Persian Influences
Posted by Gail | Filed under Gail Cooks!
Persian cuisine is ancient and has adopted flavours from territories as close as Greece and Rome, and as far away as Asia. Basil, mint, cumin, cloves, saffron and coriander were traded along with olive all over the ancient trade routes. Some herbs and foods were incorporated for their medicinal value. The focus was on mixing fruit, veggies, herbs, nuts and seeds – mostly with poultry, less with meat – to strengthen the body and the mind.
The climate of Iran is perfect for growing fruits we consider “exotic” in North America. Persians not only eat their fruit fresh – fresh fruit and veggie dishes are standard sides at most meals – they incorporate fruit into their savory dishes.
I’ve always been a huge fan of mixing savory with sweet. And, of late, I’ve come upon several “national” dishes that incorporate nuts. (You’ll see nuts again when I share my recipe for South African Bobootie.)
From dates to pomegranates, oranges to peaches, quince to prunes, Persian cuisine is so willing to add the sweet to the savory that the sky’s the limit when it comes to creating interesting flavours. Add their love of cinnamon and citrus, oh the places you’ll go.
GAIL’S PERSIAN CHICKEN
- 1 bottle pomegranate juice (or the juice of a pomegranate)
- 1 large red onion chopped up
- 2 tbs butter
- black pepper?to taste
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups walnuts toasted and chopped up finely
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 3 large limes juiced
- 1 tbs molasses
- I chicken in pieces
Season chicken with black pepper. Fry the chicken in butter until golden brown. Set aside the chicken.
In the same butter, fry the onions slowly until transparent (about 10 mins).
Add the cinnamon and stir for 1 min. Add the walnuts and stir for 1 min. Add the tomato sauce, lime juice and molasses.
Add the pomegranate juice. Then add the chicken stock.
Add the chicken (and any of the juices it has produced) and let simmer until cooked (30 mins or so.)
I served it with couscous (with wild mushrooms and raisins), but it would also be good with rice, mashed potatoes and/or crusty bread for sopping up the yummy sauce. (Traditional Persian cuisine typically always includes a rice dish.)
Hint: If you double the recipe, don’t double the cinnamon.
January 25, 2012 at 7:19 am
Gail, I now have a section just for you in my saved recipes. Thank you. I love this type of food. Very exotic.
January 25, 2012 at 9:22 am
I love this dish, usually called Khoresh Fesenjan if you’e looking for it in a restaurant. I make it in my slow cooker but will certainly give this quick version a try. If you live close to international markets look for pomegranate molasses – it’s wonderful. Thanks, Gail. I look forward to more recipes.
January 25, 2012 at 9:55 am
WOW, it isn’t even 9am and I think I am ready for dinner. I love that these ingredients are so simple and easy to find.
January 25, 2012 at 11:25 am
I GOTTA TRY THAT…. I TAKE TUMERIC EVERY SINGLE DAY AS A SUPPLEMENT BECAUSE OF ALL THE BENIFITS OF THOSE SPICES.
YUMMO!
January 25, 2012 at 12:06 pm
What a great recipe! My hubby loves walnuts so this is sure to be a winner! Thanks
January 25, 2012 at 12:33 pm
Gail, my son is allergic to nuts. Do you have any suggestions to replace the walnuts? If not, I’ll just skip the recipe. LOVED your Curried Chicken recipe, and so did my husband and 2 teenagers.
January 25, 2012 at 12:50 pm
Great recipe Gail and I look forward in trying it this weekend as a have the chicken in my freezer. Sounds delicious. Looking forward to other recipes.
Thanks Gail
January 25, 2012 at 2:15 pm
I printed this recipe and am totally going to try it. Since DH and I are trying to eat at home more, we’re always looking for new dishes to try.
Thank you!
January 25, 2012 at 4:06 pm
@Linda I’m always looking for new slow cooker recipes! If you have it handy and don’t mind sharing PLEASE POST.
This looks so flavourful. Can’t wait to try it.
January 25, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Please post the slow cooker recipe and also please tell me how you would incorporate the pomegranate molasses into this..I have some in my fridge. I loooove Persian food.
January 25, 2012 at 10:05 pm
This lead up was so cruel! I was so very excited to be eating Persian food in the near future. And then my citrus allergy waved its ugly, annoying flag. Please, everyone, enjoy this meal and think of those who are missing out on delicious flavours!
January 25, 2012 at 10:06 pm
Can someone PLEASE PLEASE remind me where the curry chicken recipe was (under which blog)? I thought I had bookmarked it but it turns out I didn’t. I’d really like to try it!
Many thanks!
January 26, 2012 at 12:17 am
@Mees:
Here is the recipe you’re searching for, only I altered it when I copied it because I’m a vegetarian. (Just supplement veggie stock for chicken stock and tofu for chicken.
Gail’s Curry
• 1 potato
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 red pepper
• 1 diced carrot
• 1 cup green beans (and/or broccoli)
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1 can water chestnuts
• 1 can baby corn
• 1 can bamboo shoots
• 2 ripe bananas (peeled and sliced)
• 1 apple (diced)
• 1 heaping tablespoons curry (I use a combination of Malaysian and West Indian)
• 1 cup veggie stock
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1-2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 1 heaping teaspoon garlic
• 1 large onion diced
• 3 tablespoons oil (I use peanut; it needs to get pretty hot)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (I use Scotch Bonnet sauce ‘cos it’s my fav) or to taste
1. Start by stir-frying the tofu with 1.5 tablespoons of oil, the soy sauce and the diced onion until golden brown. Set aside.
2. In the same pan, add remaining oil, garlic, and curry. Heat until curry sizzles to release the flavours.
3. Add the coconut milk. Then add the stock.
4. Add the tofu and everything else except the green beans.
5. Let simmer for about an hour at a low to medium temp till the flavours are set.
6. Add the beans (and/or fresh broccoli) at the very end just before serving so those things keep their texture and colour.
Serve with white rice or on its own (since it has the potatoes in it.)
Vegetarians can simply leave out the chicken and add some veggie stock instead.
The recipe is a synch to double to feed a multitude. It freezes like a dream, so you can sock it away for those nights you just don’t want to cook.
January 26, 2012 at 12:28 am
This is a recipe I make all the time because it’s fast, cheap, and really, really tasty. I hope you like it!
Zucchini Pie
4 cups of sliced zucchini
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
¼ cup of butter
½ cup chopped parsley
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp oregano
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp garlic salt or powder
¼ tsp basil
2 eggs well beaten
1 roll of Pillsbury crescent rolls
2 tsp wet mustard
2 cups shredded cheese
Spread crescent rolls into a pie plate to create a crust. Cover with wet mustard.
Cook butter, onion and zucchini until tender. Add parsley and spices. Add eggs to cheese, and then to veg mixture and pour into the pie plate. Cook at 375 for 18-20 minutes, and let stand for 10 minutes before eating.
January 30, 2012 at 1:22 pm
I made this over the weekend and loved it!
January 30, 2012 at 11:15 pm
@ AlohaCanuck – thanks so much for the recipes! You rock!