As a Baha'i, Nowruz is one of the most important festivals that we celebrate. It marks the end of our fasting month and the start of a new year. So for my latest episode of Around the World through Food, I decided to go all out and prepare an elaborate Persian meal that's fit for mehmooni (gathering). Most people in Iran prefer eating Polo ba Mahi on Nowruz however, I share a toxic relationship with fish and chose some other traditional Iranian dishes from my New Year celebrations.
I started making the Persian love cake the night before, and allowed it to sit overnight; soaking in the lovely honey, saffron, and rose syrup. The next morning, I started the prep for Naan Barbari (barbari noon)- the beloved Iranian bread that's teamed with everything. Its crusty texture soaks up gravies beautifully.
For the final dish, I made Khoresh e Fasenjaan (or Fasenjoon) ba Morgh. It is a stew (khoresh) made from pomegranate molasses and walnuts with chicken instead of duck. The dish originates from the province of Gilan and is loved throughout the country. It is a sour stew sweetened with a bit of brown sugar and has a deep nutty flavor. I served it with some fluffy saffron rice.
I assembled my large communal plate with rice, bread, kokoo sibzamini (potato cutlets), fruits, nuts, paneer, honey, and salad (salad) and laid out the Fasenjan for my family to dig into.
We finished our lunch with Iranian-style chai and slices of the Persian love cake with berry ice cream.
This is part of my series- Around the World through Food. Stay updated with my journey through various dishes from different parts of the world on my youtube channel.
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