Author: Bahador Amini/ Translated by: Maryam Qarehgozlou/ Photo by: Morteza Rafikhah
Each culinary culture compromises a well-known side and another side which is hidden and only practiced in private homes, away from the eyes of tourists. Iranians’ kitchens and dishes are filled with hidden gems that are based on fruits. If we wish to describe a unique and distinctive characteristic of the Persian kitchen, throughout history and until today, it would be the use of dry or fresh fruits, fruit purée or extracts to give various distinctive flavours and create various tastes and dishes. Today, the preparation of fruit dishes and drinks is one of the commonalities of Persian cuisine nationwide. Otherwise, there is a sharp difference between the sweets, drinks and dishes made by various Iranian ethnic groups.
In this article, we are going to take a look at three widely-known gems of Persian cuisine.
Fruit paste
Making purée or adding salt to fruit were two methods of preserving extra fruit in the past. Different kinds of fruit pastes play a key role in the preparation of well-known Persian dishes, namely: fesenjan – an Iranian stew flavoured with pomegranate paste and ground walnuts; abgoosht (a juicy stew, which is traditionally prepared with legumes, spices and meat). They are also used in the preparation of stuffed chicken and fish and as condiments in many Persian stews. The best-known Persian fruit paste is made of pomegranate – a symbolic and mysterious fruit in Persian culture…
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