The ABCs of Persian Food

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E J H A S A O N O !

N ‫نو ش ج ا ن‬ i t ! t e p p a n o B This is an advance, uncorrected proof.

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THE

ABC OF

PERSIAN FOOD

s

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written by

Sunny Sanaz Shokrae illustrated by

Ly Ngo Heisig Abrams Appleseed • New York

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A

is for

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Anar ‫انار‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 6

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B

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Baghali pokhte ‫باقالی پخته‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 7

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C

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D

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Doogh ‫دوغ‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 9

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E

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Estamboli polo ‫استانبولی پلو‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 10

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F

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Fesenjan ‫فسنجان‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 11

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G

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Golab ‫گالب‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 12

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H

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I

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Iranian pizza ‫پیزتای ایرانی‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 14

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J

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Joojeh kabob ‫جوجه كباب‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 15

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K

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Khoresh karafs ‫خورش کرفس‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 16

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N

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Nân-e sangak ‫نان سنگک‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 19

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O

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P

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Pesteh ‫پسته‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 21

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Qottab ‫قطاب‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 22

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Reshteh polo ‫رشته پلو‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 23

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S

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Sabzi khordan ‫سزبی خوردن‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 24

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T

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Kuku ‫كوكو‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 26

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Westwood takeout ‫وستوود بیرون بر‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 28

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Xtra crispy tadiq ‫ته‌دیگ اكسرتا کر یسپی‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 29

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Yakh dar behesht ‫يخ در بهشت‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 30

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Z

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Zereshk ‫زرشک‬ ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_RTP.indd 31

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That looks delicious! What’s in it?

Anar ‫نار‬

ah-NAHR Baghali pokhte

The pomegranate is Iran’s national fruit, symbolizing abundance, fertility, rebirth, and life. The juicy, ruby-red seeds are used in many dishes all year—but especially during the Winter Equinox/the Yalda holiday, which takes place during the longest and darkest night of the year.

‫باقالی پخته‬

Cooked fava beans, one of the most popular snacks in winter and spring served with salt, vinegar, and golpar spice. Just pop them out of their pods and into your mouth!

Cha’i

Persian tea, made with loose leaf black tea, comes in a variety of subtle flavors, but is always a deep reddish-brown color. It is served with nabat (crystalized sugar candy) or a sugar cube. For most Persians, the day starts with a cup of tea, ends with a cup of tea, and in between meals there are even more cups of tea!

bah-ghal-lee POKH-teh

‫چای‬

chah-ee Doogh ‫دوغ‬

DOOG Estamboli polo ‫استانبولی پلو‬

ess-TAM-boh-lee PO-loh Fesenjān ‫فسنجان‬

feh-sehn-JHAN

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This isfizzy, an savory advance, uncorrected A refreshing, yogurt-based drink, served proof. chilled. The perfect Not for resale, duplication, or beverage to drink with any rich Persian meal. reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

A combination of rice, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, potatoes, and fried onions, this is one of the easiest Persian rice dishes to make.

The name for this dish, sometimes spelled “estanboli,” comes from the word “Istanbul,” suggesting the influence of Turkish cuisine on this specific dish.

Slow-cooked chicken stew with toasted walnuts and pomegranate molasses.

8/1/23 11:33 AM

Golāb ‫گالب‬

ghoh-LAHB Haft-Sin ‫هفت‌سین‬

hahft-SEEN Iranian pizza ‫پیزتای ایرانی‬

ih-RAH-nee-an PEET-za Joojeh kabob ‫جوجه كباب‬

joo-JEH ka-BOB Khoresh karafs ‫خورش كرفس‬

khor-ESH kar-AFS Lavashak ‫لواشک‬

LAWV-oh-shack

ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_CRX1PF.indd 33

Rose water is an ingredient in many Persian desserts, jams, and ice creams.

Since ancient times, it has also been used in medicine and perfume, and is served during celebrations and times of mourning for its calming effect.

An arrangement of seven symbolic items for the Spring Equinox/Nowruz table, which is on display for the two-week-long New Year’s celebrations beginning on March 20.

Said to usher in prosperity, health, and good fortune for the New Year, the haft-sin, which translates to “the seven Ss,” includes: seer (garlic), seeb (apple), samanu (wheat paste pudding), senjed (dried oleaster fruit), somagh (sumac), serkeh (vinegar), and sabzeh (sprouts).

A fast food favorite in Iran, piled with toppings that usually include a mixture of different types of meats, sausages, and cold cuts. It’s common to dip your slice in ketchup, too!

Grilled chicken kabobs that are smothered in marinade with deep flavors of saffron and lemon.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof.

Celery stew flavorsduplication, of caramelized onions Notwith forsweet resale, or and a green broth tarted up Please with freshly squeezed lime andwithout lemon. reposting. do not quote comparison to the finished book.

A favorite snack for kids, this sour fruit leather is usually made at home by grandmothers who dry it in the sun on their rooftops during the summer months in Iran.

8/1/23 11:33 AM

Mast-o-khiyar ‫ماست و خیار‬

MAH-sto KHEY-ar Nân-e sangak ‫نان سنگک‬

nahn-EH sahn-GAHK Olivieh ‫الویه‬

oh-LEE-vee-eh Pesteh ‫پسته‬

peh-STEH Qottab ‫قطاب‬

GHOH-tahb Reshteh polo ‫رشته پلو‬

rehsh-TEH POHL-oh Sabzi khordan ‫سزبی خوردن‬

sahb-ZEE khohr-DAHN

ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_CRX1PF.indd 34

A scrumptious Persian cucumber and yogurt mixture infused with herbs and served as a side dish.

Leavened flatbread baked on a bed of small river stones. This special bread is used to wrap around lamb kabobs, feta cheese and herbs, or enjoyed with stews such as dizi and abgoosht.

This unique Persian potato salad is made with eggs, dill pickles, and chicken.

(Recipes sometimes call for adding carrots and peas, too.) It is served as a perfect lunch or delightful appetizer.

Pistachios are one of the most important crops grown in Iran. Persian pistachios are known for their quality and rich, unrivaled taste.

A traditional Iranian almond-and-walnut-filled crescent pastry that is infused with cardamon and cinnamon, originally from the city of Yazd.

This rice is an uncorrected proof.

A fragrant and advance, noodle dish often served during the New Year/Nowruz/Spring Not for resale, duplication, or Equinox. The noodles symbolize the many winding paths we will choose from in the reposting. upcoming New Year.Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

A combination of herbs (such as spearmint, basil, flat leaf parsley, tarragon, dill, chives, and marjoram) often eaten with feta cheese, walnuts, radishes, scallions, and flatbread as a delicious breakfast or as a side dish with larger meals.

8/1/23 11:34 AM

Torshi ‫ترشی‬

TOHR-shee Ku uku u ‫كوكو‬

KOO-koo Valak polo ‫والک پلو‬

vah-LAHK POHL-oh Westwood takeout

‫وستوود بیرون بر‬

WEST-wud TAYK-out

Xtra crispy tadiq ‫ته‌دیگ اكسرتا کر یسپی‬

EKS-trah KRIS-pee tah-DEEK Yahk dar behesht ‫يخ در بهشت‬

YAKH dahr behHESHT Zereshk ‫زرشک‬

zehr-ESHK

ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_CRX1PF.indd 35

Pickled vegetables served on the side to act as a digestive aid, palate cleanser, and to balance rich meats and spices. Usually includes cauliflower, celery ribs, carrots, and cucumbers with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and fennel.

A Persian herb frittata made with eggs and a blend of chopped Persian herbs such as dill, parsley, and cilantro, plus spring onions and walnuts.

Valak, also known as wild garlic, is an herb that grows in the cool mountainous regions of Iran in the springtime. It is sweeter than typical garlic and is used to prepare fish, chicken, or meat dishes served with rice (polo).

The city of Los Angeles has the largest concentration of Iranian Americans in the United States. The L.A. neighborhood of Westwood in particular has become a thriving Persian community with specialty bakeries, restaurants, and stores. If you feel nostalgic for Iran, just visit Westwood for delicious takeout (known as “biroon-bar” in Persian) from its many amazinguncorrected Iranian restaurants!

Thisoneisofan advance, proof.

Not for resale, duplication, or

Tadiq is what Iranians call the crispy, delicious layer of golden-brown food that forms reposting. Please do not quote without in the bottom of the pot while the food is cooking. It can be thinly sliced potatoes, comparison to the finished book. rice mixed with yogurt, or flatbread that is left to crisp to perfection under a pile of steaming rice. Just be careful not to burn the tadiq!

“Ice in Paradise” is an elegant dessert made in the summertime with simple ingredients including milk, sugar, and rose water. It’s delicate, aromatic, and served chilled.

Dried barberries are a tart and tangy ingredient used often in Persian cooking. They can be added to rice dishes to add little bursts of tartness to each bite. They can also be added to chicken dishes and egg-based dishes like kuku.

8/1/23 11:34 AM

Author’s Note

A

fter becoming a mother, I couldn’t find enough resources that celebrated my Iranian background in simple yet clever ways. As someone who speaks Persian but never learned to read or write the script, creating this book gave me something I could share with my young son to teach him not only about some of our favorite foods, but also how to pronounce their names, and how those names are written in Persian. Perhaps it was my upbringing as an Iranian in America, a California girl in New York, a perpetual outsider with one foot in each culture that inspired my attempt to bridge all the gaps I experienced growing up.

The ABCs of Persian Food is intended to support phonetics and teach the Persian language conversationally before a child can read or write. My hope is that it will serve as a tool for parents, caregivers, and teachers; bring joy to Persian food lovers or those with no Iranian background at all; and also build confidence in kids who take their Persian food to school.

Perhaps after reading this book, they will open their lunchboxes and confidently boast about what’s inside!

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Not for resale, duplication, or Nooshe jaan! reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

—Sunny Sanaz Shokrae

To listen to the author pronounce the words in this book, please visit abramsbooks.com/theabcsofpersianfood.

ABCsOfPersianFood_INT_CRXBLUES.indd 36

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To Leo Arya, my little moosh, and to all the extraordinary 3rd culture kids who have grown up forging their own definition of home, transcending physical boundaries, and finding solace within the boundless realms of the heart. Special thank you to Nourin Alsharif for her invaluable Persian proofreading.

—S.S.S. To my children, Lola, Colette, and little baby B.B.—may you wander this earth in search of the extraordinary and stay wildly curious.

—L.N.H. The artwork for this book was created digitally.

Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for and may be obtained from the Library of Congress.

ISBN 978-1-4197-6855-2 Text © 2024 Sunny Sanaz Shokrae Illustrations © 2024 Ly Ngo Heisig Book design by Ly Ngo Heisig and Natalie Padberg Bartoo

This is an advance, uncorrected proof.

Published in 2024 by Abrams Appleseed, an imprint of ABRAMS. All rights reserved. No Notbefor resale,stored duplication, or or transmitted in portion of this book may reproduced, in a retrieval system, any form or by reposting. any means, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, Pleaseelectronic, do notphotocopying, quote without without written permission from the publisher. comparison to the finished book.

Abrams Appleseed® is a registered trademark of Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Printed and bound in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For bulk discount inquiries, contact specialsales@abramsbooks.com.

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The End

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