We're reaching the end of the year and I've been thinking of making Haleem for quite some time, so what better way to enjoy this wonderfully hearty broth than with family. Haleem is made with barley or cracked wheat and any kind of meat, I've used lamb and barley. It can be eaten any time of the day, I especially enjoy eating it during the cold winter morning’s. My grandmother always knew to make this for me when we came to visit her in Iran, she knew it was one of my favourite dishes. I once even finished a whole pot by myself! Ingredients 250g lamb 300g barley 1 small to medium sized onion ..read more

Hello lovelies, I'm sure being boxing day we're all fully stuffed from all the scrumptious food we've enjoyed for Christmas! I've just had enough time today to bash away the ingredients to share with you for my quick Christmas Persian Sugar 'N' Spice Roulade ;) Needless to say it's finished! but if you're thinking of having a go and making this for New Year then this won't take long, and if like me you love all those lovely mixed spice flavours in cakes and that warm comforting feeling you get when the aroma fills the air, then definitely make this, you won't be disappointed. This is a pretty ..read more

I made these lovely and extremely moreish cookies before but this time I've made them larger and in a flat cookie form. The recipe varies with the addition of pistachio but you can add any ground nut of your choosing. You can make these in any style you like, I've chosen two, one flat and round and the other little Christmas trees which I found totally adorable. This cookie is better known in Khuzestan, one of the 31 provinces of Iran and boarders Iraq and the Persian Gulf, its capital is Ahvaz. This sweet ticks the vegetarian and vegan box perfectly. Ingredients 100g plain flour 100g confect ..read more

Hands down this has got to be one of the simplest and easiest dishes I've made and how wonderful it turned out after a good 4 hours in the oven. Absolutely moist and tender, the aroma just filled everywhere. I've sprinkled some ground pistachios on top to give it a Christmassy feel. The saffron and cinnamon were not overpowering at all and really complemented the subtle taste I was after. This is a good chunk of meat so ideal for a family get together. Ingredients Beef brisket (medium) 2 onions ( medium size) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper (ground) 1 1/2 tsp rock salt flakes p ..read more

As we approach both Yalda (Shab-e-Yalda) and Christmas, I find family time is about making things simple to eat, ensuring that precious moments are spent with friends and loved ones. These dark chocolate dipped dates can be made a good week in advance and piped with the cream filling on the day. They are extremely filling as a dessert, both beautiful to look at, a feast for the eyes and the palate. Really easy to make, I made mine within an hour or so. The garnish is totally up to you, I used three different types of fillings topped with the traditional Persian pistachio, rose petal and carda ..read more

Ghalieh Mahi is a beautiful and aromatic Southern Iranian fish dish. The consistency of this stew is much more thicker which I find very pleasing as it brings out the flavour of the coriander and fenugreek together with the uniqueness of the tamarind. Definitely to be enjoyed with rice as it complements the intense flavours. I can't wait to make this again. Ingredients Fish 650g onion 230g coriander 175g fenugreek 10g garlic 1 bulb tamarind 10g salt 1tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp turmeric 1tsp For the garnish 2 to 3 tbsp barberries (fried) Method Step 1 Fry the onions until golden brown Add 1 tsp ..read more

Goosht Koobideh is literally mashed beef or lamb, depending what meat you choose to make your Aab Goosht with. The contents of the broth (Aab Goosht) are separated and mashed together with one small diced raw onion (optional) and a final dash of salt and pepper to taste. A meal on it's own you can eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner or even enjoy as a starter. For this recipe you will need to make the Aab Goosht first as the contents of the Goosht Koobideh come from the Aab Goosht and some of it's broth. Ingredients The solid contents of the Aab Goosht (remove the dry lime) 1 onion ( smal ..read more

I've been wanting to make fudge for ages and found condensed milk that was begging me to use it. I didn't want to make just any fudge, I wanted it to be different both in flavour and in texture. I decided to add barberries and pistachios with a hint of cardamom. I can tell you I was not disappointed, the taste is sweet but has that slight sourness coming through from the barberries as the fudge melts in your mouth. The pistachios add an extra dimension and crunch. I made a smooth fudge but you can leave it longer on the heat to make it crumbly. Ingredients 397g condensed milk (1 tin) 1/3 cup ..read more

This is an absolutely delicious dessert made with lots of saffron, almonds, pistachios and rosewater with a sprinkling of cinnamon on top. Close your eyes and eat this, it’s like walking through a rose garden. Ingredients 3/4 cups rice (I used basmati) 5 cups water 1/2 cup vegetable oil Pinch of salt 3/4 cup white granulated sugar 5 tbsp rosewater 1/4 tsp ground saffron 1/4 cup mixed slivers of pistachio and almond dried rose petals (optional to decorate) cinnamon (optional to decorate) Method Step 1 Wash the rice in a medium sized pan and cover with 5 cups of cold water. Place over medium h ..read more

I love this dish, it's one of my favourites. It's a warm hearty meal great for sharing with friends and family. The garnish really shines and the flavours of the dill in the rice and the mint fried with the onions for the garnish with the turmeric and saffron are a beautiful compliment to the broad beans. This recipe is enough for 4 people. Ingredients For the lamb shank broth 4 lamb shanks 1 onion diced (medium size) 1/2 tsp ground turmeric 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 3 bulbs of garlic Pinch of ground saffron 4 cups cold water For the broad bean rice 2 cups rice 1/2 tbsp salt Pi ..read more