The health benefits if rice
It is believed that rice (berenj in Persian) was brought to Iran from the Indian subcontinent in ancient times. Varieties of rice in Iran include champa, rasmi, anbarbu, mowlai, sadri, khanjari, shekari, doodi, and others. Basmati rice from India is very similar to these Persian varieties and is also readily available in Iran. Traditionally, rice was most prevalent as a major staple item in northern Iran, while in the rest of the country bread was the dominant staple. The varieties of rice most valued in Persian cuisine are prized for their aroma, and grow in the north of Iran. Rice can be eaten plain or with spreading lavash or other thin breads or slices of raw potatoes Meat, vegetable, nuts and fruits are sometimes added in layers and mixed with the chelo and then steamed, such as Baghali Polo, Lubia Polo, Zereshk Polo and Sabzi Polo. When Chelo is in the pot the heat is reduced and a piece of thick cloth or towel is place on top of the pot for absorbing the extra steam.
Kateh is rice that is cooked until the water is absorbed completely. This is also the traditional dish of Gilan Province
Damy, cooked almost the same as Kateh but at the start ingredients that can be cooked thoroughly with the rice are added such as grains and beans such as lentil in Adass Polo. In making Kateh the heat is reduced to minimum when the rice and other ingredients are almost cooked. commonanly use ingredients such as is a mixture of yogurt, lamb rice plus saffron and egg yolks .
Sholezard (with calligraphy of "Ramazan"), Sangak bread and some other breads for Eftar. Bread is called [nān] in Persian, which has been borrowed as Naan in English.
Nan-e shirmal: Made like barbari, except with milk instead of water, in addition to a bit of sugar, and is eaten during breakfast or with tea.
Nan-e Gandhi: Sweet bread made like taftoon, and is eaten during breakfast or with tea.
Nan-e gisu: a sweet Armenian bread, and also is eaten in the morning or with tea later in the day.
Nan-e dushabi: bread made with grape syrup.
Nan-e tiri: like lavash.
Nan-e tokhme-ru: breads with sweet-smelling seeds on them.
Nan-e khoshke-shirin: sweet brittle bread baked in gentle heat.
Nan-e khoshke-tanur: brittle bread baked in gentle heat.
Nan-e kopoli: any kind of thick bread.
Second only to rice is the production and use of wheat. There are said to be more than forty types of wheat breads from very dark to very light. From crisp to limp, and at least one type of flat bread will be a part of every meal. Nan-e lavash is an example of the thin crisp bread with good keeping qualities, while nan-e sangak is a fresh yeast bread, baked on hot stones and eaten while still warm.
A bowl full of fruit is common on most Persian tables and dishes of vegetables and herbs are standard sides to most meals.
Iran is one of the top date producers in the world; some of the special date cultivars (like Rotab) are grown in Iran.
For generations, Iranians have been eating various fruits, vegetables, and herbs for their health benefits that have only recently been discovered in other parts of the world. For example, onions and garlic, pomegranate, and sabzijat (various green herbs) are regular ingredients in many Persian dishes.
While the climate of the Middle East is conducive to the growing of fruits, the orchards and vineyards of Iran produce fruits of legendary flavour and size. These are not only enjoyed fresh and ripe as desserts but are also imaginatively combined with meats and form unusual accompaniments to main dishes. When fresh fruits are not available, a large variety of excellent dried fruits such as dates, figs, apricots and peaches are used instead. The list of fruits includes fresh dates and fresh figs. Many citrus fruits, apricots, peaches, sweet and sour cherries, apples, plums, pears, pomegranates and many varieties of grapes and melons.
While the eggplant (aubergine) is "the potato of Iran", Iranians are fond of fresh green salads dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and a little garlic. Vegetables such as pumpkin, spinach, green beans, broad beans, courgettes, varieties of squashes and carrots are commonly used in rice and meat dishes. Tomatoes, cucumbers and spring onions often accompany a meal. A small sweet variety of cucumber is popularly served as a fruit.
Stuffed cabbage and grape leaves are the only dolmas that can be served hot or cold. When intended to be served cold they generally do not contain meat, however. Fruit dolmas are probably a specialty of Persian cuisine. The fruit is cooked, then stuffed with meat, seasonings, and sometimes tomato sauce; the dolmas are then simmered in meat broth or a sweet-and-sour sauce. In recent decades new variations have been introduced, largely under Western influence: Potatoes, artichokes, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, potatoes
To underline both the skill and imagination of Iranian cookery, a few examples of the main ingredients in Iranian specialties would include duck, and walnuts; lamb, prunes and cinnamon; spinach, orange and garlic, pomegranates and chicken and sliced peaches sautéed in onions and butter, seasoned with cinnamon and lemon juice.
Above are only a few examples of the combination of meats and vegetables, or meats and fruits plus unusual seasonings that may go into "chelo khoresh", the favorite Iranian dish that is served at least once daily. This dish of crusty baked rice is topped by one of the sauces listed, or one of dozens more limited only by price and availability of ingredients.
Khoresht Beh (Quince Stew) is an example of using fruits in Iranian cooking: chunks of lamb are stewed with slices or cubes of tart quince and yellow split peas; this dish is always served with rice[2].
Traditional Iranian ice cream often contains flakes of frozen clotted cream and is most commonly naturally flavoured with saffron and rose water. It is usually served sandwiched between two thin crispy waffles.The traditional drink accompanying Iranian dishes is called doogh. Doogh is a combination of yogurt, water (or soda) and dried mint. Other drinks are several types of especially prepared sherbets called Sharbat and Khak shir. One favorite is Aab-e Havij, alternately called havij bastani, carrot juice made into an ice cream float and garnished with cinnamon, nutmeg or other spices. There are also drinks that aren't served with meals. These are Sheer Moz (banana milk shake), Aab Talebi (cantaloupe juice), and Aab Hendevaneh (watermelon juice). These drinks are commonly made in stands or kiosks in streets on summer days and on hiking trails. Aab Anaar (pomegranate juice) is also popular and has recently (2007) become popular in North America, specifically for its supposed health benefits including its high anti-oxidant levels (much higher than green tea). Although firm scientific evidence demonstrates that the touted health benefits of pomegranate are yet unproven and largely a marketing tactic by one U.S. company in particular. Sekanjebin is a thick syrup made from carbonated or plain water, vinegar, mint and sugar. It can be mixed with a drop of rosewater to drink or to be used as a dip for Romaine lettuce.
There are many dessert dishes, ranging from Bastani-e Za'farāni (Persian Ice Cream with saffron, also called Bastani-e Akbar-Mashti, later on called Gol-o Bolbol as well) to the faludeh, a sort of frozen sorbet made with thin starch noodles and rose water. Persian Ice Cream is flavored with saffron, rosewater, and chunks of heavy cream. There are also many types of sweets. The sweets divide into two categories: "Shirini Tar" (lit. moist sweets) and "Shirini Khoshk" (lit. dry sweets). The first category consists of French-inspired pastries with heavy whole milk whipped cream, glazed fruit toppings, tarts, custard-filled éclairs, and a variety of cakes. Some have an Iranian twist, such as the addition of pistachio, saffron and walnuts.
Three others that is, Zulbia, Bamieh and Gush-e Fil are very popular. Bamieh is an oval-shaped sweet dough piece, deep-fried and then covered with a syrup (traditionally with honey). Zulbia is the same sort of dough, also deep-fried, but it is poured into the oil so that it twirls, then covered with the same syrup known as Jalebi in India and Pakistan. Goosh-e Fil is also deep-fried dough, fried in the shape of a flat elephant's ear and then covered with sugar powder. Of course, no discussion of Persian desserts would be complete without one of the classics, Halvardeh (Tehrani for halvā-arde, with halvā, an Arabic loan word meaning 'sweet' and arde, Halva comes in various qualities and varieties, from mainly sugar to sesame seed extract, which is known as tahini in the west and Iran produces some of the best.
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