Ice Cream or Bastani with pistachio’s and rose water

Ice Cream is easier to make than you think.  If you have an Ice Cream maker it’s even easier but not necessary. This is a basic Ice Cream recipe I adapted a little to give it a slightly Persian taste.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 400 mls  of milk 
• 400 mls  of double cream
• 100 g’s of caster sugar
• 4 medium eggs yolks
• 2 teaspoons of rose-water
• chopped pistachio nuts

Preparation:

• If you are using an ice cream maker make sure your bowl is frozen
• You will need a storage container
• whisk the cream until thick

Method:

1. Pour the milk into a pan and slowly heat to boiling point.
2. pour the egg yolks into a bowl and add the sugar and rose-water
3. Mix in well with a hand whisk
4. Add the egg yolk and sugar to the milk continuing to whisk
5. Return to a low  heat and stir constantly until the mixture forms a glaze over the back of a wooden spoon but do not let it boil or the ingredients will separate.
6. Remove from the heat and place to one side until cold
7. When cold fold  the cream  into the milk mix and stir in
8. Either pour this into your freeze bowl and follow the instructions for freeze churning
9. OR pour into a storage container.
10. When the Ice Cream is beginning to set add the pistachio nuts and return to the freezer or continue the freeze process.

 

 

Adas Polou or Persian Lentil Rice

There are so many varieties on this dish you can vary it to suit your own tastes. The basic ingredients are lentils, meat, dates and raisins  but you can add sliced almonds too and I often add orange peel which makes it a little bit more special. Completely gluten-free and very ‘moreish’. Full of protein, economical and delicious.

~~ADAS POLOU OR PERSIAN LENTIL RICE ~~

Serves 4-5

Ingredients~

• 3 cups of basmati rice
• 1 onion
• 400 gm’s minced meat or small pieces of lamb
• 3 0r 4 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
• 2 teaspoons of advieh
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 cup of brown lentils
• 1 cup of raisins
• 1/2 cup of chopped dates
• a handful of sliced almonds ( optional)
• the grated peel of one orange (optional but not usual)
• a small cup of liquid saffron
• a little oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation~

• Prepare the za’faran or liquid saffron
• If you use lamb rather than minced meat, cut the lamb into small pieces no bigger than your finger nail.
• wash the lentils and cook until soft
• chop the onion and crush the garlic
• remove the stones and chop the dates into small pieces
• If you are going to add orange peel, cook the slithered orange peel in a pan of water and sugar to make it sweet.
• thoroughly wash the rice and pre soak for at least 2 hours before cooking

Method~

1. In a large pan boil some water and add salt and a  drop of the liquid saffron
2. When boiling add the rice and cook until soft enough to bite.
3. Drain, rinse and put to one side.
4. Meanwhile gently fry the onion in a little oil until it becomes transparent
5. Add the meat and crushed garlic and brown
6. Add salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of the advieh
7. Cook the lentils in some salted water for 10 minutes, then in a frying pan add the raisins, dates and orange peel in a little oil and put to one side.
8. Pour some oil into a large  heavy bottomed pan and heat
9. Add the first layer of rice
10. Now add a layer of the meat mix and continue adding layers. You should begin and end with a layer of rice. I usually make 3 rice layers in total.
11. Pour on the saffron or za’farn infusion.
12. Add a spoon of butter or ghee.
13. Cover the lid of the pan with a tea towel to prevent any steam from dripping back on to the rice and making it wet.
14. Cook on a low heat for between 60 – 90 mins.

Serve with a dish of mixed herbs or sabzi khordan, or a mixed salad, mast or natural yoghurt and naan.

Nooshi joonet . Enjoy

Sabzi ingredients for Persian recipes

In this post you will find a list of all the sabzi or Persian herbs (in farsi and english) you will need for each dish. You will find the recipes for these dishes in the ‘recipe’ section.

The sabzi should all be stemmed and roughly chopped. Use fresh herbs when possible but it’s fine to use a mixture of both fresh and dried sabzi. Always use the same measure of each unless otherwise stated. Herbs can bought fresh when in season, be prepared and then frozen for use later.

For more information about the different herbs used in Persian cooking follow this link

Khoresht e Ghormeh Sabzi: 

• 1 bunch of spinach or esfenaj
• 1 bunch of coriander or gheshniz
• 1 bunch of dill or shivid
• 1 bunch of parsley or jafari
• 1 bunch of fennugreek or shanbalileh
• 1 bunch of leek chives or tareh

Sabzi Polou:

• 1 bunch of leek chives or tareh
• 1 bunch of dill weed or shivid

Khoresht e Karafs:

• 1 bunch of mint or nanar
• 1 bunch of parsley or jafari

Aash e Reshte:

• 1 bunch of  parsley or jafari
• 1 bunch of spinach or esfenaj
• 1 bunch of corriander or gheshniz
• 1 bunch of leek chives or tareh
• 1 bunch of dill weed or shivid

Sabzi Kukoo:

• 1 cup of sweet basil or reyhan
• 1 cup of parsley or jafari
• 1 cup of leek chives or tareh
• 1 cup of dill weed or shivid
• 1 cup of corriander or gheshniz
• 2 cups of spinach or esfenaj

A light Sandwich idea Persian style

A quick and easy idea for a sandwich to eat as  fresh balanced light lunch. I have used gluten-free Ciabatta but you can substitute the Ciabatta for a bread of your choice.

Ingredients:

• Gluten free Ciabatta
• a few slices of tomatoe
• a few slices of goats cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• a few twigs of tarragon

Mast o Khiar or Persian Yoghurt Dip

Mast o Khiar is much like the well known Greek dish Tzatziki although made using slightly different ingredients  and is used as an accompliment to meals in the same way. It’s also a great dip for the buffet table, with drinks and a lovely appetizer when served with naan or flat bread.

Serves 3.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 a cucumber
• 3  cups of slightly sour low fat plain yoghurt
• 2 desert spoons of dried mint
• a dash of lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• As sprig of fresh mint, walnuts, or slices of radish  to decorate

Preparation:

• Chop the cucumber into small pieces or grate

Method:

1. Combine the yoghurt, cucumber and mint and mix well.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste and I add a dash of lime juice but this is personal taste.
3. Pour into a serving dish and chill
4. Decorate before serving.

Serve with naan or flat bread.