Persian

These fresh, vibrant dishes look special and taste delicious.

Senior food editor Andy Baraghani shows us how the food he grew up on shapes the way he cooks today.

This stunning crispy rice, also known as tachin, is buttery and rich. It's easier to make than it seems.

Our senior food editor shares his family's Persian New Year feast with herby saffron rice, roasted black bass, and rose water brittle.

Sometimes, the best meal is the simplest one

The Jews of Iran celebrate Hanukkah with lamb and fish, persimmons and pomegranates, and—of course—more than enough latkes and olive oil to go round

Chef Samin Nosrat marries Mideast flavors with West Coast produce in this stunning California-Persian menu

The browned, crusty layer of rice that forms at the bottom of the pan is considered the most treasured part of this Middle Eastern classic.

Tachin translates as “arranged on the bottom” and refers to the layer of crunchy saffron and yogurt rice that forms on the bottom of this layered rice cake.

Use this kookoo sabzi recipe as a guide, and throw in whatever combination of greens and spices you have on hand.

This lamb kofta works so well piled into some bread with some harissa-spiked yogurt and salad, or serve with rice.

This leavened Persian flatbread is at its best when eaten fresh.

This whole roasted fish recipe is the perfect place to put the trinity of sumac, lime, and yogurt to work.

The salad works best with strips of Persian flatbread, but plain tortillas work just as well. The addition of golpar, with its citrusy aroma, really lifts this dish, accentuating the sweetness of the pomegranates and adding a wonderful depth of flavor, so try and track some down if you can.

This Northern Iranian dish traditionally features wild greens. This version is made with braised spinach, herbs, and eggs—and gets a vibrant boost of flavor from lime juice.

This lovely, simple dish is great to have in your fridge at all times. It adds a wonderful, distinctive flavor to any dish it accompanies.

Frozen fava beans make easy work of this fragrant rice dish, and you could also replace them with shelled lima beans or edamame instead.

Using both syrupy date molasses and pitted, sliced dates gives this dish rounded sweetness. It gets a dash of sourness from apple cider vinegar and some heat from cayenne.

This is a very simple way to make wonderful rice in under an hour. It is a technique favored around the Caspian, where rice is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Herby turkey meatballs get flavored with pistachios, tangy pomegranate, and grape molasses. Serve the meatballs as wraps with lavash and crisp lettuce.

Quinoa and baked fish are well seasoned with tangy sumac, tart lime, and garlic in this Persian-inspired dinner.