Ash-e Dugh or Ayran Ashi, Yogurt Soup

A popular Ash/soup from Azari provinces of Iran, cooked with yogurt and a lot of fresh vegtables, it is very nutritious and refreshing, If you ever got a chance to travel  to north west of Iran to uromiyah or Ardabil, you would see locals selling  " Ayran Ashi/ yogurt soup"  served in  small bowls  in the streets, parks, beach and mountain hills, there are different recipes to cook this soup but all versiosn from different cities have common  ingredients, yogurt, water  and  herbs. some people add garlic , liver  and even chicken  broth , some people don't like chick peas so they omit chick peas but somehow  I  have had my own version, which is very simple but  with hot chillies which can open your sinus, as a matter of fact nothing  like a handful of hot green chilies can  clear your sinus!
Although if you can't tolerate hot ones you can only add some bell peppers, or not too hot peppers,

   I N G R E D I E N TS:
½ cup dried chickpeas, soaked in water overnight or you can have canned  ones..drained
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh spinach or beetroot leaves
1/3 cup chopped fresh green garlic (if in season; leaves only) (this is optional for this recipe)
1 cup chinese celery ( only leaves)
1 cup parsley
4 cups plian yogurt  ( yogurt should not be sweet nor  sour that much)


1 tablespoon  flour
1 egg
1/3 cup medium-grain rice, soaked in water an hour before cooking
Salt, to taste
 4 cups water, you can adjust  water amount depending on your own  taste if you like think soup or thick and creamy type)
1 or 2 green chili peppers

D I R E C T I O N:

put pre soaked chick peas in a small saucepan filled with water and boil until the chickpeas are soft, about 1 hour. Drain and set aside!

steam cook washed and fresh herbs for about 5 minutes,

 In a proper and large sauce pan whisk  egg, yogurt, water all together, beat them thoroughly to get a desirable consistency,

dissolve flour in 2 table spoons water and add to the yogurt  mixture, whisk for a few minutes,
Add rinsed   rice, chop the heads of  green chilies add them to the pan, place over the heat, stir it constantly with a wooden spoon,don't give up at all,

bring it to a boil as you are stirring , reduce the heat and as you let it simmer, add herbs and cooked chick peas,

if you feel it s too thick you can add some  hot or boiled water,

you can have it cold or hot, but I need to remind you this soup  gets thickened as it stands, but I only love  hot one or at least warm,

Nushe jaan, Nush olsun! enjoy

Chicken and Green string beans

Red, green, yellow, this Food is really colorful dish, simple easy and very tasty ,  you can find sour and hot tastes , both in one! I love string beans so I sometimes add them to the meat or chicken! In addition to  their lovely tastes, green beans  have a lot of benefits, they are an excellent source of protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates fiber and complex carbohydrates, Folic acid and molybdenum, the major health benefit of green beans   is their ability to lower the cholesterol  and consequently blood pressure  due to their  rich source of fiber, moreover  they prevents rapidly rising  sugar in blood after a meal!


I N G R E D I E N T S: 4 serving

500 gr  chicken fillet
750 gr  string green beans
500 gr  tomatoes
3 medium onions
cooking oil
salt and pepper
2 green chilies
 1/4 cup verijuice/ if you don't have verijuice  you can add one table spoon of fresh lime juice,

D I R E C T I O N:
Peel and thinly slice onions, then fry in oil until slightly golden.


Wash and cut chicken fillets  into small pieces and fry in onions until color changes, dice tomatoes and add them into the pan with  green chilies, let the tomatoes release their water , add verijuice ( if you  want to add lime juice  you better add it at the final stage of cooking before adding  the beans ) and a glass of water,  cover the pan and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender ,

While chicken is cooking, wash green beans, cut the ends and chop into 2-3 cm pieces, you can steam cook  green beans or boil them , I sometimes prefer to add one tsp of turmeric to the beans ,
Add beans, salt, pepper

drain the cooked beans and add them to the cooked chicken, cook for another 3 or 4 minutes,
The khoresht is ready!
Nooshe jaan!

Khoresht- e Qeimeh, or Gheimeh, split peas and meat stew

This is one of the special dishes amongst Iranians, Many Iranians have  special feelings for this khoresht because it is one of the most  wanted nazri foods during religious  ceremonies,nazri is traditional Muslim Iranian culture which is mostly referred to making food and distributing it amongst people specifically needy ones,generally Nazr  is a promise to fulfill when someone asks God to help to solve problems or Asking God for something , Most people promise to make foods and distribute it Many Iranians carry it out  multiple times per year around major religious events and holidays, Khoresht gheimeh is easy and delicious, hence on the top list of nazri Foods. 
 Gheigmeh or Qeimah, is tiny cut pieces of  stewing meat lamb or beef, (Goosht-e Gheimeh) ...... Goosht means meat! once is served you may fall in love with its peculiar aroma of dried  lime - Limoo amani- and  matchstick thin potato chips on top of the stew !


I N G R E D I E N T S: (for 4 )

450 gr stewing meat (lamb chops or beef)
1 large onion
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
5 dried limes  
2 potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp saffron
1tbsp rose water
2 handfuls of split  peas
2 tbs oil


D I R E C T I O N:


Trim , wash and chop stewing meat in small cubes,
Chop the onions and saute in 1 tablespoon oil until golden, 
add meat to onions and fry until the meat color changes  all over,add turmeric and nutmeg, salt and pepper

  Add water to cover the meat and cook for about 45 minutes, ,meanwhile cook split peas separately but remove them from the heat  half cooked, to better digestion of split peas you should soak them in water a few hours a head of cooking, 
Drain half cooked split peas and add them in a frying pan and add tomato paste, cinnamon and nutmeg, stir fry for a few minutes,  cut dried limes in half and remove seeds carefully, add them to the pan,

  Add the split peas mixture to the meat and cover the mixture with enough amount of water, sprinkle  in saffron powder,
cover the pan and  simmer for 40 minutes or until   meat is tender and split peas are soft, but don't overcook  the stew , add rose water before removing from the heat( after adding rose water  simmer 2 minutes more)

 about 10 minutes before serving the food, peel the potato, and cut in matchstick thin length wise and make fried potato chips,

add chips on the top of the stew before serving, 

Serve with plain rice, 

I hope you enjoy it!

Streusel Coffee cake

I know, I know! This cake does not sound Iranian but these streusel  cakes can be from anywhere, i don't know the origin of the cake but  since streusel is a German word , technically they can be German, this cake has a soft texture yet crunchy, coffee and walnut or Almond sponge on the bottom with a crispy top, the streusel part !  Actually I was looking for a not sweet cakes to bake for my father,, as i was going through  an Australian "Quick and Easy "cook book , I found this delightful edible   streusel cake with coffee flavor , my dad's favorite flavor, !

I N G R E D I E N T S: 

2tsp melted butter or oil for greasing

1, 1/3 cups plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

6 tbsp  sugar or 75 gr 

2/3 cup milk

2 eggs

1 stick butter /100 gr /melted and cooled 

2tbsp instant coffee mixed with 1tbsp boiling water 

1/4 cup walnut chopped/ or almond

T O P P I N G 

1/3 cup self raising flour

1/3 cup cup demerara sugar

2tbsp butter cut into small pieces 

1 tsp ground mixed spices ( 1/8tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp clove, 1/4 tsp ginger powder)

1tbsp water

icing sugar for dusting

D I R E C T I O N

Grease a round  23 cm loose bottomed cake tin with butter and flour it lightly, and set it aside

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large  mixing bowl , then stir in the sugar. whisk the milk, eggs, butter and coffee mixture,

 Pour the mixture on to the dry ingredient,

Add chopped walnuts or almonds  and mix  lightly  together, 

to make the topping  mix flour and demerara sugar together in a mixing bowl, cut the butter into pieces , add them to the mixture and rub it in with your fingers,  until it gives you a crumbly  mixture, 

sprinkle in the ground mixed spice , add the water until  the dough resembles  loose crumbs,

Spoon the batter  in to the tin Sprinkle the topping evenly over the surface of the cake, 

 Bake in a preheated  oven , 180c for about 1 hour , cover the tin with  Aluminum foil if the topping starts to brown  quickly,  leave to cool in the tin then remove cake from the tin and  dust it with icing sugar, 

Noosh- e Jaan!!!

Source: traditional cake Australian cooking magazine quick and easy

Easy Traditional baqlawa

I always prefer easy but delicious desserts, it may sound lazy but for those who are pressed for time  and can't spend  hours and hours in the kitchen to  make fillo pastry or roll out several thin layers , this baklawa is one of the best choices to sweeten their family  lunch or dinner table and give their table some traditional look! 
Ingredients:
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup oil or melted butter
2 table spoons rose water / Gulaab
1 egg yolk , beaten
1 1/2 cups  flour......you may need more flour , your eyes and hands are the best measurement tools

1/2 tsp flour strengthening
pistachio silvers or powdered

Filling :

2 cups ground almonds
2 cups confectionary sugar or powdered sugar
2 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp or 3 drops of almond essence

syrup:
100 grm sugar
500 ml water
1/8 tsp  fresh lemon juice ( be careful to not use more than the given amount) ....
5 gr badka / liquide glucose or you can use honey

Direction
Dissolve the baking powder and salt into the milk

fold in 2 table spoons of oil or melted butter and egg yolk. beat them well,
add  rose water, add flour and flour strengthening  gradullay, kneed them to make a non sticky dough, you may need to add more flour if the dough is sticky,  

 put the dough in the bag and leave it to rest for 1-2 hours , meanwhile prepare the filling
mix all the filling ingredients ,
to make the syrup:
place the sugar water and lemon juice or citrik acid over a low heat. add the badka or other replacements,
since I didn't have badka or liquid glucose I added marshmallow and honey to the syrup to get the right consistency, add 2 tablespoons of  Rose water  to have a nice aromatic syrupwhen the sugar is dissolved . remove from the heat when it becomes slightly thick . set it aside to cool.


roll out the dough  as thin as you can, cut  out squares  place 1 spoonful of the almond mixture in the center of each square,

it seems that mine is really in square shape, " giggling at the  picture!",
wrap like flowers or bring the edges together and fold them like the picture below:

Bake in an oven or fry in agood deal of oil , frying is more traditional way so I chose frying them ,

then dip into the thick syrup!

remove them from the Sharbat /syrup and sparkle  with pistachio silvers or powdered pistachio

Nooshe Jaan!



Koofteh Tabrizi, Tabrizi Meatball

Is there a smell of any food that always brings back a nostalgic memory?

I would say yes!  Koofteh is  one of the dearest dishes to me ,  not because of the  delicious smell but it  reminds me of delightful  memories of the past and my Mom,  My Mom used to cook it in the  most of family gatherings and parties on special occasions like Eid days.

The following recipe of a joyful and edible   Koofteh is one of those dishes, nobody in the family or relatives could compete with her appetizing foods, especially with her aromatic flavorful Koofteh Tabrizi, So  here I am sharing  the memory of My mother’s tasty hands which can’t be replaced  by no one for me!

Ingredients:

500 gr meat (lamb or beef…I prefer to use half lamb and half beef)

¾ cup split peas

¾ cup rice ( short grain rice is better)

2 eggs or one large egg

4 large onions

1/2 cup  chopped Persian leek

1/3 cup chopped parsley 
1/3 cup chopped cilantro 

1 table spoon dried summer savory  leaves  (marzeh in Farsi)

16  dried prunes

200 gr dried sour cherries ( or barberries)

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 teaspoons turmeric

1 tea spoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
spoonful of flour or chickpeas flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 kg tomato
1 or 2 green chilies it depends on your taste, and if you like hot sauce 
1/4 cup verjuice  ...verjuice or Abghooreh  is unripe grape juice  which is sour

Water

Direction

Soak  split peas 2 hours a head 

Cook split peas until tender, scoop out the foam formed on the surface,( I prefer to drain them after bringing the water to a boil )

Cook rice until just tender  ( add  1/2 tea spoon  of turmeric to it )

 

Cook Rice until  just tender ( add 1/2 tea spoon of turmeric)

meanwhile prepare the sauce in a large pot.

saute 2 diced onions in 2 table spoons oil until golden, dice or process tomatoes in food processor, add them to fried onions, add one or 2 green chillies if you like hot sauce,  fry it for 10 minutes over a medium heat,  stir it occasionally, add 1 tsp turmeric,.....

 Then Add enough water like 3 or 4 glasses and 1/4 cup verjuice or Abghooreh, simmer over the low heat

process cooked split peas in the food processor to mash,  do the same thing with the rice , combine ground meat, mashed rice and  split peas,1 tea spoon of turmeric,1/4 tea spoon chili powder, grate 2 onions or you can   process onions in food processor or you can mince  onions, 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 table spoons savory/Marzeh, 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley, 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro and 1/2 cup finely chopped Persian leek,

Add eggs or a large egg and flour may be one or 2  table spoons but you may even need more , Kneed the mixture until to get a  dough consistency,

place a handful of the mixture in your palm  and make a well, place prunes and dried sour cherries or whatever stuffing you like, My mom used to stuff koofteh with hard boiled eggs, walnuts and fried onions and other things, so you can add other stuffing ingredients of your own choice,

If you use complete prunes not  pitted ones, warn the others about the pits to save their teeth otherwise you will need to pay for their dental  expenses!!!!

then go around the edges and seal the meat ball, I make them as size as a large fist, Play with the meat ball to shape a round ball.

you can use cloth something like cheese cloth if you want to make a perfect  gigantic meat ball!

add more water to the simmering tomato sauce season with a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, add the meat balls to the boiling sauce, cover  and simmer for an hour or until cooked,

after an hour or so your food is ready, it seems like a mission impossible but no  I know that it s possible! 

Enjoy your meal!

TIP: turkey meat  can be used as  alternative for the red meat used in this dish, 

Khoresh karafs, Celery with meat Stew

This Stew(Khoresh) is one of the popular dishes, easy but tasty, one of those kinds which can be made by every lazy single person who is not  bothered even with boiling an egg!!! what makes this food everyone's first choice is its humble ingredients like celery parsely and beef or stewing lamb and its aromatic flavor along with some sour notes,
you can cook it next time or even now for your supper table or lunch!

Ingredients : served for 4

2 large onions (peeled thinly sliced)
450 gr meat ( stewing meat , I prefer lamb) cut in 1 inch cubes
1 head ofcelery (wash teh celery wall  and cut in lengthwise ,This is about the length of an index finger)
3 cups fresh finely chopped parsely 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves finely chopped
2 table spoons  dried mint
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons  oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon turmeric

Direction

Brown onion with meat in one table spoon of oil
Add turmeric and nutmeg and 2 glasses of water , cover and let it simmer for 40 minutes
in a nonstick frying pan, fry the  chopped celery in 3 tabelspoons of oil for 10 minutes, add chopped herbs and stir fry it for 10 minutes longer, add dried mint  leaves  and stir it for 2 minutes more, then remove from the heat, add mixture of celery  to the meat , at this stage you can add salt ( if you add salt at the begining of cooking meat, meat will be hardened and it takes along time to be tender)
cover  and simmer over the low heat for about  an hour or so  or until  the meat and celery are tender and soft , after an hour add lime juice , simmer  for 5 minutes longer, taste teh stew before serving  and adjust the seasoning according to your taste,
Serve the stew with rice!
Nooshe jaan!

PS: I forgot to take pictures from cooking process!

Quttab

This cookie is irresisteable edible Almond-filled  cookie with golden and tender crust, Qottaab is a pastry filled with ground almond and sugare, this delight is originally from Yazd,


ingredients:


Dough
1/2 cup semi thick and sweet  yogurt
1/2 cup melted butter
2,1/2 cups flour
2 egg yolks 
a pinch of salt  or u can use 1/8 tea spoon  salt
1 tea spoon  baking powder
1/2 teaspoon  yeast (powdered)
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons lukewarm water
 Direction :
Dissolve the  yeast in luckwarm water, leave it for 5 mins in a warm place, whisk the egg yolks with a fork, mix the yolks with melted butter and yogurt, then add  the yeast mixture, flour, baking powder and salt to the mixture of yolks , yogurt and butter, fold them all together gradually, add more flour if it is stciky,  put teh dough ina zip lock bag, leave the dough for an hour in warm place,
 Ingredients for filling:

1 cup ground almonds
1 cup icing sugar
2 teaspoon  ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon almond extract or essense
Dusting:
1/3 cup icing sugar
1/2 teaspon ground cardamom

Roll out the dough onto a floured board. ( the thickness of the rolled dough should be 0.5 cm)

Cut out rounds using metal cookie cutter or round mold, ( 10 cm round cookie cutter)

place 2 table spoons of  the mixture  of ground almonds , icing sugar ( you can grind sugar cubes to make fine icing sugar) and ground cardamom  in the center of each round, press both sides of the dough over each other, Twist the round  carefuly to keep the filling inside , you can use piroshki press set or turnover press sets, or simply you can do it wih your hands,

Tips: brush the edge of  each round  with  water or milk, they would  work like glue
 if you dont have the press set, place the round or circle  in the palm of your hand, slightly folded, and put 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center , using your thumb and index fingers pinch and twist  the edge to seal and decorate the edge.

Arrange Quttabs nto a greased baking sheet lined wth  baking pape, bake them in a prheated oven  in  180 c o 350 degree fahrenheit,  on the middle shelf for half an hour until golden . remove fromthe oven , let them cool slightly , then dust them with  mixtue of icing sugar and ground cardamom.

In traditional way they fry quttabs instead of baking in the oven.
Noohe jaan!