Shab-e-Yalda Mubarak Merry Christmas Festival Holiday Happy Happy

Several days ago, I noticed a post on an Iranian Facebook page called Must See Iran about something called Shab-e-Yalda. Instead of using my own feeble words to describe it, I'll quote from the site found at this link here.

Learning this, I felt that the Iranian celebration of Yalda was similar to the celebration of Christmas. Both have ancient beginnings related to the winter solstice, then there is some religious significance, with eventually the religious aspect being somewhat lost and/or adapted to secular terms.

As a devout Muslim, I've always been weary of celebrating Christmas from a religious point of view (since I don't think Jesus (peace be upon him) is a god). But of course, there are those who simply celebrate his birth, whatever he means to them. Muslims love Jesus (p) so of course we are joyous at his birth.

Still, even more so, the secular Santa lie really doesn't appeal to me at all. But as a HUMAN BEING, I've always been drawn to the twinkling lights set against the lovely snow and the pretty gifts and happy families. I figured if Shab-e-Yalda can be celebrated in Iran, maybe it's okay to enjoy some of the shiny perks of the Holiday season.

And so, especially since we're missing our family in America, plus all the other fun cultural aspects of America, we decided to decorate for the holiday season of Yalda and Christmas. We didn't buy all the traditional Yalda items such as watermelon or dried fruit; my husband found some almonds, pistachios, and these things called fruit rolls (which were not, as I had thought, like fruit roll-ups). And of course we didn't get a tree or ornaments, nor buy presents. Instead we made paper trees, lit candles, and wrapped up items that we already owned, hoping the recipient wouldn't notice the missing items, until we opened them up on the 25th. Haha, it was both funny and fun.

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the Iranian TV Channel Tamasha aired both HOME ALONE movies as well as SCROOGE, so we watched and enjoyed them.

At  BAMA restaurant, there were signs on the table saying Shab-e-Yalda Mubarak (Have a blessed Night of Yalda).

And here's a video about Shabe Yalda:

And also a video about Christmas in Iran:

Reading poetry by Persian poet Hafiz is a common tradition on Yalda, so I'll leave you with this:

KuKu Sabzi

I had only some eggs and sabzi so I searched for a Persian recipe and found the perfect one! It's called Kuku Sabzi. Turns out there are several variations of it, but it always includes eggs and herbs. Here's what I found on the internet about this dish:

So I used the recipe found here, on My Persian Kitchen. 

Of course I had to adapt the recipe to go with what ingredients I had or didn't have. Also, I only have a stainless steel pan so I have to be extra careful about the heat so as not to burn everything. Here is how it looked after I'd separated the first side into four slices, before I flipped them over:

After flipping the first side over:

The final product looked similar to the one on My Persian Kitchen, so I called that a success! The taste was nice, just similar to an omelet or frittata with the spice of the herbs I used. It would taste great with hot sauce, sour cream, plain yogurt, or even ketchup! I served mine on top of some rice just because I had some leftover rice, haha! 

So go get kookoo for Kuku, ya'll!

http://www.mypersiankitchen.com/kuku-sabzi-persian-frittata-with-fresh-herbs/

Khuda Hafiz (Good-bye, Go with God) for now! Thanks for reading.

Kabab Time

Chelow means steamed rice in Farsi, and Kabab means, well, it means Grilled Meat, often coøked on a skewer. And it's the "national dish" here in Iran.

However, since I do not own a grill or any skewers, I searched for another kabab recipe and found it on YouTube, on the Aashpazi channel. It's called Kabab Tabei and it's a lot easier to make than the traditional grilled kababs.

Here is the recipe, with ingredients and directions. Of course I didn't follow them exactly, but I tried! 

From the video:

And voila! My version of Kabab Tabei!

I roughly chopped the onions rather than grate them due to lack of a grater or food processor and to my burning, crying eyes!

Had several herbs and radish for color (not in the recipe, but, hey, why not?)

Must make the dishes look pretty!

Radishes, Green Onions, Leeks, Basil, Water Cress. and Mint.

I don't know how to rotate this photo. But here you see the herbs that I sautéed along with some corn (totally not in the recipe).

Sabzi (Herbs!)

I tried to fry some onions for garnish but they did not get as crispy as I hoped. Still, tasted very yum.

Some marinated, spicy cucumbers with radish and herbs.

So, there you have it. My version of Kabab Tabei. Try it out for yourselves! Thanks for reading...

Mount Khidr

You can see the figures of those walking up the mountain side

Mount Khidr  

is one of several holy sits we are blessed enough to live near. It is an ancient mountain with a masjid on top. Although we have not climbed up to visit the masjid on top of it, we were able to drive by to see it from afar. 

"Imam Sadiq (a.s.) introduces Prophet Khidr (p) as such: He was a divine messenger who invited people to God’s unity, Prophethood of messengers and heavenly books. One of his signs was that on whatever dry wood or hard earth he sat, it would make it vegetate and looked green hence his name Khidr. His name was Talia son of Malkan son of Aber son of Arfkhshath son of Sam son of Noah. He was born 3458 years after the Fall of Adam.

https://www.al-islam.org/ethics-prophets-muhammad-mehdi-taaj-langroodi/15-ethos-prophet-khidr

A meeting between the Prophet Moses (a.s) and Prophet Khidr/Khizr is described in the Quran:

 [18:65] Then they found one from among Our servants whom We had granted mercy from Us and whom We had taught knowledge from Ourselves.

[18:66] Musa said to him: Shall I follow you on condition that you should teach me right knowledge of what you have been taught?
[18:67] He said: Surely you cannot have patience with me
[18:68] And how can you have patience in that of which you have not got a comprehensive knowledge?
[18:69] He said: If Allah pleases, you will find me patient and I shall not disobey you in any matter.

“In these verses the Quran describes the meeting which took place between Musa/Moses and a chosen servant of Allah, whose name, as per Islamic traditions, was Khizr. Allah told Moses that if he wanted to see a more knowledgeable person then he should go to meet him at the place where the two seas come together. The sign for that meeting-place was that a fish would disappear in the water.

Musa was the most learned man of his times, but even his wisdom did not comprehend everything. Therefore he was commanded by Allah to go in search of Khizr who would impart to him such knowledge as even he did not possess.

Musa learned from Khizr that the mysteries of life are diverse and countless. The finite mind cannot easily disentangle the web of secrets unless the all-wise Lord shows the way to have a glimpse of the unknown; that patience is essential to face the vicissitudes of life and to know the inner meanings of the external manifestations; that the working of the divine plan always brings good in the end; that in the larger interest of the human society the loss of a few lives is not a loss at all; and that good deeds should be done for the sake of good not for immediate return in terms of material gain.” http://quran.al-islam.org/

Mt. Khidr is located here at the site of the star on the left

Satellite image from above

InshaAllah next time, I will be posting photographs from the top. Thanks for reading...

Masjid Jamkaran

Do you know of the saying, "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride"? You're so close, but not close enough. Well, it's been 6 weeks here in Iran and I haven't actually gone inside any of the holy sites we are fortunate enough to live near. Still, we've been able to drive around to get a look from the outside, and it felt lovely enough. Masjid Jamkaran is located a short drive from our home.

Here is some additional information (from the net, which jives with the info I've had for awhile, but please correct any mistakes and misinformation):

"Jamkaran is located on the outskirts of Qom, and is the site of the Jamkaran Mosque, a popular pilgrimage site for Shi'ite Muslims. Local belief has it that Muhammad al-Mahdi (p)-- the Twelfth Imam, a messiah figure Shia believe will lead the world to an era of universal peace — once appeared and offered prayers at Jamkaran. On Tuesday evenings large crowds of thousands gather at Jamkaran to pray and to drop a note to the Imam in a well at the site, asking for help with some problem. The mosque, six kilometres east of Qom, has long been a sacred place, at least since 373 A.H., 17th of Ramadan (22 February 984 C.E.), when according to the mosque website, one Sheikh Hassan ibn Muthlih Jamkarani is reported to have met Muhammad al-Mahdi (p) along with the prophet Al-Khidr. Jamkarani was instructed that the land they were on was "noble" and that the owner — Hasan bin Muslim — was to cease cultivating it and finance the building of a mosque on it from the earnings he had accumulated from farming the land."

Masjid Jamkaran is the located at the far right star

The few photographs I took from the car...

Yet another beautiful sacred site. I hope to make many proper visits, inshaaAllah.