Soups

The Persian word for chef is ash-pas, which literally means ‘soup-maker’. Soup is important in Iran, a nutritious and economical way of feeding lots of people and an essential tool in the battle against the vicious cold of the winter months. It’s odd that Iran exists in the imagination as a land of mystery and warmth – ‘it’s exotic, so it must be hot’, the line of thought runs – but in fact most of Iran experiences the sort of white Christmas that we can only dream about.

Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard against evil.

The Koran