Armenian meat pies (Lahmajoon)
These Armenian meat pies are called lahmajoon and are made to order in Armenian neighborhood bakeries in Beirut. They are a bit spicy, the dough encasing them is almost paper-thin (similar to a Mexican flour tortilla) and tender with crisp edges; rolled up in a piece of paper...
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French toast (savory)
An idea gleaned from Nathalie’s blog, cuisiner, tout simplement. Prepare the basic batter for a French toast: Eggs beaten with milk; flavor it with tomato paste, dip in Parmesan; fry in butter. I like the French name for French toast: Pain perdu (lost bread). I have adapted her...
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Fried lentils
Najmieh Batmanglij in her New Food of Life describes a popular street food in Iran as being popped lentils: Lentils fried in oil and eaten as is. The idea intrigued me and I tried it with some adjustments: Parboiled the lentils till soft, pan-fried them in olive oil and...
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Squash and brie casserole
A quick-to-put-together casserole (is that word dated or what?) with some squash, diced bacon and diced brie; a few sliced almonds on top for a little crunch. INGREDIENTS: 1 squash (I picked a Turban squash for its bright orange color), about 1 pound of squash meat 1 medium...
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Chickpea cookies
These cookies are based on chickpea flour which is available in Middle-Eastern or Indian stores or health-food stores generally. They are sourced from a traditional Persian recipe from Najmieh Batmanglij New Food of Life, with the following changes: I toasted the butter to get that nutty flavor and...
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Persian cheese (Panir)
If you are going through the trouble of making your own yogurt at home, why not take it one step further and make your own cheese? This cheese does not require rennet tablets, only milk, yogurt and some fresh lime or lemon juice; a dash of nigella seeds or...
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Homemade yogurt
One of my grandmother’s weekly tasks at home was making a fresh batch of yogurt every week; I could still see her, stirring the pot with the long wooden spoon and wrapping it with a blue wool blanket. If you care about your health and want a long life,...
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Yogurt salad Persian-style
Yogurt salad is always a fixture on the Lebanese table. Yogurt or laban, is consumed plain, unsweetened, usually flavored with a bit of garlic, some dried mint and lots of crunchy cucumbers. This version of yogurt salad is inspired by the Persian tradition which includes dried fruits such as...
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Persian chicken and butternut stew (Khoresh)
Living in Los Angeles and Orange County allowed me to meet and befriend Persians and fall in love with Persian cuisine. It is a refined and exquisite cuisine and one from which there is much to learn. The easiest introduction to Persian cuisine is through the rich and varied...
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