Khoresh Fessenjan (or Khoresht Fesenjaan) - Iranian

Probably my favourite Iranian dish. This is a sauce made from nuts and pomegranate paste that is served over meat or chicken. I had it several times when I was first in Tehran for the Asian regional meeting for the World Conference Against Racism in 2001, and then again when I visited Iran in 2008. The sauce is a dark brown and not particularly pretty to look at but the taste is heavenly.  The basic recipe was given to me by my daughter-in-law’s father, and I make this very frequently.

1 pound walnuts, finely ground

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons, finely chopped onion

Approximately 1 cup pomegranate paste

salt and pepper to taste

• In a large heavy frying pan or pot, melt the butter and sauté the onions.
• Add the ground nuts and continue to sauté (2-3 minutes) till the nuts have absorbed the fat.
• Add 3 cups hot water.
• Cover and simmer over low fire for 30 minutes. Much of the water should boil away so you have a mixture that has the consistency of a thin porridge.
• Add the pomegranate paste and stir well over low fire.
• If the sauce is not sweet enough for your taste, add up to a half cup of sugar and stir well to dissolve. (Whether you need sugar or not depends on the kind of pomegranate paste you have. Some mixtures have the sugar added in and are like a thick smooth sauce. Other mixtures are pure pomegranate. The sauce should be tart but not sour.)
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve hot over roast chicken with rice. This can also be served over meat balls made from ground beef.

Pomegranate paste in a shop on the Caspian sea - 2008.

An alternative sauce if you have pomegranate juice and not paste. Serve it over roast chicken.

l large onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons margarine

2 tablespoons tomato sauce

2 cups walnuts, finely chopped

3½ cups water

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup fresh pomegranate juice

1 tablespoon sugar (if needed)

• Sauté the onions in the margarine until golden brown.
• Add the tomato sauce and sauté for a few more minutes.
• Add the walnuts and sauté over medium heat for an additional 5 minutes, stirring constantly to being careful not to burn the walnuts.
• Add the water, seasoning, lemon juice and pomegranate juice.
• Cover and cook on a low fire for about 35 minutes.
• Taste the sauce and add sugar if it is a little sour.
• Pour sauce over roast chicken and simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Serve with white rice.

Beet Borani - Chunky Beet and Fresh Mint Dip (Iranian)

Adapted from a recipe published by Chatelaine in 2007.

Makes 2½ cups (625 ml)

1 cup (250 ml) Balkan-style plain yoghurt  

2 large beets

1 green onion

1 small bunch mint

2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

Generous pinches of salt and pepper

• Line a sieve with cheesecloth or a new reusable kitchen cloth. (First rinse with water and then squeeze out as much liquid as possible.) 
• Place sieve over a bowl and scrape yoghurt on top of cloth. Lightly cover and leave at room temperature for at least 2 hours or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The longer you let the yoghurt drain, the thicker the yoghurt cheese will be. 
• Discard liquid in bowl. Yoghurt cheese should measure about ½ cup (125 ml).
• Slice all but 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of green tops from unpeeled beets and discard. 
• Place beets in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce heat to medium. Simmer, partially covered, until beets are fork-tender, from 30 to 40 minutes. 
• Meanwhile coarsely slice green onion. 
• Measure out about ¼ cup (50 ml) mint leaves.
• When beets are very tender, drain well. Then rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. 
• Slice off the root ends and peel beets. 
• Finely chop 1 beet and set aside. 
• Coarsely chop remaining beet and place in a food processor. 
• Add onion, ¼ cup (50 ml) mint leaves, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. 
• Whirl until coarsely puréed. 
• Add yoghurt and whirl until mixed. 
• Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. 
• Scrape into a bowl. Stir in remaining beet. 
• If not serving right away, refrigerate up to a day.
• Turn dip into a serving bowl.
• Stack several mint leaves on top of one another and thinly shred. Scatter over dip.
• Serve pita wedges for dipping.

Couscous with Orange and Pomegranate Dressing (Iranian)

Couscous is one of the easiest grains to make because you don't have to boil it. You just pour over boiling water.

200 grams couscous

200 ml boiling water

150 grams pomegranate seeds (seeds of a small pomegranate)

Handful of mint and coriander leaves, chopped

Juice of an orange

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

• Place the couscous in a shallow bowl, then pour over 200 ml boiling water. Cover the bowl with cling film or a plate, then leave for 5 mins until the couscous has swelled up and absorbed all of the water. Stir with a fork to separate the grains, then add the pomegranate seeds and herbs. 
•  Make a dressing by mixing together the orange juice, white wine vinegar and olive oil, then stir into the couscous. Season well with salt and serve.

Massoumeh's Almonds with Salt and Lemon Juice

Back in Kabul this evening (11 April, 2013), I had dinner with housemates at Guest House Charlie.  Massoumeh, my Iranian-American colleague garnished the salad with these almonds.

Almonds (in their skins, not peeled), enough to cover the bottom of a heavy skillet.
Sea salt
Lemon juice.
Hot red pepper (optional)

• Heat a heavy skillet on the top of the stove.
• Add the almonds, covering the bottom of the pan.
• Heat to roast the almonds, shaking the pan to make sure they roast evenly and do not burn. This can take about 5 minutes. You will hear popping sounds, but keep roasting and shaking. You want the almonds nicely cooked but not burned.
• Add the salt to the frying pan and shake. (How much depends on your taste.)
• Squeeze over the juice of  half a lemon (or more, depending on the size of the lemon and your taste).
• Continue to cook and share the pan until the moisture evaporates.
• If you like things really sharp, shake some chili pepper over the nuts.
• Serve in a bowl next to the salad, so people can add.

Stuffed Vine Leaves - Dolmathes (Mediterranean and Middle Eastern)

Stuffed grape vine leaves are eaten as an hors d’oeuvre throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The first recipe below is Iranian, the second two are Greek.

To prepare the vine leaves:

Grape vine leaves are now often available in many grocery stores preserved in brine (usually in 16 ounce jars which hold 50-60 leaves, packed together in three batches) or in cans.  If you use preserved vine leaves:

• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil 
• Meanwhile, carefully remove the vine leaves from the jar or can and avoid tearing them. 
• Drain and rinse the vine leaves to remove the excess salt. 
• Submerge the leaves in the boiling water to soften them in three batches, for two to three minutes per batch. 
• Transfer to a colander, rinse well in cold water and drain. 
• Carefully separate the leaves, cutting and discarding any stems.    
   
  If you use fresh leaves, prepare them  in the following way.

• Select young leaves, about the size of your hand. 
• Cut off the stems. 
• Wash them carefully and place them carefully in layers in a pot with enough water to cover them. 
•  Add a touch of salt and bring the water to the boil. 
• Simmer until the leaves are tender (about 10 minutes). 
• Put them carefully in a colander, making sure not to tear them, and let them drain and cool.

 Alternatively:

• Drop the leaves into boiling water and blanche for about 4-5 minutes, till colour of leaves changes from light to dark green. 
• Remove carefully and drain.

To stuff the leaves:

• Take a leaf and place it flat, with the heavy veins up and the shiny side down, so it will be on the outside. If the leaves are very small, you can use two together overlapping as a wrapper. 
• Place about 2 teaspoons of filling in the centre of the leaf  (how much depends on the size of the leaf. You want enough stuffing to give a nice compact roll, but note that rice will swell in the cooking, so do not over stuff). 
• Fold the sides of the leaf over the stuffing like making an envelop, and roll towards the point of the leaf. 
•  Continue until all stuffing has been used up.

To cook:

• In a large saucepan or pot, put a tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom. Then, lay down two layers of the large vine leaves to cover the bottom of the pot. 
•  Arrange the stuffed vine leaves in the pot, tightly together, with the seam side down. 
•  Add a cup of water. 
• Place a heavy plate up side down over the stuffed vine leaves to keep the leaves folded and in place during the cooking. Cover pot with a lid. 
• Cook on a low heat, adding more water if necessary, to ensure the stuffed leaves do not burn. Basically, the vine leaves are basically being steamed. 
• Remove from heat when the sauce has been absorbed (45-60 minutes).

Serve hot or cold.

Dolme-ye Barg-e Mo

(Iranian)

½ pound (250 grams) fresh or preserved grape vine leaves

½ pound (250 grams) lean ground beef

½ pound (250 grams) fresh herbs (equal amounts of parsley, chives, mint, dill, tarragon and scallions)

½ cup white rice (uncooked)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 tablespoons lime juice or vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

The Stuffing:

• Sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons of oil until it turns golden. 
• Add the meat and fry until the meat is browned. 
•  Add the tomato paste, the salt, pepper, 
• Make a mixture of 1 tablespoon sugar and 2 tablespoons lime juice or vinegar and add to the meat. Simmer until all the liquid is absorbed. 
• Clean the herbs, removing coarse stems. Wash, dry, and chop very finely. Then add the herbs to the meat. 
• Boil the rice for 15 minutes. (The rice will be partially cooked.) 
• Drain the rice and then add it to the meat and herbs. Mix well.

To stuff and cook:

•  Stuff and prepare for cooking as above. 
• Mix together the remaining tablespoon sugar and the 2 tablespoons lime juice or vinegar. 
• When stuffed vine leaves are nearly cooked (about 45 minutes), pour this mixture over the stuffed vine leaves. 
• Remove from heat when the sauce has been absorbed.

Serve hot or cold.

Dolmathes or Dolmas

(Greek)

30 grape vine leaves (prepared as above)

2 large onions, finely chopped

½ cup white rice (uncooked)

1/3 cup olive oil

4 ounces tomato sauce

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped dill (or mint)

¼ cup pine nuts

1 cup finely ground lamb, optional

2 teaspoons salt

freshly ground pepper

• In a heavy frying pan, sauté the onion in the olive oil until it turns golden. 
• If you are using the lamb, add to the frying pan and brown the meat. 
• Add the tomato sauce, herbs and seasoning and cook for a few more minutes. 
• Remove from the heat. 
• Mix in the rice and the pine nuts. 
• Use this mixture to stuff the vine leaves. 
• Cook in the same way as described above.

Dolmathes Yialantzi*

(Stuffed with Rice and Herbs)

(Greek)

16 ounce jar of vine leaves (50-60 leaves)

2/3 cup olive oil

2 medium red onions, finely chopped (about 4 cups)

1 cup finely chopped scallions (white and some green)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup raw long-grained rice

coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup freshly chopped dill

½ cup freshly chopped parsley

½ cup freshly chopped mint

2/3 cup toasted pine nuts

2½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

juice of 2 lemons (about 6 tablespoons)

• In a heavy skillet with a lid, heat 1/3 cup olive oil over medium heat. 
• Add the onion and scallions, reduce heat to medium low, and cook until the onions are very soft and translucent, about 12 minutes.
• Add the garlic and stir for a minute. 
•  Add the rice and cook stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. 
•  Add a teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper and 1 cup of water. 
• Increase the heat to medium, cover and simmer until the water is absorbed, 5-7 minutes. 
• Remove from the heat and let cool. 
• Fold in the herbs, pine nuts, and lemon zest, and season with a little more pepper. 
• Prepare leaves and put into pot as above. 
• Drizzle the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil and the lemon juice over the dolmathes. 
• Sprinkle on a few pinches of salt. 
• Put a heavy plate on top to weigh down and keep the leaves in place while cooking. 
• Slowly pour in enough water to just cover the grape leaves.\
• Bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cover the pot. 
• Simmer over low heat until the leaves are tender and the rice is cooked , 45-60 minutes. (By the time the leaves and rice are cooked, most of the liquid will have been absorbed.) 
• Remove the stuffed vine leaves from the pot with a slotted spoon, cover with damp paper towels and plastic wrap and let them cool to room temperature.  
• If not serving right away, refrigerate for up to three days and bring to room temperature before serving. 
• Serve with Greek yoghurt on the side.

 * Source:  Diane Kochilas, in Fine Cooking, August/September 2003, p. 29.