The anatomy of an Iranian feast

• Upside-down saffron rice cake, two ways
• Iranian jewelled rice
• Sour cherry pilaf
• Saffron roast chicken stuffed with dried fruit
• Chicken braised with pomegranate
• Trout stuffed with herbs, barberries & walnuts
• Mutton braise with courgette & tomato
• Savoury stuffed apples

This chapter contains recipes for dishes that are mostly served at house parties or celebrations. When I was a child, the women in my family each had their own cooking repertoire, which meant you could expect certain dishes at each household. As a guest in an Iranian household you should expect legendary hospitality, much taarof (compliments) and almost always too much food.