The beautiful country of Iran shares its its borders with Türkiye, Iraq, Azerbaijan and Oman. Iranian food is loved all through the world. Every country has restaurant where you will find some amazing recipes from Iran.
During my visit to USA, Chicago we happened to go to a place to buy some halal meat, called Deewan Street where we could find all kinds of foods and restaurants. Every country’s cuisine was present there and one of them was Iranian Food restaurant serving some amazing dishes.
Like every Islamic country, Iran is also known for its traditions and culture specially followed during the holy month of Ramadan. Their food culture is very similar to Turkish, Indian Mughals and Omani Cuisine.
Saffron is a much-favoured ingredient in Iranian rice and pudding preparations.
In fact serving Sholeh Zard (Farsi) or Persian Saffron Rice Pudding is a traditional way of breaking the Iftar. ‘Sholeh’ means a pudding and ‘Zard’ means yellow.
This Popular Persian dessert is made on all kinds of occasions in Iran including ‘Shab-e-Yalda’ also known as Yalda Night which is the celebrated like a festival on the longest night of the year and arrival of Winter and more specially during Ramadan.
During Iftar, Iranians prefer to have dates with water and black tea. Later they savour a delicious meal called Ash Reshteh, in other words noddle soup. It’s a nutrients rich meal made with special noodles similar to Italian minestrone cooked along with lentils, beans and herbs which make it an amazing meal to have after Iftar.
Firdaus Noorain is a food vlogger, entrepreneur, food columnist and recipe creator by hobby and Managing Director of Bake’In by profession.
Sholeh Zard or Persian Saffron Rice Pudding is a very traditional dish mostly present on the table during Iftar. Sholeh means pudding and Zard means yellow. This popular Persian dessert is made on all sorts of occasions in Iran including Shabe Yalda, also known as Yalda Night which is celebrated on the longest night of the year and indicates the arrival of winter.
Sholeh zard recipe
Ingredients
1 Cup Rice – Preferred Jasmine Rice which is used traditional way, soak for 3 to 4 hours.
8 cups of water
1 cup of sugar
60gms Butter
6 tsp Rose Water
1/3 Cup Bloomed Saffron
Almonds Sliced or Chopped ½ cup
Powdered Cardamom ¼ tsp
Some silver cut almonds and pistachios for Garnish
Method
Add the Soaked Rice with water to a cooking pot and cook the rice until its mushy and sticky in consistency.
Add sugar and keep on medium heat.
Add bloomed saffron along with butter and keep stirring, because the bottom could burn if left unstirred.
You may add water if needed to keep the consistency right.
Now add rosewater and sliced almonds and cook for 5 mints on very low flame and keep stirring.
Remove from the heat and serve it hot with garnished almonds, pistachio and cinnamon.
Firdaus Noorain is a food vlogger, entrepreneur, food columnist and recipe creator by hobby and Managing Director of Bake’In by profession.
Source: Times for Oman
