The Persian kitchen - Neda Afrashi

Persia has one of the oldest and greatest cuisines in the world. It has strongly influenced Arabic and Indian food. And yet little is known of it in the modern world outside Iran. This book brings authentic recipes that use the widely available jewel-like ingredients of Iran, such as green pistachio nuts, red barberry and yellow saffron, to create dishes that are unfamiliar in their flavour. Stories of the country's food traditions, snippets of fairy tales and stunning location photographs accompany the recipes and food photographs. "Persia" offers recipes for Persia's rich variety of food - from stews to grilled kebabs to saffron rice studded with dried fruits to fish to salads. Spices such as cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon and cloves are used in abundance, armfuls of fresh herbs such as coriander and parsley are thrown into dishes, and sweet flavourings such as rose-water and pomegranates play a central role in this unusual cuisine. As well as recipes, the book features information about these ingredients, stories about the country's eating traditions and rituals, and quotes from fairy tales.