Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Iranian Cuisine
Iran is home to a diverse and distinct cuisine that has evolved over three millennia, influen-
ced by both the arid environment and the changing cultures that have swept through the
country. The result is a cuisine with great regional variations depending largely on locally
available produce - think camel kabab and dates in the desert, fish on the Gulf coast and a
huge variety of vegetable dishes (with meat, of course) in the fertile Caspian provinces of
Gilan and Mazandaran.
While tastes are broadening, it remains that
outside Tehran restaurant menus are dominated
by kababs and fast food. To enjoy the best cook-
ing you really need to be invited into an Iranian
home. There's a good chance that will happen
and when it does, just say 'yes'. As a guest you
will be honoured as a 'gift of God' and the fab-
ulous food and humbling hospitality should make for a meal you'll remember for a life-
time.
Ancient Persians believed eating walnuts in place
of red meat made a person gentler, and that
memory could be improved by eating dried red
grapes before breakfast.
PERSIAN FOOD PHILOSOPHY: IT'S 'HOT' & 'COLD'
Ancient Persians believed good diet was light on fat, red meat, starch and alcohol - these transformed men into
selfish brutes. Instead, fruit, vegetables, chicken and fish were encouraged as the food of gentler, more respectable
people. In practice, this philosophy was governed by a classification of 'hot' and 'cold' foods, which is still widely
used today.
Similar to China's Yin and Yang, the belief is that 'hot' foods 'thicken the blood' and speed metabolism, while
'cold' foods 'dilute the blood' and slow the metabolism. The philosophy extends to personalities and weather, too.
Like foods, people are believed to have 'hot' and 'cold' natures. People with 'hot' natures should eat more 'cold'
foods, and vice versa. And on cold days it's best to eat 'hot' foods, and vice versa.
So what's 'hot' and what's not? The classification has nothing to do with temperature, and regional variations exist,
but it's generally agreed that animal fat, wheat, sugar, sweets, wine, most dried fruits and nuts, fresh herbs including
mint and saffron, and most meats are 'hot' (but not beef). 'Cold' foods include fish, yoghurt and watermelon (all
'very cold'), rice, many fresh vegetables (particularly radishes) and fruits, beef, beer and other nonwine alcohol.
Some foods are hotter or colder than others, and some, such as pears, feta and tea, are neutral.
As you travel, you'll see the balance in dishes such as
fesenjun
(sauce of pomegranate juice, walnuts, eggplant and
cardamom served over roast chicken and rice)
,
where the pomegranate (cold) is balanced by the walnuts (hot). On
