A little Philosophy

Most of the recipes in this book would have been at home in Safavid Isfahan, although Iranian cookery has developed since then, of course, and added ingredients, such as tomatoes, potatoes, and green beans from the New World. There are regional variations as well: People around the Caspian and on the Persian Gulf have their own styles of fish cookery, for instance. But certain basic themes remain. There are many yogurt-based dishes, called borani after a Sasanian queen who enjoyed them; these are a heritage, perhaps, of the centuries Iran shared a culture with western Asia. There is an emphasis on fruit, as might be expected from a country so rich in it. Fruit is often combined with meat, to make sweet and savory dishes or sweet and sour ones. Iranians love their distinctive rice dishes, their chelows and polows; in fact, we judge a cook’s ability by them.