Which countries are part of the Middle East varies depending on who you ask. From a food perspective, the flavours of Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Palestine (the Levant), Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, The UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar (the countries of the Arabian Gulf), Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt (North Africa) all have a lot in common. The influences crosses borders to neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Xinjjiang in China, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Sudan, Somalia, Zanzibar and Greece too; as well as the Middle Eastern/Arabic influence on Malaysian and Indonesian cuisines.
Beetroot Leaf Boorani Fresh crisp beetroot leaves make a great addition to a salad or a Persian herb platter (sabzi khordan), but they tend not to be valued in Australia. They’re generally chopped off the beets and thrown out, so they’re usually not in great condition; but it’s surprising what a good soak in a […]
Sharbat Sekanjabin Sharbat is Persian cordial, a syrup flavoured with fruits and/or flowers, usually with a sour touch, that’s then diluted with water and served over ice. The word is related to sherbet, sorbet, shrub (in the drinks sense) and syrup, via the Arabic šariba meaning ‘to drink’. Sharbat sekanjabin, made from honey, white wine […]
Pomegranate Juice I’ve enjoyed ob’eh anar, freshly squeezed pomegranate juice, from street stalls all over Tehran; some are even open through the night, especially in summer, to refresh late night workers and people on their way home from an evening out. Pomegranates are native to Iran and steeped in symbolism, representing fertility, life and rebirth […]
Paloudeh Talebi (Rockmelon Slushie) Paloudeh talebi are rockmelon slushies sold by street vendors and made in homes throughout summer in Iran; paloudeh is a variation of the word faloodeh, Persia’s famous rose water, lime and noodle granita. These Persian rockmelon slushies can be simply fresh rockmelon chunks blitzed up with ice and a little sugar […]
Doogh (Persian Yoghurt Drink) Yoghurt is popular throughout the Middle Eastern region, dolloped onto rice, stirred through vegetables for a tangy dip, and often blended into refreshing drinks. In Iran, it’s used to make doogh (also written dugh), a slightly salty, minty, fizzy drink that’s most typically enjoyed with kabob koobideh (minced lamb kebabs). It […]
Kashke Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Dip) Bademjan is Farsi for eggplant, kashk is fermented whey, and kashke bademjan (roasted eggplant dip) is one of my favourite Persian dishes. My friend Parya-joon made a huge bowl of it for my last birthday party which was a great hit! It uses the same garnishes as the classic Iranian […]
Persian Omelet What Persians call omelet is more like what I would call scrambled egg with tomato. It’s usually not a pretty dish, but it is a tasty one that appears on almost every breakfast menu in Iran. Typically the egg is finely scrambled so that it’s a creamy red mass, I opt for a […]
Persian Halva Halva, meaning ‘sweet’ in Arabic, is popular throughout the Middle East and Indian subcontinent. Unlike the tahini version often seen, Persian halva is made from a flour and butter dough, flavoured with two of Persia’s most popular ingredients: saffron and rose water. It’s always made for special occasions including weddings and funerals and […]
Savoury Künefe I love the flavours in the pasirma börek in our Month of Turkish and am impressed by how deliciously easy the sweet kunefe is. So I wondered what would happen if we combined them. Here’s the answer: a simple, crunchy, messy, delicious savoury kunefe! Be inspired to vary the filling. As long as […]
For a short time during my travels around Turkey I helped out in a friend’s cay evi (tea house) and became quite a dab hand at making Turkish coffee, called kahvesi. The trick to getting that prized thick foam on top is removing the pot – called a cezve (pronounced jez-VEY) – from the heat […]
