http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/118920289.html
Duo of books on kosher and classic cooking of Iran lets Persian fare perfume any dinner table.
BY CATHERINE DEHDASHTI, Special to the Star Tribune
I felt my mother-in-law looking down from heaven with concern as I spooned chicken consommé powder into the Persian Noodle Soup from the new cookbook "Persian Food From the Non-Persian Bride and Other Kosher Sephardic Recipes You Will Love!" by Reyna Simnegar (Feldheim Publishers, 374 pages, $34.99). As the mother of five boys, the author acknowledges the need to take some shortcuts here and there.
The story of how an International Economics graduate who grew up in Venezuela became an authority on Persian (Iranian) kosher food is often hilarious. Simnegar recounts how her Jewish Iranian mother-in-law taught her the secrets of Persian cuisine so that her grown-up son wouldn't starve.
I've found a soul sister in Simnegar because I am also a non-Persian bride. I learned to cook when my mother-in-law came for a visit that lasted seven years. It can be intimidating to prepare an unfamiliar cuisine, but this author has a gift for untangling the secrets and simplifying the process for others. It's a welcome resource as my family celebrates the Persian New Year, which began March 20 and continues for 13 days.
Simnegar discovered her Sephardic Jewish heritage at age 12 when her aunt whispered it to her. She didn't even know there were Iranian Jews until she met her husband.
"I really thought he was joking," she writes. "I thought that just like Persepolis lay in ruins, any trace of the descendants of Queen Esther and her people were laid in ruins." The history of Jews in Iran goes back 2,700 years, and small Jewish communities maintain a presence among their Muslim neighbors there today.
Simnegar initially only planned to assemble a recipe guide for her "future daughters in-law who will need guidance on how to make their husbands happy." Her judicious time-savers should be appreciated in years to come, no matter who's doing the cooking.
In addition to recipes for Jewish holidays, Sabbath days, and busy weeknights, Simnegar's book highlights the history of Iranian Jews and has a section on finding kosher ingredients. (It's not difficult to cook kosher Persian food; the main challenge is to separate meat from dairy.) Cooking and grocery-shopping video tutorials can be found on the author's website: www.kosherpersian food.com.
A classic is reborn
"Is this Persian?" my husband, Mohammad, asked. With pistachios ground into the meat and a pomegranate glaze, the meatballs tasted like food from the country he had left 32 years ago. But his mother had never made these meatballs. Were they from a different region? Or were they a new creation?
Pistachio and Pomegranate Meatballs is one of 330 recipes in the 25-year anniversary edition of Najmieh Batmanglij's tome on Persian cooking "Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies" (Mage Publishers, 640 pages, $54.95). It's a beautifully photographed mix of Persian-inspired creations and classics, cradled in poetry, that also serves as a primer on Persian culture, ritual and traditions. Since my mother-in-law passed on, I'd turned to the previous edition regularly. This 640-page edition will surely answer any question I'd ever ask.
Chapters on breads and pastries, preserves and candies have been on my testing menu as I plan my spring holiday entertaining. While my oven will never turn out perfect Middle Eastern bakery-style flatbreads, the other recipes have given excellent results. Not all recipes are for everyone. Lamb brain patties, for example, won't be frying in my kitchen anytime soon, nutritious though they may be.
Iranians prefer basmati rice, and even those who have switched to brown basmati will switch back to the fluffy, long white grains for Persian New Year dinners. I noticed with skepticism Batmanglij's addition of rose water to the rice in the new edition. Basmati rice is aromatic enough, I thought. But I was surprised. It didn't taste too floral to serve with savory foods; it just took the basmati flavor to another level. My husband ate an entire bowl full, sprinkled with tart powder of sumac berries, before I finished making anything to go with it.
Beware of the boiling times given for her rice recipes, though. While she does stipulate that cooking times will vary depending on the rice variety, I have never cooked any white rice longer than her minimum cooking time without it turning to mush.
An abundance of herbs, fruit, citrus, flower waters and saffron perfumes Persian dishes. Artistic presentation is sometimes whimsical and often elegant, yet nutritious and even healing. "I believe that the same qualities that govern the Persian arts -- a particular feeling for the 'delicate touch,' letafat -- govern the art of Persian cuisine," writes Batmanglij.
Either cookbook will help American cooks, or the youngest generation of Iranian-Americans, discover the art of Persian cooking.
Catherine Dehdashti, a freelance writer from Eagan, can be reached at cdehdashti@yahoo.com.
WHERE TO BUY PERSIAN INGREDIENTS
• Caspian Bistro, 2418 University Av. SE., Mpls., 612-623-1113. Closed Mondays. Caspian Bistro carries the Sadaf (a kosher company) brand of many needed ingredients.
• Holy Land, a Middle Eastern grocery store, carries most ingredients needed for Persian cooking. Main store: 2513 Central Av. NE., Mpls., 612-781-2627. Midtown Global Market store: 920 E. Lake St., Suite 145, Mpls. (located in the former Sears Building), 612- 870-6104.
• http://www.kalamala.com/ is an online Middle Eastern grocery store featuring Persian, Kurdish, Armenian, Turkish and Afghani products.
PISTACHIO AND POMEGRANATE MEATBALLSNote: Although the author does not list ground beef as a substitute for lamb and the other options, it is perfectly acceptable. Holy Land Deli and Caspian Bistro carry grape molasses. From "Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies," by Najmieh Batmanglij.
Meatballs:
• 1 small onion, peeled and cut into quarters
• 11/2 c. pistachios or hazelnuts, shelled
• 1/2 c. bread crumbs
• 11/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 2 lb. ground lamb (or chicken thighs or fish fillets), boned and skinned
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. oil, butter or ghee (clarified butter)
Glaze:
•3/4 c. pomegranate molasses (also called pomegranate syrup)
• 1/4 c. honey, or grape molasses (see Note)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Garnish:
• Sprigs of basil, sprouts, mint
• Chopped pistachios
• 1/2 c. fresh pomegranate seeds (when in season)
Directions
To make the meatballs: In a food processor, pulse together the onion, nuts, bread crumbs, parsley, tarragon, lime juice, red pepper flakes, black pepper, cumin and sea salt until you have a grainy paste.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the meat and egg. Lightly knead with your hands for a few minutes (do not overmix). Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Generously oil a wide, nonreactive baking dish and set aside.
Remove the paste from the refrigerator and shape into bite-sized balls (about 11/2 tablespoons each). Place the meatballs in the baking dish and brush well with oil. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
To make the glaze: In a mixing bowl combine the pomegranate molasses, honey, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Taste for a balance between sweet and sour -- add more honey if the pomegranate molasses you have used is too sour.
Reduce the oven to 400 degrees. Glaze the meatballs and bake for another 5 minutes to infuse them with the flavor of the pomegranate. Adjust seasoning to taste. If too sour add more honey; if too sweet add more pomegranate molasses. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
Place the meatballs with glaze/sauce in deep serving dish and garnish.
RICE COOKER-STYLE SAFFRON-FLAVORED RICE
Serves 6.
Note: Because recipes for traditional Persian rice are very long with multiple footnotes, consider this simpler method. Rice cookers vary -- if your rice cooker automatically shuts off before the required amount of time needed to make the crunchy golden crust, leave it off for a few minutes and try restarting it. If it won't restart, you'll still have perfect rice but you won't have the golden crust. This recipe calls for a lot of salt (1 tablespoon). From "Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies," by Najmieh Batmanglij.
• 3 c. long-grain white basmati rice
• 4 c. water
• 1 tbsp. sea salt (see Note)
• 3/4 c. oil, butter or ghee (clarified butter)
• 1/4 tsp. saffron, ground by mortar and pestle, and dissolved in 1 tbsp. hot water or rose water
• Optional flavorings: 4 cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves, 2 bay leaves or a few kaffir lime leaves
Directions
Wash the rice by placing it in a large container and covering it with lukewarm water. Agitate gently with your hand, then pour off the water. Repeat five times until the rice is completely clean. If using long-grain American or Texmati rice, it is not necessary to wash the rice.
Combine the rice, 4 cups water, sea salt and oil in the rice cooker. If using any of the optional additional flavorings, include them now too. Gently stir with a wooden spoon and start the cooker.
After 1 hour, pour saffron water over the top of rice and unplug rice cooker.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes without uncovering the pot.
Remove lid and place a round serving dish over the pot. Hold the dish and the pot tightly together and turn them over to unmold the rice. The rice will be shaped like a cake. Cut into wedges and serve.
PERSIAN NOODLE SOUP
Serves 8.
Note: For kosher Jewish cooking, garnish with Tofutti brand parve sour cream instead of yogurt, since kosher cooking does not mix dairy and meat products, including the chicken consommé powder that is in this recipe (it is also common to add meatballs to this soup). From "Persian Food From the Non-Persian Bride and Other Kosher Sephardic Recipes You Will Love!," by Reyna Simnegar.
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 tbsp. canola oil
• Dash turmeric
• 9 c. water
• 4 tsp. chicken consommé powder (parve)
• 1 (15.5-oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 c. lentils, washed
• 1 (15.5-oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 c. chopped parsley (1 bunch, stems discarded)
• 1 c. chopped cilantro (1 bunch, stems discarded)
• 4 oz. (about 2 c.) linguine noodles broken into 2-in. pieces
• Caramelized onions, crushed dried mint, dollop of yogurt or Tofutti sour cream, for garnish
Directions
In a 6-quart saucepan, sauté onions in oil and turmeric until translucent. Add water, consommé powder, kidney beans, lentils and chickpeas. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, parsley and cilantro. Return to a boil; then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Add noodles and boil until noodles are done (about 15 minutes)
Garnish with yogurt or parve sour cream, dried mint and caramelized onions.
SHIRAZI SALAD
Makes 3 cups.
Note: Reyna Simnegar's husband grew up in Shiraz, Iran, home to a once-large Jewish community that was historically connected to the wine industry there. People of all religions, and in all regions of Iran, enjoy the famous salad from Shiraz. From "Persian Food From the Non-Persian Bride and Other Kosher Sephardic Recipes You Will Love!," by Reyna Simnegar.
Salad
• 2 large tomatoes, washed and diced into 1/4-in. squares
• 1/2 red or white onion, peeled and diced into small squares
• 1 large English seedless cucumber (or 1 regular cucumber), diced into small squares
• 3/4 c. chopped mint leaves or 1/4 c. dried mint leaves
Dressing
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• Juice of 3 limes (1/2 c. lime juice)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• Fresh mint or cilantro leaves , for garnish
Directions
Mix together the tomatoes, onion, cucumber and mint.
Right before serving, make dressing by whisking together olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Toss with salad, and garnish with fresh mint or cilantro leaves.
Makes 14 pieces.
Note: This is a traditional treat for Persian New Year. Simnegar says it is also commonly enjoyed by Iranian Jews during Passover because it contains none of the grains or leavening agents that are not consumed during this feast of unleavened bread. Spray the spoon you use to make this recipe with canola oil to prevent the brittle from sticking to it. From "Persian Food From the Non-Persian Bride and Other Kosher Sephardic Recipes You Will Love!"
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1/4 c. canola oil
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. crushed saffron
• 1 c. slivered almonds
• 1/4 c. crushed pistachios, for garnish
Directions
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. It is not necessary to oil the parchment paper if you have a hard-edged metal spatula. Set aside.
Pour honey, oil and sugar into the middle of a small saucepan. The ingredients should form a pyramid; make sure they do not touch the sides of the pan. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, uncovered.
Reduce heat to medium and add saffron and almonds. Mix well. Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until a candy thermometer reads 285 degrees.
Remove from heat immediately and quickly spoon portions of the syrup (forming pools about 2 inches in diameter) onto prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle each portion with crushed pistachios. Allow to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes or until hardened. (It will be easier to remove with a metal spatula once it is completely hardened.)
