A long long time ago when I was in college I had the wonderful opportunity to experience fine Persian cooking first hand. Last week, our friend and colleague Parvaneh Holloway invited us to her house for an exquisite Persian lunch, a magical blend of flavors, textures and scents. Each dish in the meal complemented the others, the range of flavors was breathtaking. Parvaneh is teaching a course in Persian cooking at the Omega Institute, you’ll find information about it here. Try some of these recipes and take a culinary voyage to a great cuisine. Read More »
Parvaneh’s Authentic Persian Recipes:
Persian Rice with Edemame
Persian Marzipan, “Toot”
Persian Spices Blend
Mast Esphenaj, Persian Yogurt with Spinach
Mast O Bademjan, Persian Eggplant Dip
Ash, a Persian Soup
Persian Meatballs with Beef and Lamb
Persian Meatballs with Chicken and Turkey
Ranginak, Persian Date Cake
Here is a great new recipe by our good friend and lovely lady, Parvaneh Holloway. She is of Persian descent and a knowledgeable teacher, showing others how to cook Persian food using traditional family recipes that were handed down to her by her father. We liked it so much, we’ve combined all the ingredients in our Organic Persian Spice Mix Collection for you to try at home.
2 tablespoons ground Cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground Cardamom
½ teaspoon ground Peppercorn
¼ teaspoon ground Turmeric
1 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground Cumin
½ teaspoon ground Coriander
Combine all the spices and mix well. Store in an airtight jar.
4 cups Yogurt
1 large Onion, peel and finely chop
3 cloves Garlic, crushed
2 medium Eggplant
1 teaspoon Persian Spices Blend
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Saffron, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water
1/2 large Lemon
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 teaspoons Dried Mint
Bake whole Eggplants on a cookie tray in a preheated oven at 400F for 30 minutes, or when eggplant collapses and the centers are tender. Carefully remove skin (you can use rubber gloves to prevent burning your hands when you are peeling the eggplant). Chop finely, set aside.
Heat olive oil in a skillet, and sauté onions until golden brown. Add spices, salt and pepper, and dissolved saffron. Combine with the eggplant and cook tor 5 – 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and mint.
Chill before adding to yogurt. Decorate with a sprinkle of mint.
Serve as side dish with rice and meet dishes.
Her real cooking skills began in London in the late 70’s. Every week she would receive at least one air mail letter from her father containing his ‘Persian recipes’ that he wanted to share. Her mother created a small cookbook of her finest ‘English recipes’ that she loved to share.These treasured gifts have formed the fertile foundation of her culinary experience and her commitment to nutrition and health.
Being fortunate to have lived in Malaysia, North Africa, France, Iran, England and America, she has acquired a broad lexicon of local cooking knowledge and continues to expand her skills. Most importantly, growing up in Iran gave her exposure to ancient culinary traditions and enhanced her dedication to using seasonal, local produce, and to preparing ingredients in such a way as to bring forth the most in nutrition and flavor.
Says Parvaneh: “I believe that the over 37 years of cooking experience, briefly described to you here, has been a great privilege bestowed on me for which I am deeply grateful. Now I feel it is time to share my passion for cooking, especially Persian cuisine.”