Garnish
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried mint
1 dried rosebud and 2 tablespoons petals
Servings: 4
Prep time: 15 min.
Cooking time: 1 hours' refrigeration
- 1 long seedless cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup raisins, washed and drained
- 3 cups whole-milk yogurt
- 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill weed
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 3 tablespoons chopped shelled walnuts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
In a serving bowl, combine cucumber, raisins, yogurt, sour cream (if desired), scallions, mint, dill, garlic, and chopped walnuts. Mix thoroughly and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Garnish with 1/2teaspoon mint, rosebud, and petals. Serve with bread as an appetizer.
Note: For fewer calories and less fat, you may use low-fat yogurt in place of whole-milk yogurt and eliminate the sour cream.
Variation: This may be transformed into a refreshing cold soup by adding 1 cup of cold water (or more to taste) and 2 or 3 ice cubes to the mixture.
Recipe from Najmieh Batmanglij's New Food of Life, page 29.
In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and stir-fry for 10 minutes, until translucent.
Add the coriander and stir-fry 3 minutes longer, then add the tomato and stir-fry 5 more minutes.
Add the fenugreek, basil, curry powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and tamarind liquid. Mix well, cover, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning and set aside.
Just prior to serving, in a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Stir-fry the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes, just until it changes color. Be careful not to overcook-shrimp loses its tenderness when overcooked. Add to the sauce.
Add salt to taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with saffron steamed rice (chelow)
Variation: Replace the shrimp with scallops, mackerel or grouper fillets.
Recipe from Najmieh Batmanglij's A Taste of Persia, page 67.
Servings: 4
Prep time: 25 min.
Cooking time: 40 min.
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, butter, or ghee*
- 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 3 cups chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
- 2 large tomatoes, peeled* and crushed
- 1 cup chopped fresh fenugreek or 3 tablespoons dried
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2/3 cup tamarind paste* diluted in 1/2 cup water
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and patted dry
Servings: 4
Prep time: 30 min.
Cooking time: 1 hour 50 min.
- 2 Cornish game hens or 2 small frying chickens with skin removed
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 cup pitted and finely chopped prunes
- 1 apple, cored and chopped
- 1 cup finely chopped dried apricots
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground saffron, dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup orange juice
Clean and rinse the hens or chickens in cold water, then pat dry and rub with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Heat oil in a non-stick skillet and brown onion and garlic. Add prunes, apple, apricots, raisins, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, cinnamon, saffron water, and sugar. Mix well.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Stuff the hens or chickens with the fruit mixture and truss the cavities shut.
Place the stuffed birds in a greased ovenproof dish or roasting pan and pour in the orange juice. Cover and bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours, basting with pan juices, until the meat separates easily from bone.
Serve from the ovenproof dish or arrange the birds on a serving platter. Serve with chelow (Saffron Steamed Plain Basmati Rice), bread, salad and fresh herbs.
Recipe from Najmieh Batmanglij's Persian Cooking For A Healthy Kitchen, page 65
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Variation:
Lay two large, boneless chicken breast halves flat, skin down, and using the flat of a large knife, press down to flatten as much as possible. Place half the fruit mixture on each breast, roll up, and pin closed with bamboo skewers. Place side by side in a greased baking pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, paint each breast with 1 tablespoon butter, cover, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven, cut each breast diagonally in 2-inch pieces and serve with bread, raw vegetables, fresh herbs, and salad.
Note:
If you do not use Chinese eggplants, you will need 2 large eggplantsÑpeeled, seeded and bitterness removed.*
Servings: 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes.
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, butter, or ghee
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 4 Chinese eggplants, about 2 pounds
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground paprika
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup pitted, dried tart cherries* salad dressing
- 1/2 cup sour cherry syrup*
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 cup chopped fresh scallions bed of greens
- 4 cups shredded greens, arugula or romaine lettuce garnish
- 1/2 cup chopped, pistachios or toasted walnuts
Known in Greek mythology as Colchis, the land of the Golden Fleece, Georgia lies along the eastern shore of the Black Sea. The landÑthe Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains and a broad central plainÑis influenced by varied climates and offers myriad produce, from the vineyards of the dry interior to the tea and lemon plantations of the subtropical coast. GeorgiaÕs position between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea made it an important part of the Silk Road routes; this and its rich land also drew the attention of a number of conquerors, including Arabs, Mongols, Turks, and Persians, during its long history. Georgian cuisine often combines walnuts (for its nutty taste) with fruit (to counteract the oiliness of the nuts). I have adapted this wonderful rice salad from a Georgian pilaf.
1. Pick over and wash the rice by placing it in a large container and covering it with lukewarm water. Agitate gently with your hand, then pour off the water. Repeat five times until the rice is completely clean.
2. Combine the rice with 3 cups of water, 1 tablespoon oil and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Gently stir once with a wooden spoon. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, until all the water has evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Wash the eggplants, dice into 1/2-inch cubes and thoroughly blot dry.
4. In a large bowl, mix the garlic, cayenne, cumin, paprika and remaining salt. Add the eggplant cubes and mix well so that the spices adhere to the raw eggplants.
5. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a wok or deep skillet over medium heat until very hot and fry the eggplant cubes for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Add 1 cup of water, cover and cook over low heat for another 15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
6. Combine the eggplant, cooked warm rice and tart cherries in a salad bowl and set aside.
7. To make the dressing, thoroughly mix all the salad dressing ingredients and adjust seasoning to taste. Pour over the salad, toss well, serve on a bed of greens and garnish with pistachios or walnuts.
Recipe from Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey (page 72)
