Looking For Iranian Recipes?

Question

My in-laws are middle-eastern. Without having to ask my mother-in-law for a recipe, what can I make for dinner to surprise them? Looking for authentic recipes. Thanks!

Answer 1

Kabab Koobideh (Starter)
Ingredients: (4 servings)

Ground lamb or beef, 500 g
Large onions, two (grated)
Garlic, one clove (crushed)
Large egg, one (beaten)
Medium tomatoes, four
Salt
Black pepper
Turmeric, one teaspoon (optional)
Sumac (optional)
Directions:
Mix meat, onions, garlic, egg, salt, pepper and turmeric well and leave in the refrigerator overnight (or for several hours).

Press the meat around long, thick metal skewers and shape evenly. Thread whole tomatoes on another skewer. 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.)

Serve with hot Basmati rice or on middle-eastern bread. If serving with rice, some sumac may be sprinkled on top. If kabab-e koobideh was made in an oven, the juice from the kabab can be poured on rice or bread.


Aash-e Aab Leemoo (it's like soup)
Ingredients: (4 servings)

Basmati or long-grain rice, 200 grams

Herbs (parsley, mint, coriander, spring-onion ends), 1 kg

Ground lamb or beef, 500 grams

Split peas, 3 spoons

Fresh lime juice, 3-4 spoons

Sugar, 2-3 spoons

Marjoram, 2 spoons

Mint, one spoon

Onions, 4 large

Cooking oil

Salt

Black pepper

Directions:
Peel and slice two onions and fry in oil until slightly golden. Add 4-5 glasses of hot water, split-peas, salt and pepper and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Wash rice and add to the aash. Cook for another 15-20 minutes.

Peel and grate two onions. Add to meat with salt and pepper and mix well. Shape into small balls and add to the aash. Wash herbs, chop finely, add to the aash, and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Add in lime juice, sugar, and marjoram (if fresh marjoram is used, it should be finely chopped). Mix well and cook for a few more minutes.

Fry mint in oil for a few minutes (if fresh mint is used, it should be finely chopped before frying). Add mint on top of the aash and serve.


Adas Polow (Main Rice Dish)
Ingredients: (4 servings)

Lentils, 400 grams
Long-grain or basmati rice, 500 grams
Ground beef or lamb, 400 grams
Dates (pitted), 100 grams
Raisins, 120 grams
Saffron, 1/2 teaspoon
Onions, 2 large
Cooking oil
Salt
Black pepper
Directions:
Soak rice in water for 3-4 hours, then cook in salted water for 10-15 minutes using a non-stick pot until it just softens. Drain water and empty the pot.

Bring 2-3 cups of water to boil. Wash lentil and add to water with a bit of salt. Cook over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes until tender.

Peel and thinly slice onions. Fry in oil until slightly golden. Add ground beef or lamb, salt and black pepper, and fry over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add one cup of hot water and cook until water has been mostly absorbed.

Wash raisins and dates. Pour 1/2 cup of water and some oil in the non-stick pot. Pour in half of the rice. Follow with meat, lentil, raisins, dates and raisins. Then add in remainder of rice. 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.


Fereni (Dessert)
Ingredients: (4 servings)

Milk, 1/2 liter

Rice flour, 50 grams

Sugar, 100 grams

Rosewater, 2 spoonfuls

Directions:
Dissolve rice flour in milk. Add sugar and rosewater. Stir regularly over medium heat until it comes to slow boil and thickens.
Serve cold.

Good Luck.

Answer 2

Think Persian, not Iranian. the name 'Iran' is today's designation for the same area where ancient Persial was located. Iranians still identify themselves with that splendid kingdom. There are few cookbooks available for that cuisine, and if you use Google you won't find a lot of recipes in that category. The few you find will be worth it, however. I made a Persian meal last Sunday evening. I used the book "In a Persian Kitchen" by Maideh Mazda which I found at Barnes and Noble. We had chelo (rice prepared in a unique way), khoreshe anar (pomegranate sauce with chicken), mast va khiar (cucumbers in yogurt), and boroni chogondar (beets in yogurt with mint). It was fun to make and very flavorful. It definitely isn't American fast food. If you search the web look for ingredient combinations such as chicken and dried apricots as well as the persian ethnic cuisine

Answer 3

Recipesource.com is the best link I know of for ethnic recipes. Here's the link for the Middle Eastern recipes http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/africa/middle-east/persian/
but the whole site is wonderful. Hope this helps.
I found this too, there are clickable links in red on the left too
http://mideastfood.about.com/

Answer 4

Kabobs, buttered rice, spinach salads, ect.