nowruz

This is my friend&#39;a take on the Afghan classic, borani banjan, fried eggplant on a flavorful tomato-onion base, drizzled with sour yogurt.

Borani Banjan Recipe

full-fat yogurt (preferably ¼ of it will be sour yogurt)

½ tsp crushed garlic

neutral oil (canola/sunflower/vegetable)

eggplant (sliced crosswise)

onion

roma tomatoes (sliced crosswise)

green chilies, preferably bird's eye chili (thinly diced)

salt ((or to taste))

turmeric powder

½ tsp red chili powder, preferably Kashmiri red chili powder

pomegranate seeds ((optional))

tsp dried mint ((optional))

½ tsp red chili flakes ((optional))

Transfer yogurt to a flat serving dish and lightly whisk until it has an even consistency. Stir in 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic. Set aside.

In a non-stick skillet, heat ½ cup of oil. When hot, lower heat to medium and fry the sliced eggplant until medium brown, roughly 1 - 2 minutes each side. Lower heat and add oil as needed. Once fried, pat fried eggplant with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Set aside.

In a large non-stick saucepan, heat ¼ cup of oil. Add sliced onions and fry on low heat until translucent, about 7 – 10 minutes. Add remaining ½ tsp of crushed garlic and fry for a few seconds until fragrant.

Add tomatoes, green chilies, salt, turmeric and red chili powder. Stir on medium heat until the tomatoes soften. Cover the saucepan and let it simmer on medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

When the tomatoes release some water, add eggplant. Dial heat to very low, cover, and let it steam for 10 minutes.

When ready, remove the saucepan from the stove. Layer the eggplant on top of the yogurt and top with the tomato-onion curry. Garnish with dried mint, red chili flakes and pomegranate seeds.

Sabzi Polo is a traditional Persian Herb Rice dish made with rice and a variety of fresh herbs which tastes and smells incredible

Sabzi Polo (Persian Herb Rice)

basmati rice

spring onions

garlic

tsp salt

Lebanese bread

olive oil

water

tsp bloomed saffron (optional)

Advieh (Persian spice mix) optional

Remove the parsley and dill leaves from the stems along with the thick coriander stems. Finely chop all the herbs and spring onions and mix together in a large bowl

Place the rice in a non stick pot and rinse with water about 5 times until the water is mostly clear. Fill the pot with water, add the salt and cook on a medium-high heat for about 10-15 minutes.

Boil the rice until al dente (it should be half way cooked when you touch a rice grain between your fingers ).  Then drain the rice through a colander and gently rinse under cold water

Add the olive oil to the same pot and place the flat bread in the pot to cover the bottom.

Add a layer of rice, approximately ⅓ of the rice and top with ⅓ of the chopped herbs. Add a teaspoon of the bloomed saffron and advieh (if using)

Chop the top of the garlic head off so the tops are visible but is still intact. Place in the middle of the rice and then repeat step 5 until all the rice and herb mixtuure are used.

With a chopstick or the handle of a spoon, gently make 6 holes into the rice down to the bottom of the pot. These will act as air pockets. Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel, place on the pot and cook on a low heat for 30 minutes.

Take off the heat, remove the lid and gently flip the pot upside down on a large platter. This can be done by placing the platter on the top of the pot and flipping it upside down. Cut out pieces of the Tahdig (crispy base) to share evenly, serve and enjoy your Sabzi Polo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJHGaRgFuOU

Sabzi Polo (Persian Herb Rice) uses a variety of fresh herbs that is layered with rice to make this beautiful aromatic flavor bomb.

#shorts #sabzipolo #persianfood #persianrice #herbrice #nowruz

Warning, This Green Rice Is Highly Addictive!

Sholeh zard is a Persian saffron rice pudding with exquisite flavors. Saffron and rosewater make this rice pudding extra special, whether served warm or cold.

Sholeh Zard Persian Saffron Rice Pudding

tsp saffron

short grain rice (such as jasmine)

sugar

rosewater

unsalted butter

almonds

Cinnamon

pistachios

Edible rosebuds

Sprinkle the ground saffron over 3 cubes of ice and let it melt at room temperature. This will be your bloomed saffron .

Rinse the rice a few times until the water runs clean. Then place it in a large pot and add 8 cups of water. Turn the heat to medium high and bring it to a simmer. Cover and cook on medium for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the rice falls apart and is mushy. The consistency at this point is thicker than soup.

Add in the sugar and cook for 20 more minutes on medium for the sugar to dissolve completely. The consistency is going to be smoother.

Add the unsalted butter and rosewater. Cook for 10 more minutes.

Add the bloomed saffron and slivered almonds. Cook for another 10 minutes. Turn the heat off.

Fill serving bowls with sholeh zard and top with cinnamon, slivered pistachios and almonds as well as the edible rosebuds. The dessert will thicken as it cools.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1681217608/dofv5lur50bqsohgo2ix.mp4

Shirini nargili are Persian coconut cookies made with a handful of ingredients. These cookies are naturally gluten-free and don&#39;t need any chilling time.

Shirini Nargili (Persian Coconut Cookies)

coconut

vegetable oil

lemon juice

tsp vanilla extract

tbsp ground pistachios (For topping (optional))

Place the desiccated coconut, granulated sugar, oil and egg whites in the bowl of a food processor. Blend on high for almost 10 minutes.

Transfer to a large pan and place over medium heat. Cook and stir constantly for 10 minutes or until the sugar is fully melted. Turn the heat off and let it come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the coconut mixture to a piping bag or a ziploc bag and cut the tip. Pipe the cookies onto the baking sheet into 1 inch circles and leave 1 1/2 inch spaces between each cookie. Oil the tip of your index finger and smoothen the tip of the cookies ever so slightly.

Sprinkle a bit of ground pistachios on top (optional) and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. The edges will be slightly golden around the edges. Let them cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1678910161/geogpplbelpefypnxq1o.mp4

Shirini Nargili are Persian coconut cookies made with a handful of ingredients. These cookies are naturally gluten-free and don't need any chilling time.

Persian Coconut Cookies (Shirini Nargili)

These Persian raisin cookies are ready in 30 minutes and are perfect for any day of the year. They&#39;re buttery and crispy around the edges, and so soft on the inside!

Persian Raisin Cookies (Shirini Keshmeshi)

Unsalted Butter (room temperature)

Sugar

Eggs (room temperature)

tsp Vanilla Extract

Flour

Raisins (Thompson, sultanas

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

In a bowl, mix butter and sugar until creamy and light.&nbsp;

Add in the eggs one by one. Mix well after each addition. Add in the vanilla and stir well. 

Mix in flour and stir using a wooden spoon until it is all incorporated and you have a smooth dough. Mix in the raisins, make sure it&#39;s well incorporated. 

Scoop the cookie dough into the baking sheet, leave 2-inch space between them. 

Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until the edges are golden brown.&nbsp;

Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.&nbsp;

Persian Roast Lamb recipe. Super easy and extremely delicious with pomegranate molasses. Perfect for Nowruz, Easter and Christmas!Last Updated April 2023.

Persian Roast Lamb Recipe and Video

leg lamb

250 ml chicken or vegetable stock

garlic (finely chopped or crushed)

pomegranate molasses

Tbsp honey

Tbsp EV olive oil

lemon

Tbsp liquid saffron

Tbsp cumin

turmeric

tsp black pepper

rosemary

saffron

Tbsp water

crush

Tip your saffron into a mortar, along with a small pinch of salt. Crush the saffron with the pestle, going round and round (see video at 7:42).

soak

Add the hot water and leave to soak while you get everything else ready (onions, garlic, get the spices ready, slice the lemon, etc).

Liquid Saffron

Mix the marinade ingredients together and set aside.

The Marinade

preheat

Preheat the the oven to 180˚C/350˚F.If you&#39;re leaving the lamb to marinate, do this later.

slash

Taking a small, sharp knife, make half a dozen slashes straight down into the lamb, especially around the thicker parts.

marinate

Rub the marinade all over the lamb, pushing down into the cuts and into the meat folds.If you have time, leave the lamb to marinate a minimum of 2 hours, overnight is great and will also save you time the next day.

Marinate the Lamb

line

Line your chosen baking dish with the sliced onions.

sit lamb

pour stock

Pour your chosen stock or water in, making sure to pour it on the onions and not the lamb.

roast

Cover with a foil and roast for 1 hour by which time your lamb will be almost done.

uncover

Take the cover off and roast for another 30-60 minutes, depending on how well done you like your meat. 30 minutes will give you meat still bordering on the pink, a little like the images here. 60 minutes will give you well done.

rest

When the lamb is done, you&#39;ll have a delicious bit of sauce/gravy that you can serve separately. Just get rid of excessive fat from it first,  if you like, but I don&#39;t bother.Leave to rest for 20 minutes, covered, in a warm place. Serve as suggested in the article above.

Roast the Lamb

I haven’t tried making this yet but want to for Eid. Can I marinade it from Thursday if I am making it for Saturday?  The recipe sounds wonderful.

Hi Azlin - Christmas greetings to you! Is there a way to get around using saffron? Thanks

Wow!!! That's a dish fit for a royal feast! It looks perfect to become the star of the show for any festive dinner.

I too crush the saffron many a times but not always, thanks for detailing it out. 
I like this roast lamb marinade with molasses, would add so much flavour. Looking forward to make this for our next party

This roasted lamb is so easy, flavorful, and a favorite in our family!

I made this lamb last night for our family and it was delicious! I was inspired when I saw a bottle of pomegranate molasses in the pantry, a quick Google later came across your recipe - thank you! I was wondering if you had any suggestions about what to do with the leftovers? I have just enough to spread to another dinner tonight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lADm3oDK8Hw

This Persian Roast Lamb is one of my favourite ways to cook lamb, a very easy, straightforward marinade using some basic Persian ingredients and voilà – you’ve got yourself, a juicy, aromatic and delightful roast with a touch of the exotic!

Cooking starts at 7:38
Full recipe is here: https://www.linsfood.com/persian-roast-lamb/

#nowruz ##norooz #persian #linsfood

Persian Roast Lamb (perfect for Nowruz and Easter!)

Khoresh Bademjan is a Persian Eggplant Stew with meltingly tender meat, and perfect served with some rice. You&#x27;ll also find suggestions for a vegetarian version.

Khoresh Bademjan Recipe (Persian Eggplant Stew, خورش بادمجان)

eggplants (aubergines)

Tbsp salt

500 g lamb,

garlic (finely chopped)

Tbsp concentrated tomato paste

200 g canned chopped tomatoes

Tbsp liquid saffron (pinch of saffron,

salt

limoo amani (OR substitute with the juice of 1 lime OR 1 tsp sumac)

black pepper

parsley (optional)

Get a large bowl and fill it with cool tap water. Add 1 Tbsp of salt in and squeeze the juice of half the lemon.

Peel the eggplants. Then slice them into long pieces, about 1cm (just under 1/2 inch) thick. You&#x27;ll get about 5-6 pieces per eggplant.

Place the sliced eggplants in the bowl of water. Place a small saucer on the eggplants and weigh down with a can of food, so all the eggplants are submerged in the salted, lemony water. Leave for 20 minutes. While the eggplants are soaking, let&#39;s get the meat going.

Let&#x27;s Prep the Eggplants

Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil on medium high heat, and sauté the chopped onions for 2 minutes.

Add the garlic and turmeric and stir for 20 seconds.

Add the lamb and stir vigorously, coating it with all those onions. Do this for 3 minutes, to brown the lamb slightly.

Add the the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, water and saffron water in. Stir and bring it to a boil.

With the back of a knife, pound the limoo amani (dried lime), so that it breaks up into 2-3 pieces. Scoop all this up and add to the stew. Don&#39;t worry, the lime will soften and be perfectly edible.Once the stew has come to a boil, reduce the heat right down and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is just cooked. It will still be cooking for another 20 minutes with the eggplants, so don&#39;t overcook it at this stage.

Let&#x27;s start the Cooking

While the meat is cooking, let&#39;s attend to the eggplants. Rinse and pat dry the eggplants. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush each eggplant with olive oil and place under the grill (broiler) on high.Grill for 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Set aside until the meat is ready.

Back to the eggplants

When the meat is done, add the eggplants to the stew, bring back to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the eggplants are fully cooked and soft.

Check the seasoning, and add more salt if you think it needs it. Be careful when you stir the salt in, don't break up the super soft eggplants.

Add some freshly ground black pepper and top with parsley if you like, and serve with some plain white rice, or some Saffron Rice.

Finishing cooking the Khoresh

Been wanting to try a recipe using eggplant and this one is so good and flavorful!

I chose this recipe because it didnt look too complicated and i had all the ingredients except the dried limes... thanks for suggesting the substitutes...sumac and lime juice. The resulting stew came out great! It had i think the right bitterness and the aubergines were soft and tender. Make sure you get the seasoning right..  it took more salt that I had imagined I would need.   Top recipe!

Love eggplant based dishes.. be it curries, fritters or the dips.. this one sounds so flavourful.. would love to dig into the vegetarian version with steamed rice.. wonderful share..

Love eggplant and I am loving this Persian dish of yours with and without meat, able to satisfy both the world. The dish is very tempting and I am sure to enjoy this with some rice or even my daily roti.

Huge fan of eggplant dishes! The vegetarian and non vegetarian, both versions of this recipe sound so delicious. Another gem of a recipe from the Persian cuisine.

This was delicious. I was worried about the eggplants at first, but they were so soft, served it with your easy persian rice. Thank you!

Packed with an abundance of fresh herbs, kuku is a frittata-like Persian dish with many regional and household variations. This version, kuku sabzi, is the most herb-forward, allowing the greens to take center stage. While kuku is often flipped to brown on both sides, this version skips that step and allows the egg on top to set under the broiler, which helps retain its vibrant green color. Some families mix in walnuts or tart dried barberries for added texture and flavor, but this rendition keeps it simple, letting the herbs shine. Kuku is traditionally served with flatbread and can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature or even cold. For a perfect bite, wrap it in lavash with a dollop of yogurt, slices of salty feta and crisp radishes, which balance the richness with bright, fresh flavors.&nbsp;

Kuku Sabzi (Herb and Scallion Frittata)

cilantro

parsley

dill

scallions (about 10), thinly sliced

fenugreek leaves

eggs

Barbari, lavash, pita or other flatbread,

Torshi (Persian pickles)

Mast-o-khiar or plain yogurt,

NYT Cooking

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/03/19/multimedia/19NOWRUZREX-AB-Kuku-Sabzi-zjvm/14NOWRUZREX-AB-Kuku-Sabzi-zjvm-videoSixteenByNineJumbo1600.jpg

Emma Fishman for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. Prop stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas.

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/03/19/multimedia/19NOWRUZREX-AB-Kuku-Sabzi-zjvm/14NOWRUZREX-AB-Kuku-Sabzi-zjvm-googleFourByThree.jpg

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/03/19/multimedia/19NOWRUZREX-AB-Kuku-Sabzi-zjvm/14NOWRUZREX-AB-Kuku-Sabzi-zjvm-mediumSquareAt3X.jpg

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/03/19/multimedia/19NOWRUZREX-AB-Kuku-Sabzi-zjvm/14NOWRUZREX-AB-Kuku-Sabzi-zjvm-facebookJumbo.jpg

Prepare the herbs: When preparing such a large quantity of herbs, wash them in batches to ensure any lingering sand or dirt is fully removed. Trim off the thick stems (about 4 inches from the bottoms) of the cilantro, parsley and dill. Grab a large handful of the herbs and, using a chef’s knife, finely chop. Repeat with the remaining herbs until you have about 4 1/2 cups total. Transfer the chopped herbs to a large bowl and add the scallions. 

Using your fingertips, pinch and grind the fenugreek, sprinkling it over the herb mixture. Add the salt, pepper and turmeric. Add the eggs and use a fork to break the yolks and then fully incorporate the eggs into the herb mixture. (It may seem like not enough eggs, but you want just enough to bind the mixture.)

Place an oven rack 5 inches from the broiler heat source and heat the broiler. Pour the oil into a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet and place it over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, give the kuku batter a final mix and then scrape it into the skillet. Using a spatula, spread the batter to the sides of the skillet. Cover and cook, rotating the skillet to ensure it cooks evenly, until the bottom has set and darkened to a very dark green, almost brown color, 10 to 12 minutes. 

Remove the skillet from the heat and remove the lid. The top of the kuku will still be a touch wet but very green. Transfer the skillet to the broiler and broil, watching carefully, until the top is set, anywhere from 1 to 4 minutes. Slide the kuku onto a platter or cutting board. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with flatbread, pickles and mast-o-khiar.

I made a mistake of using fenugreek seeds instead of the leaves!!! It was really hard to grind them but I did somehow. Not realizing the mistake, we enjoyed it. Very addictive.

So good!  Was a little wet but did hold, so when re-mixing before putting in the cast iron skillet, I’ll dump excess liquid instead of pouring it in.

It does need something else whether that's the bite of salty feta or the bitter crunch of walnuts, the sweetness of some dried berries or the creaminess of yoghurt.

As the recipe makes clear, the amount of egg feels very meagre and yet it all holds together very well indeed.

Top 9 nowruz recipes from across the web

The most viewed nowruz recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Borani Banjan Recipe

Sabzi Polo (Persian Herb Rice)

Sholeh Zard Persian Saffron Rice Pu...

Shirini Nargili (Persian Coconut Co...

Persian Raisin Cookies (Shirini Kes...

Persian Roast Lamb Recipe and Video

Khoresh Bademjan Recipe (Persian Eg...

Kuku Sabzi (Herb and Scallion Fritt...

Slow-Cooked Fish With Citrus and He...

Top 9 nowruz recipes from across the web

The most viewed nowruz recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Borani Banjan Recipe

Sabzi Polo (Persian Herb Rice)

Sholeh Zard Persian Saffron Rice Pu...

Shirini Nargili (Persian Coconut Co...

Persian Raisin Cookies (Shirini Kes...

Persian Roast Lamb Recipe and Video

Khoresh Bademjan Recipe (Persian Eg...

Kuku Sabzi (Herb and Scallion Fritt...

Slow-Cooked Fish With Citrus and He...

The most viewed nowruz recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine