The Essential Persian Pantry

Don’t be intimidated by the uniquely Persian elements of the recipes in this book. Getting to know new ingredients is fun and you can build up your Persian pantry over time as you try different dishes. Every ingredient you might need for Persian cooking is available in the U.S. these days, if not from your local supermarket, then from a Middle Eastern or Iranian store. Iranian markets are more common than you may think—most major cities have them; they tend to stock high-quality, fresh, seasonal ingredients, and are usually less expensive. Use the Internet to find the one nearest you or simply order what you need online. These specialty ingredients are also just a click away online, via websites such as Sadaf.com or Amazon. In this section, I’ve listed some of the items used in my recipes, including ones that you may not have in your pantry.