Top 5 Persian Foods You Should Try When Traveling to Iran
One of the most vibrant and festive cuisines in the world, Persian cuisine never fails to fascinate those who would love to take a bite of their food. Persian cuisine boasts a certain warmth to their dishes that splendidly portray Iran’s culture and heritage. Its key characteristic is the creative and expert use of a wide array of spices that essentially elevate Persian dishes to greater heights.
While traveling is limited due to the ongoing pandemic, it gives you ample time to plan for your exciting trip to the Spice Capital of the world. Here are the top 5 Persian foods that you must try when visiting Iran.
Zereshk Polo
A definite must-try when visiting Iran, this rice dish is an icon in Persian cuisine and in Iranian households. Rice is an integral part of every Iranian meal and the star of this dish is the zereshk which gives the dish its sweet and sour flavour. The bright saffron-infused rice makes a great match for the little red berries. This dish is typically served during celebrations like weddings alongside chicken or lamb.
Khoresh-e Ghormeh Sabzi
Your trip to Iran wouldn’t be complete without trying this country’s national dish, which is Khoresh-e Ghormeh Sabzi. This dish is a slow-cooked stew of lamb chunks, herbs, and beans. It has citrusy taste thanks to the dried limes that cut through the fat and gamey scent of the lamb. This is enjoyed best along with a cup of steamed rice.
Pashmak
Also known as Persian fairy floss, this sweet delicacy is Iran’s version of cotton candy. Pashmak is a favourite among Iranians and can be found in most sweet shops in Iran. This sweet treat is denser compared to the typical cotton candy. Additionally, it comes with many flavours which includes pistachios, vanilla, orange, and rose water to name a few. You can actually get your hands on this Persian delicacy without traveling. An easy search of where to buy fairy floss online can help you get your hands on this sweet snack.
Tahdig
Technically not a dish, but tahdig is the crispy golden crust made of rice or potatoes at the bottom of the pot of most rice dishes. It is undoubtedly the most anticipated part in every Persian rice dish. The rice is usually flavoured with saffron and barberries (zereshk).
Ashe Reshteh
This dish is basically an Iranian noodle soup with spiced vegetables, thick noodles called reshteh, chickpeas, fried onions, beans, and yoghurt whey. This traditional dish is typically eaten on the 13th day after the Iranian New Year.
