Seriously!

Iranian cooks and chefs, like most others who have a deep cultural and culinary history, take cooking and eating very seriously. That is why I would never claim to be able to cook Iranian food or Iranian dishes. I make my own "version" of what little I know about this cuisine, which yes I know, is a huge insult (I'm sorry, okay?!).

A post that I read on the Facebook page, "Must See Iran," really set my position in stone though. Don't even TRY to claim you can make a certain cultural dish-- you will be set straight! A video about the dish Mirza Ghasemi made by Aashpazi was met with A LOT of negative passion. The funniest part is that Aashpazi's channel is what I've often used to cook up Iranian meals (or so I thought). Just take a look at these comments (including mine). Now if you follow my Instagram food account (omae.omae) you might think from the edited photos that I can cook Persian food---I can not and will never claim I can!

Please remove this video !! What on earth did this person make ? Vegan mirzaghasemi?? Where is the eggs and garlic etc ??? Do your self a favour and delete this silly video because this food does not represent Iran or mirzaghasemi

BS!!
Not the real thing. 
Big errors!!

U better remove the video after these many comments protesting ur cooking u just started cooking! Learn first how to cook a dish! Chefs put video to teach, not u!

Ignorance! ignorance! ignorance!

And check out this video from the Iranian show, "The Chef." Haha, that's about right.

So there you go, amateurs be warned. 

As for me, let's leave it at this: 

Bye for now! Stay tuned for my next post entitled, "Midnight Train to Mashad."

Kheili Mamnoon means Thank You Very Much !

What's this? Amazon packages in Iran? How can that be? Amazon doesn't deliver here, you know.

So, I've mentioned before that we're not able to visit America at this time. So we all (especially the children) miss our familiar American items. And since sending a package directly from America to Iran is nearly impossible, we have to depend on the kindness of visitors to Iran who will bring the items to us. 

One of my husband's good friends was due to visit Qom. So, a few months before his arrival, my parents in Texas ordered gifts for us using Amazon online, having them sent to my husband's friend's address in California so that friend could put it in his own luggage and bring it on the flight here! I was so surprised that his friend and his friend's wife were generous enough to even leave the items in the original boxes instead of taking them out to make for a lighter suitcase. Wow, what a special treat that was. I'm so grateful for the people that make an effort like this.  

Speaking of special treats, another friend of mine was due to be in Qom only for a couple of days. Before she left the States she asked me if there was anything from there she could bring. It was short notice, and though I was pleasantly surprised she asked--my mind went blank at first, and then it became overwhelmed with all the possibilities as I considered the things I missed from America. I settled on asking her to bring some chocolate candy and macaroni for the kids. I figured she's bring one of two small bags of each. I was shocked to see the generous amount that she brought for us; it was amazing! Just look at this, it must have been a lot to carry! Again, we're so grateful to her for bringing smiles to our faces. She didn't even let me say thank you, but I'll say Kheili Mamnoon! 

Because my mind went blank when I was asked about what things she could bring for us, I decided to start making a list of items that we could definitely use if some kind American is able to bring things over. I don't expect anyone to bring all of these, or even any, but I figured it might help others who may one day move to Iran or bring gifts over. These are mostly items that are not available or not easily available here in Iran, especially around the Qom area (I don't know what it's like in bigger cities such as Tehran). The list includes things from ketchup to taco seasoning and kids' vitamins to mustard! Check out the entire list here.  

Of course there's no way to bring a many year supply of those items, and of course most will be used up in short time, but just to have a little taste of home is a comfort. 

So yes, of course the best things in life are free (love, friendship, and knowledge) but some good old Kit Kat and Kraft Mac N Cheese, plus the luxury of a Harry Potter book and Little House DVD are very much appreciated ! ! ! I look forward to being able to go back to America with a bunch of goodies from Iran to give out :-)

Fesenjoon in July

Fesenjoon, also spelled Fesenjan, is one of the best national dishes in Iran. If you see walnuts, pomegranate syrup, saffron steeping in hot water, and poultry (duck or chicken) in an Iranian kitchen, you can be sure that Fesenjoon is on the menu. 

Here is an exact recipe and more details about this wholesome stew from Persian Mama : 

Khoresh Fesenjan

I used boneless chicken breasts, although I think bone-in thighs and legs might create more flavor. Also, most Iranian food is mild when it comes to that spicy mouth-on-fire taste that I love since I grew up on very spicy Pakistani and Texan food, so I'd add some form chili peppers to taste. 

Still, the tangy sour taste from the pomegranate is delicious. 

So first, I ground up some walnuts in a food processor (toast them first to be exact). 

Then brown some onions.

Then brown the chicken in the same pan.

Add the walnuts to the browned chicken and onions in a big pot. 

Add a few cups of boiling water.

Then add the pomegranate paste.

Add 

Tomato paste (not common, but sometimes used for depth of flavor and color).

Turmeric

Salt

Saffron water

The color should develop into a deep tawny coffee hazel tint 

I also toasted and tossed a few whole walnuts with salt and pomegranate syrup.

Serve with saffron rice, cucumbers, and yogurt. 

Here is another take on Fesenjoon:

 

And another!

And here's a more flexible and easier approach (my kinda thing!):

Recipe details from Aashpazi HERE.

And if you ever get the chance to watch Season 12 Episode 10 of Beat Bobby Flay,

enjoy as he and Chef Amanda Freitag battle it out in making Fesenjoon!

ENJOY!

Ramadan 2017

We completed our first Ramadan in Iran. It was our 5th Ramadan away from "home," meaning, living away from our hometown and family in Texas. It was my 12 year old daughter's 4th time fasting in Ramadan, and my 11 year old daughter's 3rd time. MashaaAllah (by God's Grace), they did great! They rarely complained about their hunger. We did change our schedule though, by staying up almost all night, so that we could sleep in half of the day. My husband still had to take a morning class every day, but was home by afternoon.

It has been said that summertime in Qom can be "dull" for Western Muslims. Most of the English speaking community who lives here goes back to their home countries for the summer to visit family and/or friends. So with Ramadan being in the summer these past few years, there are no large English speaking communities that gather for iftar with English scholars giving Ramadan speeches like many of us from the States might be used to. Most of us who stay behind might have iftar with a few friends here and there. My brother who stayed in a Howza dorm this Ramadan along with a couple of other students, was provided a simple sehri (morning breakfast) and iftar (although towards the last week the service was lagging a bit).

There is iftar at the main shrines in Iran of course. To have iftar at the shrine of Lady Masumeh (a.s) one needs to get his hands on a few of the limited supply of tickets to gain entry. The iftar would be a humble serving of fruit and bread with water. We didn't get to partake in that nice experience this year unfortunately.

Those of us who fast know that being able to eat whatever snacks you craved while hungry is one of the best parts of well, eating time! We were a bit worried about it for our kids but were happy to find these "flaming hot cheetoz" that are similar to the ones in the states which really hit that spicy spot.

And my husband missed drinking Gatorade to quench his thirst so he had to settle for making an icy cold drink with one of the various 'syrups' that he found here. 

The shops and restaurants here had different timings during Ramadan. They would open after iftar and stay open until 4 or 5 in the mornings. People go out and eat and socialize at those times also.

I also noticed that the internet was less reliable during Ramadan. We also had a few days with electricity and water outages. Perhaps during Ramadan these things have less staff working to maintain them? Who knows? Maybe it was all a coincidence and/or I noticed these things more.

The 19th, 21st, and 23rd were the days that Imam Ali (a.s.)'s martyrdom was commemorated. Black "Ya Ali" banners were on nearly every corner. It is nice to live somewhere that honors truly great historical figures.

On the last Friday of Ramadan it was Al-Quds Day. My husband went out to rally in the hot sun of Qom and took a few pictures.

The Eid moon was "sighted" first in America so they celebrated Eid al Fitr a day before us here in Iran. It's all based on a lunar, moon-sighting calendar. Some folks get bothered that not all Muslims celebrate on the same day for a few reasons. It's hard explaining why and when you'd need a day off from work or school since it's really touch and go at times. But that's not a problem here I'm sure!

Also, it "seems" like Eid is celebrated on different days among Shia and Sunni often, which can create some tensions and inconveniences! This time, some Shia celebrated first in the U.S. while we Shia in Iran did so the next day. So for some, Ramadan lasted for 29 days total while for others it was the full 30 days. It's really not the big of a deal, it's just a common thing.

My husband went for the early morning Eid prayers in the beautiful shrine of Lady Masumeh (a.s.) and he took this lovely pic though I'm sure it was even more lovely in real life. 

Some shops were closed on Eid, some for a few days after. My husband had the week off from his summer classes. We noticed families and friends gathering in our apartment complex, one of our neighbors in particular had a lot of guests over and sent us a plate of sweet halwa.

I definitely missed my family back in Texas this Eid. Though I've never been big on socializing during Ramadan or on Eid, this time it was close to the 8 month mark of us being away from America, so it did hit me a little harder this year. Couple that with not knowing if and when the next visit will be, I'm really starting to feel homesick for the USA.

Still, we try to stay positive and enjoy what we can. Here's our humble Eid table and decor :

Au Revoir 

Bademjan: Eggplant! Bread and Sugar.

So I had some eggplants (BADEMJAN) and looked up some recipes. Now, this is how I felt after realizing I didn't have many necessary ingredients for most of the recipes: 

This happens a lot. For example, I found a recipe for Pakistani style eggplant. Here's what I needed:

But here's what I actually had on hand:

So, instead of waiting around for my husband to go to the grocery store where he may or may not find all the ingredients, I just use what I have and make my own versions.

If you want to make Iranian eggplant, look up kashke bademjan and khoresh bademjan.

In the above pic you can see a type of bread called LAVASH: 

"Lavash is made with flour, water, and salt. The thickness of the bread varies depending on how thin it was rolled out. Toasted sesame seeds and/or poppy seeds are sometimes sprinkled on before baking...Traditionally the dough is rolled out flat and slapped against the hot walls of a clay oven. While quite flexible when fresh, lavash dries out quickly and becomes brittle and hard."

Now in the bottom photo is SANGAK:

"The bread is baked on a bed of small river stones in an oven. There are, normally, two varieties of this bread offered at Iranian bakeries: the generic one which has no toppings; and the more expensive variety which is seed bread (this is, topped with poppy seeds and/or sesame seeds). Sangak bread was traditionally the bread of the Persian army. It is mentioned for the first time in the 11th century. Each soldier carried a small quantity of pebbles which at camp were brought together with the "sangak oven" and used to cook the bread for the entire army."

In other random food notes: Here's my favorite Iranian cookie:

Some Iranians drink their tea with sugar cubes, putting one in their mouth and then sipping their tea until it dissolves. I don't enjoy the texture of this method, but it's fun for some! 

Another thing I noticed is that folks here may eat their french fries with a fork and put ketchup on their pizza (which usually has no tomato sauce on it!). 

That's it for now, Bye!

These Walls Can Talk

My neighbors are so loud sometimes.

When we first moved here, I noticed a man's voice yelling loudly at all times of the day and night. I didn't know any of the words he was saying but the language of shouting can be universal, no? Of course it was disturbing so I asked my husband to investigate. Long story short, we realized the family members up there were just typical dramatic talkers, and that our apartment walls were thin! And after watching several Iranian drama shows, "loud conversing" between men and women is a common thing, hahaha. 

The neighbor's across the hall have a very temperamental child who tantrums. Once they were having a birthday party for him. It lasted at least 8 hours. Lots of guests, lots of woohoo-ing, and lots of clapping! Next door to us is a family with a newborn baby. We can hear the child crying the way crying newborns do. I'm sure my family can get too loud at times as well. Sometimes I don't mind the noise because a lively atmosphere is fine. Most of the times, it's quiet during the day. But somedays when my family is all asleep around 11 PM, we can hear the neighbors in all corners making a ruckus. Sometimes sounds like running around, yelling, or even drilling. It's been quiet lately though so who knows why or what or when. That's apartment life.

If this was happening in America, I'd be complaining to my husband who might end up having to complain to the manager. But since we still feel like outsiders here, it's a lot less disturbing for some reason. It's like we're still outside, looking in. I sort of laugh it off and think, "Iranians are so lively and fun." But it does get annoying, yes. It's a good thing I have a pair of super duper ear plugs for sleeping at night! 

--

So Spring has sprung and it is hot in Iran. We fortunately have a 'water cooler air conditioner' which keeps us chill when it's working well. There are more flies getting into the apartment which I hate, but it is manageable. And of course flies got in our homes in America. This is just what's new around here. At least it's just house flies and not mosquitoes!

--

There is a Presidential Election going on. Compared to the American elections, this one is not dragged out for years with long campaigns. The whole thing has lasted a few months. There have been 3 televised live debates. The candidates criticize each other but it is far more civilized than the mudslinging of the U.S. politics. While driving around, I notice people have put photographs of their choice on their car windows and there are larger posters hanging in public places for both the Presidential and local elections. The election is in a couple of days. Here's a sample of the debate which was shown on the English language Iranian channel PRESS TV:

---

Oh, and here's a random clip of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE in Farsi, which is being shown here also. I love this show! 

---
So, while the Elections in Iran are far more dignified than in the States, there is one thing that is far more civilized in the States and that is the DRIVING. It is too scary here for someone who grew up with traffic flowing in a straight line and people waiting to cross the streets at a stop light. Here, "jaywalking" is the only way to get around. Families put their kids on the motorcycles with them, no helmets, just tight arms and good faith. As you are driving or even walking down the sidewalk, you may see a man on a motorbike driving towards you. My husband has been taking driving school here and it is no picnic. It's very strict and emphasizes safety and following the law. There are commercials on TV and posters all around the streets reminding the people to follow the safety rules. Yet, people do not follow the rules. At the same time, though there is a lot of honking of horns, there is not much road rage. I've never seen anyone yell at another. It's just a strange way of life. I will certainly never drive here, and thankfully my husband has nerves of steel, quick motor reflexes, eagle eyes, and lots of patience. Our car has seat belts, and we rarely go for a drive anyhow. There are also plenty of times when the roads are fine and the cars are straight in a row. By the way, the written driving test here is very difficult to pass especially if one's Farsi is not so perfect yet. 

--

Ok so that's a short update. Keep in touch. 

Happy New Year 1396: Norouz in Iran

Well, we experienced our first New Year in Iran! It's a big deal here, and it's completely different than the celebrations of the New Year in America. Here it is called Norouz, which means New Day, and it occurs on the first day of the Spring equinox, so usually around March 21st. It's a holiday season that lasts about 2 weeks.

We had been warned beforehand that most stores close down for almost two weeks, so we stressfully stocked up on our groceries. Turns out that the stores were closed for just 1 week,  and since we have a car, it was easier to drive around to look for any small stores still open. 

On the eve of the the last Wednesday before Nowrouz, the fire festival called Chaharshanbe Soori (Red Wednesday) occurred. There were fireworks blasting all evening and night in our small little town. Not big productions as seen on the 4th of July in America, but mainly individuals shooting them up in the air. There's also a tradition of building a small bonfire and jumping over it. We did not participate in this tradition just because we hadn't heard of it, and it doesn't seem too fun (personally speaking). There's a lot of symbolism in the tradition, so here's a video that explains a bit more: 

Fire festival, called Chaharshanbe Soori. 

There is also the annual Spring cleaning that many Iranians begin at this time, cleaning the house from top to bottom. Professional artists, and city workers also take to the streets to beautify and clean up. It's called Khaneh-Tekani (shaking the house). We didn't really participate in this tradition either (haha!) Here's a video: 

Spring cleaning, Khaneh-Tekani: Shaking the house.

Artists in Tehran. 

In depth traditions here: 

Part 2:

The best and fun part of the Nowrouz traditions (I think) is the setting up of the Haft-Seen table! It has traditional elements, but you can be very creative when designing it.

Haft-Seen also spelled as Haft Sin (Persian: هفت‌سین‎‎, the seven seen's) is a tabletop (sofreh) or (Haft Mewa,هفت میوه, the seven fruit's) arrangement of seven symbolic items traditionally displayed at Nowruz, the Iranian new year. The haft-seen table includes seven items all starting with the letter Seen (letter) (fa) (س) in the Persian alphabet. 

The primary Haft-Seen items are:

1. Sabzeh (سبزه) – wheat, barley, mung bean or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth
2. Samanu (سمنو) – sweet pudding made from wheat germ – symbolizing affluence
3. Senjed (سنجد) – dried Persian olive – symbolizing love
4. Seer (سیر) – garlic – symbolizing medicine and health
5. Seeb (سیب) – apple – symbolizing beauty
6. Somāq (سماق) – sumac fruit – symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
7. Serkeh (سرکه) – vinegar – symbolizing old-age and patience

Part of the extended table is the use of goldfish! I didn't want that part because we have owned a fish back in America, and I did not enjoy it. It's expensive and time consuming. However, my husband misunderstood my request to "get the Haft-Seen stuff," and he brought home a little goldfish for the table. I made him take it back to the store. Apparently, it's becoming a thing to NOT include the goldfish anymore, although many still do. If you have a large tank and ability to help these things survive for a long time, then go for it! Click here to learn more about the use of Goldfish during Nowrouz.

Anyhow, here's a photo of my humble attempt. I left several items in their original packaging because I didn't understand how things such as the pudding and dates can stay fresh for 13 days just out in the open (and didn't have room in our over-stocked fridge to keep them overnight): 

I did another one because I just wanted to try a different look: 

My 7 year old son even created his own table. It turned into a funny face by chance! 😀 

We got ourselves a cake to celebrate, haha!

Made a festive meal: 

The television had many programs celebrating Nowrouz, especially the day before! Every regular talk show had set up their own haft-seen table. It felt nice to participate in a holiday tradition that the entire country also did---a feeling that I rarely had while living in America. 

This show was decorated with vibrant colors and other fun stuff!

INSTAGRAM had many users sharing images of their haft-seen tables. 

I really enjoy looking at them all, take a look! 

Now, I'll briefly mention the figure of Haji Firuz, which is a character often depicted on Iranian haft seen tables. You'll know it when you see it. And if you're an American like me, you will be confused and curious. Here's the information that best explained it to me, from an article titled "The Afro Iranian Community, Beyond Haji Firuz Blackface, Slavery, and Bandari Music": 

"Many Iranians know and love Haji Firuz, the jovial singing icon that pops up for every Persian New Year, wishing everyone good and happy tidings for the upcoming year. While many regard Haji Firuz as a sort of Santa Claus figure, there is one marked difference between the two: Haji Firuz is black...A quick Google image search shows that Haji Firuz is still primarily depicted with blackface. Despite this blatant racism, the festive costume is devoid of its problematic implications for many Iranians. In Iran, historians like Mehrdad Bahar have tried to explain away the blackface with references to ancient Iranian symbols, but his theories have little basis in history and are met with much skepticism by academics. Instead, another scholar, Jafar Shahri presented Haji Firuz as a more contemporary addition to the Norooz cheer, an African slave who serves an Iranian master...Although many Iranians do not consider Haji Firuz beyond his brief jingle every New Year, his character represents one aspect of Iran’s long history of slavery. Haji Firuz, in fact, hails from the Afro-Iranian community in southern Iran..."

Please take the time to read the entire article by clicking HERE.

And finally, there was the last day of celebration:

Sizdah-Bedar, an ancient Iranian nature festival, is held on the 13th of Farvardin (first month in Iranian calendar) and marks the end of the Persian New Year (#Nowruz) holidays.

The occasion has deep roots in the Iranian history. The festivities include picnicking outdoors, in the parks or the countryside.

Although picnicking outdoors is the main event, there are other symbolic purposes for the celebrations such as appreciating nature, cleaning the mind from evil thoughts and spending the day outdoors to stay away from the unluckiness of the number thirteen.

We didn't really do anything on Sizdah-Bedar. Our neighbors, however, returned from their 2 week vacations the next day. All three of our neighbor families were gone, and it was so quiet! Now they're back and the daily routine has returned. My husband had the holidays off from his school as well. Hopefully, inshaaAllah (God Willing) next year we'll be able to go out onto the streets and be a part of other festivities surrounding the New Year. 

By the way, HAPPY 1396 !!! Live long and prosper :-)

Until next time, thanks for reading!