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Photo from cover of "Silk Road Cooking" by Najmieh Batmanglij

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August 2002

Latest

* Mom's recipe
*
Texturized vegetable protein

Previous

* Related to Cafe Naderi
* Worked well
* Close enough to kolouche
* Back to Tas Kabab
*
If you like spinach
* Best book
* Used to bake cakes
* Favorite: Tuna
* I call it Azari Tabulleh
* Wedding food
*
Shekar Polo Khuzestani
*
Muhammara?
*
Noon-Ghanndi, Noon Shirmaa...baa Khormaa!
*
Kolucheh recipe?
*
Best rice cooker
*
Tas Kabab and Khoresh-e-Qeymeh
*
Morabaa-ye-bahaar naarenj?
*
Vegetarian koofteh
*
Kalleh Joosh

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August 15, 2002

* Mom's recipe

In response to "Kalleh Joosh"

Dear Katy,

This is how my mom used to make Kalleh Joosh. See, if it is anything like you remember!

Ingredients:

1- Ground beef ... 1 lb
2- Crushed Walnut ... 3-4 tbs(I like walnut and I always use more)
3- Fried onion ... 3-4 table spoon (tbs)
4- Dried mint ... 11/2 tbs
5- Salt & pepper
6- Kashk ... 2 cups
7- Oil
8- Grated onion ... 2
9- Turmeric ... 1 tea spoon
10- Water ... 11/4 cup

Mix meat with grated onion, add salt, pepper, and make small meat balls. Fry meat balls in a pan, add a little oil(I don't) if the meat is very lean.Add mint on the meat balls and saut?bsp;very little.Add water, fried onion, turmeric, salt& pepper. Bring to a boil. When the water becomes thicker about half the original amount,add kashk boil for couple of minutes and add the crushed walnut. Put in a deep dish add some walnut on the top and serve.

Noosh e Jaan,

-- Simin Khanum

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August 15, 2002

* Texturized vegetable protein

I have made vegetarian kotlet & other made up recipes for vegetarian burgers, Shaami,... I substitute meat with something called "texturized vegetable protein" which I get it from Fresh Fields supermarket. It looks like large and larger versions of bread crumbs. The larger size is often mistaken with meat in the khoresh and is hard to tell or taste the difference. I use the smaller size for kotlet.

-- Simin Khanum

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August 10, 2002

* Related to Cafe Naderi

We were deep in the mountains, hours from New York city, surrounded by maple forests and dairy farms, at a restaurant called Main Street, Bovina. Bovina - even the name means cowtown. It's an unlikely place to go looking for a world class restaurant.

The food was country-fresh and truly creative, with some flavors that were very familiar but totally unexpected in this environment. Like the dessert of saffron, yogurt, and rosewater sherbets in a sauce of kharbozeh.

The chef is Serge Madikians, whose family ran Cafe Naderi. He's been cooking for only five years, he says. My American dinner companion, a partner in a very high end restaurant in the city,
pronounced him "a chef with a very big future."

I noted that he also had a very rich past.

"Don't you think the Catskills look a little bit like Mazandaran?" Serge asked.

-- Zara Houshmand

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August 10, 2002

* Worked well

In response to "Vegetarian koofteh"

You can substitute soy ( the stuff that is used for veggie burgers) for meat in koofte. I have not used it for koofte myself, but I have used  it in other recipes and it worked well.

Noshe jAn

-- Simin Rasmussen

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August 8, 2002

* Close enough to kolouche

In response to "Noon-Ghanndi, Noon Shirmaa...baa Khormaa!"

I remember my grandma making noon ghandi and noon shirmal each time she baked the month supply of bread for her large family at home. And we all still remember the taste of koluche from ShomAl from the old days.

I think there are some things better left to memory rather than try to duplicate them or they are just to hard to do!! I have no recipe for any of the above to offer you but maybe can direct you to some thing that may be close enough to koluche and noon khorma!

In Arab stores, you can find a pastry called "maa'mul" which looks like a koluche with date paste inside. It is individually wrapped, the pastry is soft and the date feeling inside is not too sweet. You can also find a ring of sweet yellowish bread like coffee cake with dates inside that is in the bread section of most Arab stores.

Try them and let us know what you think.

Noshe jAn.

-- Simin Rasmussen

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August 6, 2002

* Back to Tas Kabab

In response to "Tas Kabab and Khoresh-e-Qeymeh"

Dear Sylvia,

I wonder if you found the right recipe for Tas Kabob. I have two autographed books of Mrs. Batmanghlich; I think the "New Food of Life" is a piece of art. I like to look at the pictures and other information. Let's go back to Tas Kabob:

I just will make some changes in the recipe you already have.

1- If you use one Lb potatoes, use about 31/2- 4 Lbs of large onions.

2- Do not use garlic, eggplant.

3- use either Gard e Ghooreh, or Gard e Limoo, not both.

4- for spice use turmeric and saffron.

5- Tas Kabob, should not have too much juice when done.

6- If you use lamb, buy it from Halal meat stores, otherwise use beef or veal.

7- I steam cook my Tas Kabob, just the same way you make Persian rice, (Dam Kardan). This way you don't lose the flavor and will get ready much faster.

* Please let me know how did it turn out. If possible ask your husband to write me. You can always go back to your original recipe.

Noosh e Jaan,

-- Simin Khanum

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August 6, 2002

* If you like spinach

now that we're talking about any kind of cooking (even if it's just talking about it like your marble cake recipe which kind of reminds me of Alice in Wonderland), here is one easy to make recipe (you can call it whatever you want):

to make a light, nutritious and delicious dinner, you need spinach, onion, feta cheese, olive oil, walnuts, fresh lime juice, salt and pepper and of course garlic (there is no particular amount of each, all totally depends on your taste buds) wash the spinach real well (even soak them for a few minutes and drain an soak again, but don't leave them in the water too long for they are perishable).

chop them and chop the onion and the garlic (for me the more the better). sauté them in the frying pan with olive oil (preferably extra virgin), add the walnuts (you can leave them halved or you can crush them). sauté a little more for another ten minutes or so. add the cheese, squeeze the lime juice over it. add the salt and pepper if the taste requires and try it with naan-e lavash or better yet sangak.

now the whole thing depends on whether or not you like spinach ;)

-- Sheila Dadvar

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August 5, 2002

* Best book

In response to "Wedding food"

The best place to look for a recipe for Shirin polo and Javaher polo which are used for weddings, is from "New Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies" by Najmieh Batmanglij (Mage, 1992)

He can also read about the other traditional Iranian ceremonies and also about Iranian weddings. He can have a look at a book at a book store or receive the book from someone as a shower or wedding gift that he can enjoy and use it for years to come!

MobArak bAshe.

-- Simin Rasmussen

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August 5, 2002

* Used to bake cakes

My mother made great deserts when we were growing up in Abadan. She taught me how to make marble cake.

Once she told me to make one for one of our neighbors. I did and I took it over to their house. The neighbor's wife thanked me and said, "Who made the cake?" "My mother," I replied.

-- Jahanshah Javid

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August 5, 2002

* Favorite: Tuna

One of my favorite quick meals is tuna sandwich. On average, I eat a can of tuna a day, especially now that I'm trying to lose weight.

The way I make it is what I learned from my mother: a can of tuna, some mayonnaise, some lemon juice and chopped cucumbers. The key is the cucumbers. It makes it much more delicious than adding celery.

-- Jahanshah Javid

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August 2, 2002

* I call it Azari Tabulleh

In response to "Muhammara?"

Dear Maria,

I am not sure of the name in Persian or in Turkish or if we are talking about the same dish. But I learned to make the dish close to what you are asking for, from an old Iranian woman who was born in Istanbul. I had never seen it Iran or in any Persian cook books but it taste great. Here is the Recipe:

I call it Azari Tabulleh

1.   One cup Bulgur (medium size Balghor)
2.    Half cup hot water and one forth cup of Olive oil

Combine the above ingredients in a large bowl and let stand for at least half an hour.

3.    2 table spoon tomato paste
4.    3 table spoon  pomegranate sauce( robbe anAr)
5.    One table spoon hot red pepper paste (shatteh)
6.    One table spoon of ground Cumin
7.    Half cup of finely chopped  parsley
8.    Salt and black pepper to taste

Add items 3 to 8 to the bulgur mixture and mix well. adjust seasoning to your taste and let the mixture stand for another half hour to absorbs the moisture and blend flavors.

9.    Half cup Shelled small pieces of walnut for garnish
10.  Head or romaine lettuce for serving

Wash the lettuce and line a platter with lettuce leaves. Use a small Ice cream scoop and place small balls of the Azari tabulle on the platter. Garnish with a few pieces of walnut. Serve with a bowl of lettuce leave cut into 3 inch pieces placed by the platter. Use the lettuce like bread or
chips to pick up the Azari tabulle or just place the balls on cut pieces of lettuce on a platter and serve. 

Nenoshe jan.

-- Simin Rasmussen

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August 2, 2002

* Wedding food

An American student of mine who is studying Farsi and Persian culture is getting married and asked for special food that is served for marriage festivities. I thought about Shirin-Polo and like to get the recipe for him or ask him to contact you himself.

Would you please give some food for thought?

-- Fatima Farideh Nedjat

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August 2, 2002

* Shekar Polo Khuzestani

In Khuzestan, we have a sweet rice dish called shekar polo. It's yellow and it's eaten with a fried fish dish called zubadi. Can you help me with a recipe?

-- T Nordstrom

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August 2, 2002

* Muhammara?

I am trying to figure out whether or not the appetizer called "muhammara" (walnuts, pomegranate molasses, breadcrumbs, red pepper, etc.), which is eaten in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, etc. is also an Iranian dish, and if it goes by the same name. I know that walnuts and pomegranate are a common combination in Iran, but I don't know about
this dish.

-- Maria

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August 2, 2002

* Noon-Ghanndi, Noon Shirmaa...baa Khormaa!

I would like to ask for a simple recipe. How do you make:

1) Noon-Ghandi
2) Noon Shirmaal baa Khormaa

Now let's see who's up to answering that?

Azad

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August 2, 2002

* Kolucheh recipe?

My favorite cookie is this walnut-paste filled kolucheh. I have eaten (and enjoyed) them when visiting the north part of Iran. I have been unable to find a good one here (in Arizona) and would love to find a recipe so I can attempt to bake them.

I purchased this kolucheh in Orange County at a Persian market. The filling was very good, but the cookie was not quite right -- it was a bit dry and bready and had an egg wash on top (for color I assume).

Do you have any suggestions on where I can find this kolucheh, or do you have a recipe?

I appreciate your help!!

-- Simin

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August 2, 2002

* Best rice cooker

I've been looking to buy a rice cooker that can make decent Persian rice. Do you have any recommendations?

-- Reza Shadmehr

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August 2, 2002

* Tas Kabab and Khoresh-e-Qeymeh

My boyfriend, who is Persian, loves Tas Kabab and Khoresh-e-Qeymeh. Do you have the recipe for me? I already cooked according the recipes of Najmieh Batmanglij, but I think there is still something missing (spices, a special trick, a special kind of meat: e.g. what part of the lamb?).

As I made your famous Salad Olivier and it turned out excellent, I guess you might have some good hints for me.

Thank you so much in advance and very cordial greetings from Hamburg/Germany

-- Sylvia Schmidt

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August 2, 2002

* Morabaa-ye-bahaar naarenj?

Do you have a recipe for morabaa-ye-bahaar naarenj? I live in the south of Spain and the bahaar naarenj and I would love to try to make the jam, so would be very grateful if you could send the recipe?

-- Ruth Afzali

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August 2, 2002

* Vegetarian koofteh

I would like to make a vegeterian version of Koofteh Berenji. Do you know of any recipes?

-- Haleh

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August 2, 2002

* Kalleh Joosh

I want to know how can I make KALLE JOOSH, one of the ancient foods from Iran. I remember it was made with "KASHK" and walnut and fried onion, but I don't know how.

-- Katy Etemad

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Ashpaz
If you want to give people advice on cooking, ask to be listed here

We have two Simins for now :-)

-- I like to give advice on Ashpazi. I am the queen of low fat, Fat free, vegetarian cooking. After many years of cooking passionately, these days I would like to spend my time on other things rather than cooking. I can give advice whenever I have the time. My name is Simin Khanum.

-- I can give some cooking tips. Email me: Simin Rasmussen.

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A Vegetarian
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By Najmieh Batmanglij

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A Book of Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies
By Najmieh Batmanglij

The Joy of Persian Cooking
By Pari Ardalan Malek

A Taste of Persia
An Introduction to Persian Cooking
By Najmieh Batmanglij

Persian Cooking for a Healthy Kitchen
By Najmieh Batmanglij

In a Persian Kitchen
By Maideh Mazda

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A Table of Exotic DelightsBy Nesta Ramazani

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