What Do You Know About Iranian Cuisine?

Stig

To help jolly-along the World Cup my family are taking turns at having a series of cuisine days to match the football. Wanting to do my best to support Reza, I've volunteered to cook Iranian style next Saturday when Iran play Argentina. The trouble is, I don't have the slightest clue what they eat in Iran. Anyone got any ideas or, better still, recipes?

Also what do they drink? I have a horrible feeling that as a predominantly muslim country they don't partake. But that won't go down well at home as Mrs Stig is allergic to soft drinks.

se9addick

I was hoping to watch an Iran game in an Iranian bar in London but I'm not sure if any exist for the same reason.

swedey

I would suggest you google persian food and see what recipes you like on the top results there. I think that the cuisine typically involves lamb and rice.

Goonerhater

im sure there use to be an Iranian/Persian restaurant in Edgeware road

Hartleypete

It's normally "the dogs bollocks".

Shag

I like this idea , I had a burrito for lunch and I'm gonna have a chilli tonight

ColinTat

Tweet Jay Lloyd Samuel.

HarryLime

I was years ago in Turkey and met some Iranians, apparently under the Shah Iran was one of the biggest producers of wine in the world and Shiraz in particular a poplar grape variety.
For your recipes:
http://www.aashpazi.com/

A-R-T-H-U-R

Great idea Stig - like it

Does this help?
http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/iranian-restaurants.php

Having spent time there in the 90's I remember Milk Shake bars being the equivalent of our pubs - all male and very board-game based activities.
At least when I was there you could be lashed for drinking wine, and not in a good way!

Oakster

Ottolenghi, as ever, is your friend - you might want some chicken or lamb with it though

http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/iranian-vegetable-stew-with-dried-lime-shop

Absurdistan

Get down the kebab shop

Sir_Clive

In case you're struggling for what to wash this, or any of your other world cuisines down with;

http://imgur.com/oiWHSpf

Robbo on the wing

sausage,chips and beans.

Leroy Ambrose

Iranian food, like all middle eastern food, is absolutely f***ing lovely. Lots of falafel, rice, lamb and stuff. Plenty of fruit - apricots & plums especially and they use a lot of lime and cinnamon as flavourings.

Quite similar to Lebanese, if you've ever had that.

Mortimerician

Have bacon sandwiches and hide them if there's a knock at the door.

Stig said:

Also what do they drink? I have a horrible feeling that as a predominantly muslim country they don't partake. But that won't go down well at home as Mrs Stig is allergic to soft drinks.

Yes I think they might be a bit Muslimy, so if you're going for the authentic feel you'll have to go without the carling. Also do this one early as Ramadan falls within the tournament so you'll be hank Marvin waiting for dark to fall to tuck into your sheeps ballocks

stilladdicted

Ottolenghi and accept no substitutes. Make all your own spices and buy them fresh. It is simply the finest, most varied and yet simple vegetarian cuisine in the world, and you can add can goat or knackered and radioactive lamb if that takes your fancy. You also need to learn how to de-seed pomegranates and as it involves knocking hell out of them, it is also very therapeutic. Merchant Gourmet giant couscous is a very good add on.

MuttleyCAFC

Leroy Ambrose said:

Iranian food, like all middle eastern food, is absolutely f***ing lovely. Lots of falafel, rice, lamb and stuff. Plenty of fruit - apricots & plums especially and they use a lot of lime and cinnamon as flavourings.

Quite similar to Lebanese, if you've ever had that.

I like my fruit after my meal - not served with my meat.

stilladdicted

MuttleyCAFC said:

Leroy Ambrose said:

Iranian food, like all middle eastern food, is absolutely f***ing lovely. Lots of falafel, rice, lamb and stuff. Plenty of fruit - apricots & plums especially and they use a lot of lime and cinnamon as flavourings.

Quite similar to Lebanese, if you've ever had that.

I like my fruit after my meal - not served with my meat.

Pork and apple sauce ?

MuttleyCAFC

stilladdicted said:

MuttleyCAFC said:

Leroy Ambrose said:

Iranian food, like all middle eastern food, is absolutely f***ing lovely. Lots of falafel, rice, lamb and stuff. Plenty of fruit - apricots & plums especially and they use a lot of lime and cinnamon as flavourings.

Quite similar to Lebanese, if you've ever had that.

I like my fruit after my meal - not served with my meat.

Pork and apple sauce ?

Yes, I pass on the apple sauce - don't like apples in my sausages either but like a nice apple on its own. I have to pick all the raisins out of my coronation chicken sandwich.

guinnessaddick

Just chew on a couple of camel toes.

MuttleyCAFC

lol, good job I finished that sandwich before you posted that!

Stig

Cheers for the ideas everyone. I'll do some investigations.

It seems from this article, at least, that drinking is historically quite important culturally. It's only Johnny come lately mad mullahs imposing their will on people that stop people from drinking.

cafcfan

Is couscous used in Iranian cuisine? That stuff is disgusting. I'd rather eat spinach.

Shrew

this recipe for an Iranian rice dish looks a bit scrummy

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/sep/28/iranian-rice-pepper-soup-recipe

O-Randy-Hunt

@Stig‌

after doing my research, if the service is good and you give it to them in the box, im sure it will go down easy.

Stig

That might be a winner, Shrew. As much as I love giant cous cous, my family all have views very similar to cafcfan.

ColinTat

Doubt if you've ever had couscous, it's a dish that takes a day to prepare. Whilst you were probably eating semolina from a packet. Proper couscous is delicately delicious.

vff

Couscous is Moroccan / North African. Wrong continent.

Iranian is rice and flat bread.

centurion

Have taught Iranian students and they showed me some good Iranian restaurants in the west of London - Shepherds Bush/Ealing direction - kebabs, chicken and meat on skewers, rice, flat bread, and this yoghurt drink called dok - good news on the drinking front - they do it in secret!

centurion

And here's some Uruguayan cuisine for next week -
http://www.mis-recetas.org/recetas/show/38143-chivito-uruguayo
http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/snacksstreetfood/r/chivito.htm
It has to be this big for Suarez to be able to bite it. Or maybe this is where he got his biting skills from.

cafcfan

ColinTat said:

Doubt if you've ever had couscous, it's a dish that takes a day to prepare. Whilst you were probably eating semolina from a packet. Proper couscous is delicately delicious.

I don't know mate it was in Morrocco & Tunisia, - do they have packets? Once served as a dessert, once with some indeterminate meat. On both occasions I was left distinctly underwhelmed and thinking that you'd only eat it if you couldn't afford anything - and I mean anything - else.
Of course it has almost no flavour at all itself relying upon whatever additives are available. But like semolina and pasta it's just durum wheat of course. The preparation process seems to take any "al dente" element out of it altogether leaving some sort of mush.