Gozlemeh - Fried Eggs with Garlic Yogurt Sauce - Iranian Style

گزلمه (gozlemeh/gozleme) is a regional dish of استان آذربایجان غربی (West Azerbaijan province) served throughout the capital city of ارومیه (Orumieyeh/Urmia). Gozlemeh is just a perfect recipe for a spring brunch or a light summer lunch. I came across this simple and healthy recipe long ago while going through an old Iranian cooking manual. However, I was a bit hesitant about making a dish I had never had before and had never even heard of. In Iran, each region has its own unique food that the people from other provinces may not be familiar with. Finally, a few days ago I decided to give this recipe a try for the first time. I ended up making it again the next day and it tasted even better. As I prepared this warm and creamy yogurt dish topped with exquisite fried eggs and a touch of turmeric (my fave spice) and served it over toasted flat bread, it made me feel as though I had traveled to Western Azerbaijan and was eating a delicious gozlemeh in someone's home in Orumieyeh!

When making a new recipe I am most comfortable if I at least had a chance to taste it once before to know exactly what the meal should taste like and what flavors to expect. However, that doesn't stop me from trying out new recipes. Occasionally, my daughters bring different recipes home that they would like to try and we make it together. Now that they know how to cook for themselves, I get to be the taste tester and I watch them hone their cooking skills. That's how I learned to cook at a young age by watching my mother cook and also by helping out in the kitchen too. One time, when I was eleven years old my mother told me to take the raw chicken out of the fridge and cook it for lunch as she was heading out the door in a hurry and did not leave any instructions. It is challenging moments such as this that propels one to figure things out on one's own and learn things faster. Cooking, like most things in life, takes practice before you feel confident that you can create a delicious healthy meal with whatever you have in your pantry/refrigerator with or without a recipe.

My advice to novice cooks is to familiarize yourselves with the ingredients that you are going to use, learn about different methods of cooking, always go for fresh and good quality ingredients if available, read the recipe a few times before starting to cook and have all the necessary kitchen tools and gadgets ready to go. And if you are like me, cleaning and washing as you cook, place a mat between the sink and the counter or wear a pair of non-skid shoes! Put your apron on, take charge and make the recipe your own by substituting what you don't have and adjusting the amount of sugar, fat and the level of spiciness to your liking and your dietary restrictions while staying true to the recipe.

I have made some changes to the original recipe. I also added a pinch of turmeric to the oil in the skillet before frying two of the eggs (a personal preference). This recipe doesn't take long to make. You may want to set the table and have the drinks, bread and condiments ready before you start cooking.

Ingredients:
Serves 2

4 large eggs (preferably organic)
1 1/2 cups strained yogurt
1 large garlic clove
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
A pinch of turmeric *optional
Butter or vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
Water
2 lavash bread, lightly toasted

Method

1. Place the garlic clove with a pinch of salt in the mortar and pestle and finely crush.
2. Add a tablespoon of water to the strained yogurt, stir well to loosen it up a little.
3. Add the crushed garlic to the yogurt. Mix thoroughly.
4. Heat a a tablespoon of butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic yogurt mixture, heat thoroughly for a few minutes, remove from heat before it starts to boil.  
5. Spread the yogurt mixture generously on each of the toasted flat-breads separately.
6. Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil or butter in a frying pan, add a pinch of turmeric, swirl around the pan a couple of times. Add the eggs to the hot frying pan, cook until the white is set, season with salt and pepper to taste. Use a spatula to remove the eggs from the pan. 
7. Place them on the bread with the yogurt mixture and serve warm.

Enjoy!

My Shurka Bazaar Visit - NYC Persian Parade 2013

This past Sunday, April 14th, was the 10th annual Spring Persian Parade in the heart of New York City. The parade took place along Madison Avenue from 39th Street to 26th Street and lasted for several hours. In addition to the parade there was a bazaar along the Madison Avenue park with many vendors showcasing their products such as hand-made crafts, home furnishings, rugs, jewelry, teas and Persian food. I unfortunately missed the parade in its entirety. My plans changed a few times in the morning before I actually left my home but I finally ended up taking the Long Island Rail Road into the city with my eldest daughter. Having my daughter by my side and being to able to share this day honoring the Persian culture with her was precious to say the least. Although, I missed having my other daughter with me since she was busy studying for her Biology midterm and was not able to attend.

This post consists of various photos detailing my short day among my fellow Iranians in New York City, drinking tea, eating delicious food and meeting friends as I worked my way through the crowd. The weather cooperated and it was a glorious spring day. Since I mainly write about Persian cuisine my post captures only that aspect of my day and only the ones that captured my attention. I don't like posting images of people without their permission. Otherwise, I would have loved to post pictures of people of all ages dancing and singing in the middle of the park. I love how some of us dance to the beat of the music like nobody's watching! I cheer them on by clapping and perhaps doing a little sway on the side.

My first stop was at the table where Najmieh Batmangelij was signing her cookbooks! I asked her for a copy of her vegetarian cookbook and told her how I'm a fan of her work. She graciously signed my copy of the book and I got to take a picture of her. Such a lovely lady! How I would love to one day be in the kitchen with her and cook something together or even just watch her boil some water!

This book is a gift for a lovely family member with a heart of gold and since I haven't had a chance to give it to her yet I've cropped the name out.

                                                                             Photo courtesy of Nini Ordoubadi

Next, I visited the delightful tea den of the lovely Nini Ordoubadi where I got to drink her flavorful Persian Rose tea. Her den, which was surrounded by Persian rugs, beautiful photos, spring flowers and of course an array of all artisanal teas, felt intimate, warm and endearing. I am planning to visit her Tay tea store sometime during the summer when life is less hectic. I also purchased her Persian Rose tea which I made the next day and I love it!

Enjoying a freshly brewed tea at home

Saeed Pourkay the owner of Taste of Persia

 My next stop was the Taste of Persia's ash-e reshteh since I had heard about it for the past couple of years. I thought how wonderful it would be to be able to eat a bowl of hot ash on the sidewalk of Madison Ave. During the years when I worked in the city and had frequented many times, I don't remember ever strolling down on Madison Ave. For me it was just another avenue to cross on the way to work. So, I stayed on the long and slow line for ash reshteh and when we got to the front of the line we were told that they were all out and only had halim left! I bought a large bucket of halim instead and took it home for my husband and to photograph it too!

Halim the next morning at home

Torshi and khiar shoor, cellphone photo courtesy of my daughter

Have a lovely spring!

Soup-e Jo - Persian Chicken Barley Soup

This is a healthy and delicious barley soup recipe with chicken, carrots and a good squirt of fresh lemon juice. This is the kind of recipe that I would highly recommend to college students living away from home that are tired of eating campus food and unhealthy take-outs. This soup is easy to prepare and there aren't too many ingredients. All you need is access to a working stove, a little time and a good dose of enthusiasm.

It's officially spring but the pleasant spring weather has not arrived yet! For my first post of the new season I would have liked to prepare a light dish with fresh vegetables but I'm still waiting for that exhilarating moment to be able to open all the windows and let the fresh air fill the house and to feel the arrival of spring all around me. I can't wait to put back my outdoor bird houses and wind chimes around the house that I had brought inside before the Sandy Storm last fall. Spring is such a short season here in New York, it arrives late and is gone before you know it.

While I was growing up in the southern region of Iran, early spring meant beautiful weather and gorgeous landscapes with wild flowers. One of my springtime memories goes back to یک روز بهاری (one spring day) when I was a seventh grader in our small town of Masjed Soleiman in Khouzestan province. I watched a flock of wild parrots pass over our house in the early hours of the morning. I don't know where they were traveling to or where they were coming from but my father, who loved birds and at one point had about two hundred birds and possibly more had my mother not objected, suggested catching those parrots and excitedly I went along. The next morning, at the crack of dawn, I watched my father bring out an old mesh wire cage and place it by a large open window. He tied a long string to the little latch on the opening of the cage, placed some seeds inside with a trail leading out. We waited patiently as a couple of parrots from the flock approached our house and one of them followed the seed trail into the cage. My father pulled the string and closed the door on the parrot. It was a thrilling moment and the joy continued for the next few days until we had eventually captured five beautiful parrots.

Several days later I came home from school joyfully refilling their water bowl and giving them more seeds. Things seemed calm in our household and my mother appeared to be going along with our little hunting escapade. However, she apparently tolerated the whole situation for as long as she could and one day while I was still at school she took the cage out in the back of the house over the hills, opened the cage-door and let the wild parrots out in the middle of nowhere. To my horror I found the cage empty on the lonely porch. I think I went through each stage of grief except the last one, acceptance, in the span of ten minutes before I headed down to the kitchen where I knew she would be. I don't remember what I said, it's all a blur, but I remember what she told me: پرنده جاش تو قفس نیست (birds don't belong in a cage!) "Birds need to be free and to be able to go wherever they wish to go," she said. Through our heartfelt connection I understood what she meant and to this day I am still learning the depth of that poignant lesson.

Soup-e Jo - Chicken Barley Soup 

Ingredients:
Serves 6-8

1 1/2 cups pearled barley, rinsed and soaked in cool water for an hour
4 pieces of chicken (drumsticks or wings)
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
1-2 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste (I would suggest a freshly ground black pepper for this recipe)
2-3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime/lemon juice
Water
Chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Method:

1. Arrange the quartered onions at the bottom of the stockpot, add the chicken, celery, garlic, bay leaf, turmeric, salt and pepper. Add enough water to cover all of the ingredients, bring to a boil on medium-high. Reduce the heat, cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 45-50 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. 
2. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool. Drain the soup and pour into a bowl for later use. Separate the chicken from the bones and shred into small pieces.
3. Place the soaked and drained barley in a large pot, add the strained chicken soup and enough water to cover up to 3 inches. Bring to a boil for a couple of minutes on medium-high heat, reduce the heat, cover leaving the lid a little ajar and cook for 45 minutes.
4. To the pot add the shredded chicken and the shredded carrots, stir. Add more hot water if needed. Cover and cook for another 40- 45 minutes on medium-low heat.
5. In the last 15 minutes of cooking add the lemon juice, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve the soup in a large bowl, sprinkle chopped parsley on top and serve with warm bread.

Note: All the soup pictures are taken from the same barley soup. The first two were taken with little liquid and freshly shredded carrots on top to show the ingredients. The last two photos are from the soup filled with liquid.

Enjoy!

Haft Seen Photos - Eid-e Nowruz!

Happy Nowruz (Persian New Year) everyone and welcome to 1392 of the Iranian calendar. I wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. I have written about Nowruz in the past and photographed every *seen* (s) on the haft seen table. I truly enjoy setting up the haft seen table as I try to seize the moment contemplating the symbolic meaning behind each item and to take in the positive energy that surrounds this uplifting ambiance. This is the moment to count our blessings and with every blessing comes the responsibility of giving back, even if it's very little.

سنبل - Sonbol (hyacinth) and other spring flowers 

                                       سبزه - Sabzeh (sprouts): Representing rebirth and fertility

 سنجد - Senjed (Dried Fruit of the Lotus Tree): Representing love

سماق - Somagh (Sumac): Representing the spice of life

سیر - Seer (Garlic): To ward off bad omens

سکه  - Sekkeh (Coins): Representing wealth and prosperity

سمنو - Samanoo (Sweet Pudding made with germinated wheat): Representing the reward of patience 

سرکه - Serkeh (Vinegar): Representing age 

ماهی قرمز - Mahi Ghermez (Goldfish): Representing life

سیب - Seeb (Apple): Representing natural beauty

نارنج / پرتقال (Seville orange) or orange in Water: Representing the earth floating in space 

تخم مرغ رنگی - Tokhme Morgh Rangi (painted eggs): Representing Fertility 

And here's a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the challenges of food photography starring Cooper, my daughter's cat.

Well, there goes my sabzeh!

Nowruz Mobarak! Happy Spring!

Badam Sookhteh - Persian Candied Almonds

It's that time of the year again for setting up the haft-seen table with the gorgeously displayed seven S's, lush green sabzeh, colorful hyacinth bulbs, forever beautiful tulips or any other types of spring flowers, fresh fruits, ajil (trail-mix) and delicious traditional sweets. Memories of past Nowruz celebrations are precious, from shopping for new clothes, receiving eidy (money from elders in the family), did-o-bazdid (visiting family and friends) and of course being off for 13 days from school. The Nowruz sweets were simply unforgettable and I liked them all.  One of those goodies, which was a favorite of mine growing up, is badam sookhteh. I can't imagine life without badam (almonds). They can be enjoyed all year long for any occasion mixed with other nuts and seeds in ajil, or be transformed into a delicious concoction such as toot (marzipan). This recipe makes a wonderful crunchy addition to the array of home-made Nowruz confections.

Nowruz is also the time for us to refresh and rejuvenate ourselves from inside out and to do a little khaneh tekani (house cleaning) and let go of the grudges and toxic old ways that hold us back. May the generosity and the flourishing nature of Nowruz (new day) and fasl-e bahar (spring season) change and transform our hearts for the better.

Badam Sookhteh - Persian Candied Almonds

Ingredients:

3 cups raw whole almonds
1 1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons honey (I used clover honey)
Juice of a lime
A dash of salt
1/3 cup water

Method:

1. In a medium-sized pan, combine sugar, honey, salt and water over medium heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture thickens up a bit.
2. Add almonds and stir well until they are evenly coated. 
3. Place a colander into a large saucepan and empty the content of the pan and strain the sugar honey mixture through the colander. 
4. Add the lime juice to the left over syrupy mixture in the saucepan over medium heat and add the almonds back to the saucepan over medium-low heat stirring well until almonds are evenly coated again.
5.  To achieve a darker caramelized color, keep stirring a few minutes longer but make sure they don't burn. I wouldn't go for that sookhteh (burnt) look. Once the almonds are fully caramelized remove from heat and transfer quickly into a baking sheet with parchment paper. You may sprinkle a little white granulated sugar cinnamon on top if you like.
6. Separate the almonds with a spoon and cool completely.

To serve place badam sookhteh in small bowls or as clusters in little cupcake liners.

Enjoy! Happy Nowruz! Happy Spring!