Persian cuisine has long been a major influence in food trends, the royal kitchens of ancient Persian empires were influential and famous for their cooking. Persia, now known as Iran, has long been geographically and historically significant since it connects the Middle East with the Far East, contain influences from ancient Greece, Rome, and many other Asian and Mediterranean influences.
Now there is a new cookbook that celebrates the rich culinary culture of Persia. PERSIAN DELICACIES: Jewish Foods for Special Occasions by Angela Cohan celebrates the foods of her homeland along with traditions from her Persian Jewish heritage.
“I was inspired to compile the specialty recipes of my mother, my late grandmothers, other family members, and friends in this cookbook,” Angela explains. “This book is as much theirs as it is mine. It is a tribute to my heritage as a Persian Jewish woman as well as an evolution of recipes since living and cooking in the United States for the past three decades.”
Fruits, spices, and herbs are used prominently in Persian cuisine. Angela uses fresh and organic products in her recipes representing a fusion of traditional foods with a healthy, modern approach. Typical Iranian main dishes are combinations of rice, meat, vegetables, and nuts. Although kabobs are always on the menu at Persian restaurants, they represent only a small sampling of the dishes Persians eat at home. Many of the recipes in the book can be prepared as vegetarian.
“To accommodate the different tastes and lifestyle choices of my readers, I present vegetarian and vegan alternatives to dishes that are traditionally cooked with meat. In addition, I offer many gluten-free and dairy-free options for readers who have food sensitivities or diet restrictions.”
Persian Delicacies: Jewish Foods for Special Occasions supports the movement toward eating nourishing, whole, and unprocessed foods. The cookbook advocates a mindful approach to eating and savoring every meal.
“Recreating these dishes connects me to my roots and brings back the tastes and smells of home for me. I hope you enjoy this cookbook as much as I enjoyed creating it.”
Twitter: @angelacohan
LinkedIn: @angelacohan
Instagram: @angelacohan
Facebook: Angela Cohan
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
Website: angelacohan.com
Recipes and photos reprinted with permission from
PERSIAN DELICACIES: Jewish Foods for Special Occasions by Angela Cohan
Clyde Publishing Inc./September 2021
GONDI (Meatballs) Serves 8
Jewish Persian Americans serve Gondi (chickpea flour meatballs) on Friday nights for Shabbat dinner. Most of my family members eat Gondi as an appetizer by making a Gondi sandwich with lavash or pita bread, sweet basil, and radishes. Gondi can also be served as a soup.
• 1 medium onion
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled (optional)
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound ground chicken, preferably organic
• 1 ½ cups chickpea flour
SOUP INGREDIENTS:
• 6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock (or broth)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place the onion and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the oil, egg, salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and pepper.
2. Add the ground chicken and chickpea flour and stir gently.
3. In a large pot bring the stock to a simmer, then add salt and turmeric and bring to a boil.
4. Form the Gondi mixture into 3-inch balls and drop them into the broth.
5. Return to a boil, reduce the heat, cover the pot, and cook until the Gondi is tender, about 1 hour. Serve with or without the broth.
Serve warm.
OLOVIEH SALAD (Potato Salad) Serves 4
This is a popular salad that can be served as an appetizer or as a sandwich. Some cooks add cooked chicken to their Olovieh salad. This is a vegetarian version. If you don’t like to use mayonnaise, smashed avocado is a great alternative. Loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids and fiber, avocados have more potassium than bananas.
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cooked
• 2 eggs, hardboiled, room temperature
• 2 large pickles, chopped
• 6 ounces cooked or canned green peas
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise (or smashed avocado)• Cherry tomatoes and red radishes (optional, for garnish)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Once cooked, peel the potatoes and mash them in a bowl.
2. Peel the eggs and chop or smash them into 1-inch pieces. Add to the potatoes.
3. Add the pickles and the peas to the bowl.
4. Add the mayonnaise and mix the salad well. Top with
tomatoes, sliced radishes, or pickles.
Serve with crackers, pita, or lavash bread.
Angela Cohan moved from Tehran, Iran to southern California in 1979, where she continued her early education. She attended UCLA, where she studied psychology and achieved Masters’ degrees in Journalism and Mass Communications. Angela formerly worked as editor for The Iranian Jewish Chronicle and is currently a contributing writer for Cultural Weekly. Angela is a member of PEN USA, an organization that defends and promotes freedom of expression domestically and internationally. She is a mentor at Young Story Tellers Foundation and a member of the National Honor Society. Angela’s award-winning work has been featured in Wildbound PR, The Jewish Journal, Public Poetry Series, I’ll Have Wednesday, FR&D and OntheBus literary journals. Persian Delicacies: Foods for Special Occasions is her first cookbook.
No comments:
Post a Comment