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A Taste of Persia at Pesto's ...
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Iranian food is inventive, rich and varied. It
is exotic yet simple, healthy and colorful. Iranian food is not
spicy. Herbs are used a lot, as is fruit from plums and
pomegranates to quince, prunes, and raisins. The main Persian
cuisines are combinations of rice with meat, chicken or fish and
plenty of garlic, onion, vegetables, nuts, and herbs. To achieve a
delicious taste and a balanced diet, unique Persian spices such as
saffron, diced limes, cinnamon, and parsley are mixed delicately
and used in some special dishes. |
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From cultural point of view, Persian food has always been
considered to be an art providing enjoyment to both body &
mind. Consuming food is a way of weakening or strengthening human
character. Consuming a lot of red meat and fats was thought to
create the evil thoughts and to make us selfish. However, consuming a healthy diet including
fruits, vegetables, fish, fowl, mixed petals & blossoms of
roses create unusual powers & make us gentle & noble
creatures. |
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Rice usually flavored with saffron is a
staple, along with vegetables. Iranian rice from the rainy plains
of Mazandaran and Guilan is considered by many not only Iranians to
be one of the world's best. |
In Iran rice is
served in two basic ways, either as polo or
chelo. Chelo is rice prepared in several stages,
boiled, steamed and served separately. Polo, often called
pilaf in the West, is the name applied to rice with which other
ingredients are mixed in the cooking process. The rice is always
fluffy and tender, never sticky and soggy. Saffron is very
frequently used to flavor and color rice. The preparation
of polo is indeed an art, and the Iranians are the
connoisseurs of this art. Although rice has been known as the
product of China and India, the only way the people of these
countries know how to prepare rice is just by plain boiling. But
Iranians, who have introduced the art of cooking rice to their
neighboring countries, consider polo as the essence of an
exquisite dinner, steaming it and using other various
methods.
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Chelo kebab is the queen of all
kebabs and is a specialty of Iran. Most people know what shish
kebab is, and many of them have already tried it either in
Middle Eastern restaurants or have made it themselves at
home.
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But be sure you have never tasted chelo
kebab unless you have visited a good Iranian restaurant.
Chelo kebab is derived form two words; chelo,
meaning cooked rice, and kebab, meaning broiled meat or
fowl. To prepare the real chelo kebab one should use fillet or
lamb. The secret of good and tasty chelo kebab lies in marinating
of the meat. The meat should be properly marinated in onion juice
and sometimes in yogurt for a day or two. |
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One of the most celebrated dishes is
Ghormeh Sabzi, a subtle concoction of lamb, herbs, and
lemon that takes great skill and hours to prepare. Another is Fesenjan, chicken in a
pomegranate sauce with walnuts.
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Dolmeh, the Iranian stuffed,
usually stands for any kind of vegetable and fruit stuffed with
meat and rice. Dolmeh Barg, literally meaning stuffed
leaves, is the name for stuffed grape leaves. This is a real
favorite of the Middle Eastern nations. It is difficult to trace
the origin of this dish. Whether it originated in the vine-growing
regions of the Caucasus or in the Middle East is not known for
sure. Whatever its origin, it is the favorite dish of Turkmans,
Tajiks, Uzbeks, Azarbaijanis, Armenians, Turks, Greeks, Arabs
and the Iranians. Khoresh in Persian stands for a
stew type of sauce, which is usually prepared with meat or fowl
combined with fresh or dried vegetables, fresh or dried fruit, and
sometimes nuts and cereals. The word Kufteh, which literally
means pounded in Persian, refers to any type of ground meat that
has been formed into a meatball. Iranians make a variety of
meatballs and use them in soups, khoreshes, and as a basis
for quick meals. It is said that the best kufteh is made
in Azerbaijan, and that Azerbaijanis have the
secret of the best-flavored kufteh. Kufteh
Tabrizi is the most famous variety of kufteh prepared
in Iran. Kuku is a type of dish usually made
of vegetables and eggs. Eggs are the bases for these casserole
dishes and serve as the binding agent. Maast (yogurt), which is now
popular in the West, had been known to the Middle Easterners by
different names. In Iran, yogurt is the food of the rich
as well as the poor. Walking down the avenues at lunch hour in
major cities, you will see the mason cobbler, the carpenter, the
storekeeper, and all using yogurt as a part of their daily food. In
Iranian restaurants, you will find yogurt served in many different
forms. Yogurt may be served with diced
cucumbers, Spinach, green onions, chopped fresh dill, and a pinch
of salt and pepper as a salad dish. As a dessert or as a pick up
between meals, yogurt can be served with meals, used to make very delicious
warm or cold soup, or served as a dessert. For generations,
Iranians have served yogurt as a soft drink in summer as
well. This drink has served as a perfect substitute for salt
tablets. |
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