Albaloo Polo Recipe (Persian Sour Cherry Rice)
Make albaloo polo: saffron rice layered with jammy sour cherries and served with chicken or meatballs. A sweet tart Persian party rice with a crisp tahdig.
Saffron rice with a golden tahdig, slow walnut and herb stews, juicy kebabs and rosewater sweets: Persian home cooking written for ordinary kitchens. Every recipe has clear timings, a visual doneness gauge and fixes for the mistakes cooks make most often.
Recipes developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan
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Saffron rice dishesStews and soupsFrom the grill and the panDips, salads and breakfastDesserts and Nowruz treats
Rice and polo
Saffron rice dishes
- 9TahdigThe crispy rice crust
- 9Zereshk PoloBarberry rice and chicken
- 9TahchinBaked saffron rice cake
- 9Baghali Polo ba MahichehDill rice with lamb shank
- 9Lubia PoloGreen bean and beef rice
- 9Albaloo PoloSour cherry party rice
Khoresh and ash
Stews and soups
Ghormeh SabziThe national herb stew- 9FesenjanPomegranate walnut chicken
- 9GheimehSplit pea and dried lime
- 9Khoresh BademjanEggplant and lamb
- 9Ash ReshtehHerb and noodle soup
- 9AbgooshtLamb and chickpea dizi
Kebabs and meat
From the grill and the pan
- 9Kabab KoobidehJuicy minced kebab
- 9Jujeh KababSaffron lemon chicken
- 9Kufteh TabriziGiant stuffed meatballs
- 9KotletMeat and potato patties
- 9BeryaniIsfahan lamb on bread
- 9DolmehStuffed grape leaves
Starters and sides
Dips, salads and breakfast
- 9Kashke BademjanEggplant and kashk dip
- Mirza GhasemiSmoky eggplant dip
- 9Salad Shirazi10-minute cucumber salad
- 9Kuku SabziHerb frittata
- 9Salad OliviehChicken potato salad
- 9HalimWheat and lamb breakfast
Sweets
Desserts and Nowruz treats
- 9Sholeh ZardSaffron rice pudding
- 9Bastani SonnatiSaffron rose ice cream
- 9Faloodeh ShiraziFrozen rose noodles
- 9QottabAlmond pastries
- 9ZoolbiaSyrup fritters
- 9Goosh-e FilElephant ear pastries
Learn the technique
Guides behind these recipes
Quick answers
Persian Recipes FAQ
What is the national dish of Iran?
Chelow kabab, saffron rice with koobideh kebab, and ghormeh sabzi are both considered national dishes.
What is tahdig?
The crispy golden crust at the bottom of a pot of Persian rice.
What spices are used in Persian cooking?
Saffron, turmeric, cinnamon, dried lime, advieh, dried mint and rosewater.
Is Persian food spicy?
No, it is fragrant and sour rather than hot.
What is the difference between khoresh and ash?
Khoresh is a stew served with rice; ash is a thick soup eaten on its own.
Every recipe
All Persian recipes
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Lubia Polo Recipe (Persian Green Bean Rice)
Make lubia polo: Persian rice layered with green beans and spiced beef in tomato, steamed to fluffy grains with a crisp tahdig. A one-pot weeknight favourite.
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Khoresh Bademjan Recipe (Persian Eggplant and Lamb Stew)
Make khoresh bademjan: tender lamb in a tangy tomato and sour grape sauce with silky fried eggplant. How to fry eggplant without soaking up too much oil.
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Kuku Sabzi Recipe (Persian Herb Frittata)
Make kuku sabzi: a deep green Persian frittata packed with herbs, walnuts and barberries. Tips for a fluffy set centre that flips clean and never tastes eggy.
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Kufteh Tabrizi Recipe (Giant Persian Stuffed Meatballs)
Make kufteh tabrizi: giant meatballs of mince, rice and split peas stuffed with egg, prunes and walnuts, simmered in a tomato saffron broth without breaking.
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Tahdig Recipe (Crispy Persian Rice)
Make perfect tahdig: the golden crispy rice crust at the bottom of Persian rice. Yoghurt saffron, potato or bread versions, plus how to flip it out whole.
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Ash Reshteh Recipe (Persian Herb and Noodle Soup)
Make ash reshteh: a thick Persian soup of beans, lentils, herbs and noodles topped with kashk, fried mint and crispy onions. Nowruz favourite, easy to scale.
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Jujeh Kabab Recipe (Persian Saffron Chicken Kebab)
Make jujeh kabab: chicken marinated in saffron, lemon, onion and yoghurt, then grilled until charred and juicy. Oven, grill and pan methods with tips.
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Abgoosht Recipe (Persian Lamb and Chickpea Stew)
Make abgoosht, or dizi: lamb, chickpeas, beans and potato slow cooked in a dried lime broth, served as soup with bread and a pounded meat mash. Easy method.
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Tahchin Recipe (Crispy Persian Saffron Rice Cake)
Make tahchin: saffron yoghurt rice baked with chicken until a golden crust forms, then flipped out whole. Tips so it unmolds clean and never sticks or breaks.
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