Persian Lamb Kebab

Persian Kebabs are well known for being the most delicious kebabs and that’s all down to the marinade. You can use veal, beef , or chicken and this is the recipe for one of two marinades we use. The other marinade uses mast or natural yoghurt rather than zafaran. Both are divine.

Serves 2

Ingredients for the marinade :

• 500 gr’s Lamb
• 1/2 teaspoon  of zafaran
• 2 Onions
• 1 desert spoon of Lime juice
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. Wash, trim and cut  the lamb into large cubes
2. Place the meat into a bowl
3. Roughly chop the onion into quarters
4. Pour on the zafaran and mix it well
5. Add salt and pepper, lime juice
6. Leave in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour before grilling
7. Put the meat onto skewers and grill or BBQ until brown

Serve with zafaran rice and salad or Salad Shirazi, mast or natural yoghurt and sabzi khordan

Nooshi joonet. Enjoy

The healing properties of Zarchoobe or Turmeric

Turmeric  is such an  under valued spice. We use it everyday in Persian cooking but forget all the magical healing qualities of this wonderful spice. It has a rich and vibrant colour and smells great but beyond that there are numerous health benefits.

Turmeric comes from the ginger family of plants. It’s often known as ‘poor man’s saffron’ because it’s less expensive than zafaran. It has a slightly earthy, bitter mustardy taste. The root is cultivated, dried  and then powdered and that is what we end with in our supermarkets.

Here are just some of the healing benefits to gained from Turmeric:

1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.

2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.

3. Thought to be helpful in preventing lung cancer

4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to die

5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.

6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.

7. Thought to be helpful in the  prevention  of Alzheimer’s disease .

8. Thought tobe helpful in the  prevention of many different forms of cancer.

9. It is a natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.

10. Has been helpful in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis

11. Is a natural painkiller.

12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.

13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.

14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.

19. Speeds up wound healing

20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis eczema and other  skin conditions.

And here are a few quirky facts about turmeric that I came across! Bet you didn’t know these:

• A spoonful of turmeric added to the water in water-cooled radiators will stop leaks.
• Use turmeric to get rid of ants in your garden…. It might leave the garden a nice colour too!
• Turmeric paste is a home remedy for sunburn and it is also an ingredient in many commercial sunscreens.