Read The New Persian Kitchen Online
Authors: Louisa Shafia
The New Persian Kitchen (28 page)
Remove the bowl from the heat and dry the bottom with a towel. Pour the chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet. With an offset spatula or rubber spatula, spread the chocolate in a wide rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle with the remaining nuts, dried fruit, and the coffee beans, and press them gently into the chocolate. Dust with the salt.
Cool in the refrigerator for about 2 hours, until hard. When firm, slide the chocolate onto a cutting board and cut or break it into pieces. The chocolate gets soft quickly in warm weather, so keep it refrigerated until just before serving.
Today’s
popular Persian drinks include the minty carbonated yogurt beverage
doogh
; various fruit-flavored soda pops; and an impressive variety of nonalcoholic beer and malt beverages, such as the ubiquitous Istak. Slightly more traditional, but no less fun, are the fresh cold drinks called
sharbat
, from which we derive the words “sherbet,” “sorbet,” and “syrup.” These lightly sweetened drinks are made from fruit and flower essences, and, like malt beverages, are touted for their various health benefits. The
Sour Cherry Spritzer
,
Naturally Sweet Dried Lime Tea
, and watermelon-infused
sekanjabin
featured in this book are all examples of refreshing
sharbat
.
popular Persian drinks include the minty carbonated yogurt beverage
doogh
; various fruit-flavored soda pops; and an impressive variety of nonalcoholic beer and malt beverages, such as the ubiquitous Istak. Slightly more traditional, but no less fun, are the fresh cold drinks called
sharbat
, from which we derive the words “sherbet,” “sorbet,” and “syrup.” These lightly sweetened drinks are made from fruit and flower essences, and, like malt beverages, are touted for their various health benefits. The
Sour Cherry Spritzer
,
Naturally Sweet Dried Lime Tea
, and watermelon-infused
sekanjabin
featured in this book are all examples of refreshing
sharbat
.
Things get a little trickier when talking about grown-up drinks. A strict ban on alcohol has been in place in Iran since the 1979 revolution, and alcohol consumption has been discouraged for centuries, so for many Persians, the pairing of
wine and food is relatively uncharted territory. Still, it’s worth noting that Persia was one of the earliest wine-making cultures and was renowned for the excellent quality of its date, rose, and grape wines. Shiraz, the home of Iran’s famous poet and wine lover Hafez, is still popularly known as “the city of wine and roses,” and wine was an integral aspect of religious ritual for the
Zoroastrian faithful.
wine and food is relatively uncharted territory. Still, it’s worth noting that Persia was one of the earliest wine-making cultures and was renowned for the excellent quality of its date, rose, and grape wines. Shiraz, the home of Iran’s famous poet and wine lover Hafez, is still popularly known as “the city of wine and roses,” and wine was an integral aspect of religious ritual for the
Zoroastrian faithful.
As a general rule, wines from countries geographically close to Iran—Lebanon, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and even southern Italy—complement Persian food extremely well, as do many California wines. Some people find that a slightly sweet white wine, such as a Riesling, nicely sets off the fruit, flower, and citrus flavors in many dishes, while others prefer a heartier, earthier red to stand up to the full-bodied flavors of Persian meat dishes. And while French Syrah and Australian Shiraz grapes have not been authoritatively linked to the Shiraz region of Iran, the simple linguistic connection makes Shiraz a compelling choice for many.
In theory, a Persian meal should always conclude with glasses of hot
chai
. Not to be confused with Indian
chai
, this is a potent black tea that Persians brew several times a day, especially after big meals, and casually sip with small nuggets of
nabat
, or rock sugar. (If you’re sensitive to caffeine, be warned: this supercharged digestif will keep you animated for hours!) In keeping with the Persian tradition of medicinal drinks, I’ve also included a recipe for a
Winter Orchard Tea
that you can serve on its own or mix with black tea for an extra caffeine boost. And as an homage to Persian ice cream, I offer the
Majoon
shake (
Date Shake with Toasted Nuts
), a rich frozen treat made with unexpected Eastern flavors—part cooling beverage and part decadent dessert.
salty mint yogurt sodachai
. Not to be confused with Indian
chai
, this is a potent black tea that Persians brew several times a day, especially after big meals, and casually sip with small nuggets of
nabat
, or rock sugar. (If you’re sensitive to caffeine, be warned: this supercharged digestif will keep you animated for hours!) In keeping with the Persian tradition of medicinal drinks, I’ve also included a recipe for a
Winter Orchard Tea
that you can serve on its own or mix with black tea for an extra caffeine boost. And as an homage to Persian ice cream, I offer the
Majoon
shake (
Date Shake with Toasted Nuts
), a rich frozen treat made with unexpected Eastern flavors—part cooling beverage and part decadent dessert.
doogh
Here in America, salty soda is a contradiction in terms, yet the Japanese love their salty plum soda, Indians hydrate with a salted lime thirst-quencher, and Finns flavor their cocktails with a salty black licorice brew.
Doogh
, which traditionally goes hand in hand with Persian kebab, is a similarly strange concoction of yogurt, salt, and herbs. I loved
doogh
as a child, and it was my doorway into an exciting new realm of flavors. Give it a try! For the right savory balance, use dried spearmint instead of fresh—find it at Arabic and Persian markets or online (see
Resources
). You can also make your own
dried spearmint
. For kosher cooks, enjoy
doogh
with the
tempeh kebabs
. (
See photo
.)
Doogh
, which traditionally goes hand in hand with Persian kebab, is a similarly strange concoction of yogurt, salt, and herbs. I loved
doogh
as a child, and it was my doorway into an exciting new realm of flavors. Give it a try! For the right savory balance, use dried spearmint instead of fresh—find it at Arabic and Persian markets or online (see
Resources
). You can also make your own
dried spearmint
. For kosher cooks, enjoy
doogh
with the
tempeh kebabs
. (
See photo
.)
serves 4 to 62 cups plain yogurt (not thick)
2 teaspoons dried mint
Pinch of sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups seltzer
Ice cubes (optional)
Fresh mint, for garnish
Put the yogurt in a large bowl. Add the dried mint, rubbing it between your palms to release the flavor. Add the salt and pepper, and whisk in the seltzer until the mixture is frothy. If the dried mint leaves are large, put the
doogh
in a blender and blend for 1 minute to break them down a bit. This will make the drink extra frothy, but it’s not necessary. Taste and add more salt if desired.
doogh
in a blender and blend for 1 minute to break them down a bit. This will make the drink extra frothy, but it’s not necessary. Taste and add more salt if desired.
Fill glasses halfway with ice and pour in the
doogh.
Garnish with fresh mint.
doogh.
Garnish with fresh mint.
shake with toasted nuts
majoon
I first tasted a
majoon
at the Café Glacé in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, where these decadent concoctions are whipped up with vanilla ice cream for Westwood’s large Persian community. I make
majoon
with yogurt instead, which gives it a hint of lemony sourness and packs enough nutrients for a healthy breakfast. Although it takes more time, I recommend
toasting nuts and seeds in the oven on a dry baking sheet, rather than in a pan on the stove top, because they cook more evenly. You can toast a few cups at a time and keep them on hand for various recipes. Toast the delicate coconut flakes, sesame seeds, and pistachios at 300°F for 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer immediately to a plate to prevent burning. Toast the almonds and walnuts at 350°F for about 12 minutes, until fragrant and crisp.
majoon
at the Café Glacé in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, where these decadent concoctions are whipped up with vanilla ice cream for Westwood’s large Persian community. I make
majoon
with yogurt instead, which gives it a hint of lemony sourness and packs enough nutrients for a healthy breakfast. Although it takes more time, I recommend
toasting nuts and seeds in the oven on a dry baking sheet, rather than in a pan on the stove top, because they cook more evenly. You can toast a few cups at a time and keep them on hand for various recipes. Toast the delicate coconut flakes, sesame seeds, and pistachios at 300°F for 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer immediately to a plate to prevent burning. Toast the almonds and walnuts at 350°F for about 12 minutes, until fragrant and crisp.
serves 2 to 4 (makes 3½ cups)SHAKE
1 banana, peeled and frozen
8 Medjool dates, pitted
½ cup plain yogurt (not thick)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
2 cups ice cubes
¾ cup to 1 cup water
TOPPINGS1 tablespoon toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon toasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Cut the banana into 1-inch-thick slices and place them in a blender. Add the dates, yogurt, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, ice cubes, and ¾ cup water and blend until smooth. Add an additional ¼ cup water if the shake is too thick. Pour into glasses, top with rows of coconut flakes, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and sesame seeds, and serve.
sour cherry spritzerThis recipe serves one; simply scale it up depending on how many you want to serve.
serves 11 tablespoon
sour cherry syrup (below)
sour cherry syrup (below)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon water
Ice cubes
1 cup seltzer
Mix the syrup, lime juice, and water in a glass. Add ice, pour in the seltzer, and serve.
Sour Cherry Syrup
makes 1½ cups (enough for 24 spritzers)
The taste of sour cherries is preserved all year long in this sweet-and-sour syrup, a common ingredient in Iran. Sour cherry syrup is used in
sharbat
, fruit essence drinks like the Sour Cherry Spritzer, and as a sauce for the
Rhubarb and Rose Water Sorbet with Rice Noodles
. One of the best things about this recipe is that you don’t have to pit the cherries! The cherries are cooked with their pits, giving the syrup a more intense, almondy aroma. The pits are then extracted by gently blending just long enough to separate the flesh from the seeds. You shouldn’t blend for more than 30 seconds; after that the pits can start to break up and make the syrup bitter.
sharbat
, fruit essence drinks like the Sour Cherry Spritzer, and as a sauce for the
Rhubarb and Rose Water Sorbet with Rice Noodles
. One of the best things about this recipe is that you don’t have to pit the cherries! The cherries are cooked with their pits, giving the syrup a more intense, almondy aroma. The pits are then extracted by gently blending just long enough to separate the flesh from the seeds. You shouldn’t blend for more than 30 seconds; after that the pits can start to break up and make the syrup bitter.
1½ pounds (4 cups) sour cherries, stemmed
2 cups water
2 cups organic cane sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Combine the cherries and water in a large skillet and bring to a boil. Lower the heat slightly, add the sugar and salt, and stir to dissolve. Boil gently, uncovered, for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture will be slightly thickened and the cooking liquid will be very red from the released cherry juice.
Take the mixture off the heat and cool slightly, then pour into a blender and blend just long enough to separate the pits from the cherries, no more than 30 seconds. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl, pour in the cherries, and press with a ladle to extract the liquid. Cool the syrup completely, and store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
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