Soup

Persian soup or osh, is usually a hearty dish— slow-cooked in one pot with beans, fresh herbs and vegetables of the season. It can be made a day in advance to give the flavors a chance to meld, then reheated just before serving. There is a good reason why in Persian, the cook is the “osh maker” (osh paz), and the kitchen is the “osh maker’s house” (osh paz khaneh). Soup plays an important role in Iranian life, with a special soup for each occasion. Some of my happiest childhood memories revolve around the noodle soup lunches held at our house on Fridays. The ritual would start the day before, with my mother and her helpers making the noodles. Everything was prepared from scratch: beans would be soaked and, armfuls of herbs meticulously washed and chopped. Everyone would lend a hand, cheerfully singing and reciting poetry as they worked. The next day, family and friends would gather together, all seated around the table, young and old alike, each with a bowl of warm, delicious, noodle soup in front of them. I remember those times like yesterday, and I still crave that wonderful sense of togetherness.