Best 5 Persian Iranian Ghalieh Esfanaaj Recipes

IRANIAN YOGURT AND SPINACH DIP - BORANI ESFANAAJ

Steps:

• Steam baby spinach until just wilted.
• Drain well and chop fine.
• Mince 1/2 medium clove garlic and saute in 1 tbs unrefined extra virgin olive oil, then add the chopped spinach and a pinch or two sea salt. Stir.
• Remove from stove and allow to cool, then squeeze out excess liquid.
• Toast chopped walnuts in a dry frying pan until fragrant. Be careful not to burn! Set aside to cool.
• In a bowl and the yogurt, other half minced garlic, baby spinach, and dried mint and sea salt to taste, stir gently.
• Transfer to the bowl you are serving it in (I use a shallow, round bowl) and sprinkle with toasted, chopped walnuts and a trail of unrefined extra virgin olive oil.
• Serve with lavash (flatbread from Iran) or "some crisped-up-in-the-oven whole wheat pita bread!" (Yes we don't do that being gluten free! I use more yogurt and serve this as a salad to mix with Middle Eastern rice dishes.).
• Enjoy!

SHOLEH-ZARD (PERSIAN/IRANIAN DESSERT)

Steps:

• Wash rice a few times until the water is clear, then drain.
• Add six times water and bring to a boil, removing the foam.
• When rice softens completely, add sugar and stir well.
• Dissolve saffron in half a cup of hot water and add to the mix.
• Heat up oil and also add to the mix.
• Add in most of the almonds and the rosewater.
• Stir well and cover.
• Cook in oven at low temperature for half an hour.
• Serve with pistachio, almond and cinnamon sprinkled on top.

AAB-GOOSHT-E BAADENJAAN

Steps:

• Peel and thinly slice onions. Fry in oil until slightly golden.
• Wash split peas and fry slightly with onions.
• Cut meat into small pieces, add to onions and split peas, and fry over medium heat until colour changes.
• Add salt, black pepper, and turmeric.
• Follow with six glasses of hot water and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.
• The pot should be covered with a tight lid so that little steam escapes during cooking.
• Peel eggplants and cut perpendicular to their major axis to a thickness of 1 cm.
• Add a bit of salt and fry in oil over medium heat on both sides until colour changes.
• Wash and peel potatoes.
• Add eggplants, potatoes, and tomato paste.
• Cook over low heat with the pot again tightly covered for another 30 minutes. If necessary, add more hot water during cooking.
• When cooked, pour the juice into another container. With the back of a fork or spoon, fully crush the ingredients and mix well.
• Serve both the ingredients and the juice separately with Iranian, middle-eastern, or pita bread.
• Rice is not served with aab-goosht.
• When eating, cut bread into small pieces and briefly soak in the juice or form morsels by wrapping a small piece of bread around some of the food.

ZOOLBIA

Steps:

• Mix starch, 1-2 spoons of sugar, and water, then add yogurt and mix well until the mixture is even and smooth.
• Heat oil in a pan until hot.
• Pour the mix through a funnel into the pan creating round lattice shapes about 5-6 cm in diameter.
• Turn heat down and fry fully on one side, then on the other.
• Mix well sugar, rose-water, and a glass of water.
• Heat until water comes to a boil, and the syrup thickens. Remove from heat.
• Soak zoolbia in the syrup for about 5 minutes, then serve.

KHORESHT GHAARCH

Steps:

• Peel and thinly slice onions. Fry in oil until slightly golden.
• Wash chicken pieces and fry in onions until color changes.
• Add a glass of hot water, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
• Wash mushrooms and cut into small pieces. Fry in oil for about 5 minutes.
• Pour flour on and mix well. Fry a bit longer, then add to chicken.
• Add in saffron and lime juice, and cook over low heat for another 5-10 minutes.
• Serve with Kateh or Polow.