

Mix beans, onions, Aleppo pepper, and parsley. Mix dressing, mix everything.

 

Source: Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour

Radish orange blossom salad

200g radishes, thinly sliced

1 cucumber (peeling and scooping seeds optional)

2 small red onions, halved and thinly sliced

70g pine nuts, toasted

1 tbsp honey

1 1/2 tsp orange blossom water 

Juice of 1 lemon

4 tbsp olive oil

40g mint leaves, coarsely chopped

salt and pepper 

 

Mix the radishes, cucumber, onions. Mix the dressing, add to the salad, add the pine nuts.

 

Source: Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour