Los Angeles Persian Restaurants

Kofta is a family of meatball or dumpling dishes in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Balkan cuisines.

In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced or ground meat — usually beef or lamb — mixed with spices and/or onions. The vegetarian varieties like lauki kofta, shahi aloo kofta, and malai kofta are popular in India, as is kofta made of minced goat meat.
The meat is often mixed with other ingredients such as rice, Bulgur, vegetables, or eggs to form a smooth paste. Koftas are sometimes made with fish or vegetables rather than meat, especially in India. They can be grilled, fried, steamed, poached, baked or marinated, and may be served with a rich spicy sauce. Variations occur in North Africa, the Mediterranean, Central Europe, and South Asia. According to a 2005 study done by a private food company, there were 291 different kinds of kofta in Turkey, where it is very popular. In Arab countries, kofta is usually shaped into cigar-shaped cylinders.
Early recipes (included in some of the earliest known Arabic cookbooks) describe seasoned lamb rolled into orange-sized balls, and glazed with egg yolk and sometimes saffron. This method was taken to the west and is referred to as gilding, or endoring. Many regional variations exist, notable among them the unusually large Iranian Kufteh Tabrizi, having an average diameter of 20cm .

Koftas in South Asian cuisine are normally cooked in a spicy curry and sometimes with whole pre-boiled eggs. Sometimes the eggs are encased in a layer of the spicy kofta meat so that the final product resembles a South Asian Scotch egg (Nargisi Kofta). Kofta dishes are very popular with South Asian families and are widely available from many South Asian restaurants. In Bengal, a region of East India, koftas are made with prawns, fish, green bananas and cabbage. The term “kofta” in Pakistan and North India, usually means koftas made of minced goat

‘Zulbia’, Bamieh and Gush-e Fil are very popular Persian desserts. Bamieh is an oval-shaped sweet dough piece, deep fried and then covered with syrup (traditionally with honey). Zulbia is the same sort of dough, also deep-fried, but it is poured into the oil so that it twirls, and then covered with the same syrup (or honey). It has become popular in other parts of the world, and is known as funnel cake in North America, and Jalebi in India. Goosh-e Fil (lit. Elephant’s ear) is also deep-fried dough, fried in the shape of a flat elephant’s ear and then covered with sugar powder. Of course, no discussion of Persian desserts would be complete without one of the classics, Halvardeh (Tehrani for halvā-arde, wirth halvā, an Arabic loan word meaning ‘sweet’ and arde, Persian for Arabic tāhini. Halvā comes in various qualities and varieties, from mainly sugar, to sesame seed extract, which is known as tahini in the west (the aforementioned Persian arde), with pestach, and Iran produces some of the best.

* Ghormeh sabzi (Herb Stew) and Gheimeh (Split-pea Stew) are traditional stews of Azerbaijan. Now, they have also become popular in other parts of Iran.

* Aash (Thick Soup) is popular food in Azerbaijan.The word Aash had passed from Persian into the Central Asian Turkish languages and that is also used in Anatolian cookery[3].Varieties of Aash (Thick Soup) in Azerbaijan include :

Kahskh Aash (Dried Whey Thick Soup)
Turshulu Aash (Sour Thick Soup)
Yogurtlu Aash (Yogurt Thick Soup)
Isfanaj Aashi (Spinach Thick Soup)
Aash Mast (Yogurt-soup)(in Ardabil)

* Ghabli is traditional dish in Azerbaijan.This dish is made of rice, lentil, meat, potato and groats.

* Garniyarikh (“the torn abdomen” in Azeri).
* Kufteh Tabrizi A kind of Kofteh that unusually large.
* Tabriz is famous for its delicious cookies in Iran, some of which are Ghorabiye, Eris, Nogha, Baklava and many others.

There are many dessert dishes, ranging from Bastani-e Za’farāni (Persian Ice Cream with saffron, also called Bastani-e Akbar-Mashti, later on called Gol-o Bolbol as well) to the faludeh, a sort of frozen sorbet, made with thin starch noodles and rose water. Persian Ice Cream is flavored with saffron, rosewater, and chunks of heavy cream. There are also many types of sweets. The sweets divide into two categories: “Shirini Tar” (lit. moist sweets) and “Shirini Khoshk” (lit. dry sweets). The first category consists of French-inspired pastries with heavy whole milk whipped cream, glazed fruit toppings, tarts, custard-filled éclairs, and a variety of cakes. Some have an Iranian twist, such as the addition of pistachio, saffron, and walnuts. The second category consists of more traditional sweets: Shirini-e Berenji (a type of rice cookie), Shirini-e Nokhodchi (clover shaped, chickpea cookies), Kolouche (a large cookie usually with a walnut or fig filling), Shirini-e Keshmeshi (raisin and saffron cookies), Shirini-e Yazdi (muffins or cupcakes, originated in the city of Yazd), Nan-e kulukhi (a kind of large and thick cookie similar to clod inside without any filling), and more.

Traditional Persian cooking is done in stages, at times needing hours of preparation and attention. The outcome is a well-balanced mixture of herbs, meat, beans, dairy products, and vegetables. Major staples of Iranian food that are usually eaten with every meal include rice, various herbs (mint, basil, dill, parsley), cheese (feta or Persian panir, derived from goat or sheep’s milk, and sometimes cow’s milk), a variety of flat breads, and some type of meat (usually poultry, beef, lamb, or fish). Stew over rice is by far the most popular dish, and the constitution of these varies by region. Tea (chai) is the drink of choice on nearly every occasion, and is usually served with dried fruit, pastries, or sweets.

You can usually find tea brewing throughout the day in most Iranian homes. Doogh, a yogurt drink, is also quite popular. One of the oldest recipes, which can trace its existence back to the time of Persian empire, is khoresht-e-fesenjan, consisting of duck or sometimes chicken in a rich pomegranate-and-walnut sauce that yields a distinctive brown color, most often served with white rice.

One of the main reasons that Persian cuisine is not widely recognized is that it is often confused with Middle Eastern cuisine, a much broader and more general term, and this confusion is further perpetuated by restaurants and markets providing authentic Persian cuisine that label themselves as such.

Many Persian super-markets and restaurants are labelled as Middle Eastern, International, or Mediterranean in order to broaden their appeal to the Western consumer. In reality, Persian cuisine is one of the oldest and richest cuisines in the world, and- except for the shared dishes with neighbouring cuisines, during Ottoman contacts- is typically vastly different from what is found in the greater Middle East.

It should be mentioned that Persian cuisine has lots of similarity to Turkish and Greek cuisines in its Kebabs and other dishes as Greece and Turkey were part of the ancient great Persian Empire. Although not widely recognised, Persian cuisine is gaining popularity in multicultural cities, especially in London, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Washington, D.C., and Toronto, which have a significant Persian population. Los Angeles and its environs, in particular, are well known for the number and quality of Persian restaurants which are usually centered on Kebab, but almost always also serve various stews as well. Americans who are not of Persian persuasion often will not venture into the more complex dishes, such as the stews.

The basic traditional Iranian breakfast consists of a variety of flat breads (naan-e sangak, naan-e lavash, and others), butter, Tabrizi white cheese (paneer), feta cheese, whipped heavy cream (sarshir, often sweetened), and a variety of fruit jams and spreads. Other popular traditional breakfasts (which require far more preparation) include haleem (wheatmeal served plain or more commonly with shredded lamb or turkey – similar to Western oatmeal in some respects), asheh mohshalah (thick soup). These latter breakfasts are typically regional specialities, and many cities and towns all across Iran feature their own distinct versions of these dishes. Both asheh mohshalah and haleem are typically prepared the night before, to be served the next morning, and haleem is usually only served at certain times of the year (haleem specialty restaurants are only open during those times), except in southern parts of Iran, where haleem is always present. Kaleh pacheh is almost always only served from three in the morning until sometime after dawn, and specialty restaurants (serving only kaleh pacheh) are only open during those hours.

There are many dessert dishes, ranging from Bastani-e Za’farāni (Persian Ice Cream with saffron, also called Bastani-e Akbar-Mashti, later on called Gol-o Bolbol as well) to the faludeh, a sort of frozen sorbet, made with thin starch noodles and rose water. Persian Ice Cream is flavored with saffron, rosewater, and chunks of heavy cream. There are also many types of sweets. The sweets divide into two categories: “Shirini Tar” (lit. moist sweets) and “Shirini Khoshk” (lit. dry sweets). The first category consists of French-inspired pastries with heavy whole milk whipped cream, glazed fruit toppings, tarts, custard-filled éclairs, and a variety of cakes. Some have an Iranian twist, such as the addition of pistachio, saffron, and walnuts. The second category consists of more traditional sweets: Shirini-e Berenji (a type of rice cookie), Shirini-e Nokhodchi (clover shaped, chickpea cookies), Kolouche (a large cookie usually with a walnut or fig filling), Shirini-e Keshmeshi (raisin and saffron cookies), Shirini-e Yazdi (muffins or cupcakes, originated in the city of Yazd), Nan-e kulukhi (a kind of large and thick cookie similar to clod inside without any filling), and more.

* Sohan-e-Asali (Honey Toffee) – A toffee made from honey and butter flavoured with cardamom and saffron and coated with slivered almond and pistachio kernels. Very yummy and very fattening!

* “Khoresht-e mast”(yoghurt stew) is a traditional dish in Esfahan. Unlike other stews despite its name it is not served as a main dish and with rice; Since it is more of a sweet pudding it is usually served as a side dish or dessert. The dish is made with yogurt, lamb/mutton or chicken, saffron, sugar and orange zest. Iranians either put the orange zest in water for one week or longer or boil them for few minutes so the orange peels become sweet and ready for use. People in Iran make a lot of delicate dishes and jam with hull of fruits. This dish often accompanies celebrations and weddings.

* Esfahan is also famous for Beryooni. This dish is made of mutton or lamb which is ground/minced and then cooked on one side in a special small pan over open fire. Beryooni is generally eaten with a certain type of bread, “noon-e-tafttoon”.

Chelow kabab is a national food of Iran. The dish is simple, consisting of steamed, saffroned basmati or Persian rice (chelow) and kabab, of which there are many distinct Persian varieties. This food is served everywhere throughout Iran today, but traditionally was most closely associated with the northern part of the country.

It is served with the basic Iranian meal accompaniments, in addition to grilled tomatoes on the side of the rice, and butter on top of the rice. It is an old northern tradition (probably originating in Tehran) that a raw egg yolk must be placed on top of the rice as well, though this is strictly optional, and most restaurants will not serve the rice this way unless it is specifically requested. Somagh (powdered sumac) is also made available, and if desired, only a dash should be sprinkled upon the rice.