Fish

Iran has a surprisingly large variety of fish, and different ways to cook them. The rivers in the foothills of its mountain ranges, such as the Lar River in Damavand, are a fly-fishing paradise. In the north lies the Caspian Sea renowned for its caviar and sturgeon kababs, but also offering a wide range of other delicious white fish. In this region, fish is often simply cooked and flavored with bitter orange, saffron, and sumac. In the south, the Persian Gulf has some of the least-known yet tastiest varieties of fish and jumbo shrimp in the world. Here, fish is prepared quite differently. One of my favorite recipes involves cooking it in a sauce of cilantro, tamarind, and hot chili peppers, which gives it a uniquely spicy taste. In fact, this is the only part of Iran where they use chilies in their cooking.