Discover My Persian Inspired Cuisine, Served in Shrewsbury, Shropshire

Ingredients

• 1 Bunch of Fresh Spinach (or 1 Medium Size Package/200g of Frozen)

• 1 Large Bunch of Fresh Parsley

• 1 Bunch of Spring Onions

• 1 – 2 Fresh Leeks (Only the Green Stems)

• 1 Bunch of Fresh Fenugreek (If Unavailable, Use 2 Tablespoons of Dried Fenugreek Leaves)

• 2 Sun-Dried Limes, or Juice of a Fresh Lime

• 1 Medium Onion, Finely Diced

• ½ Teaspoon Turmeric

• 4 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil

• 1 Cup of Pre-Soaked Beans (Rose Coco Beans, Borlotti Beans, Saluggia Beans, Roman Beans, Crab Eye Beans, or Red Kidney Beans)

• ½ Tablespoon Salt and Pepper to Taste

Procedure

• Soak the beans for 24 hours prior to preparation of the dish, or overnight at a minimum.

• Chop the leeks, spring onions, spinach, dill, parsley, and fenugreek fairly finely.

• Sauté these in 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick frying pan for about 5 minutes, or until the water has dried, then take the pan off and put it aside.

• Using another pot, sauté the diced onions in 2 tablespoons of cooking oil until they are golden brown.

• Add salt, pepper, and turmeric and continue for a few more minutes.

• Add the beans now and switch heat to medium.

• Crush the sun-dried limes and add them to the mixture.

• Add approximately two cups of boiling water and with the lid on, boil for an additional 15 minutes.

• Now add the fried vegetables into the mixture and simmer on medium/low heat for 45 min to an hour, stirringly occasionally.

• Add the lime juice, blend, and serve over pollo. Alternatively eat with Naan-e-Barbarri or Lavaash.

Fesenjan Ingredients

• 1 Whole Chicken, Cut up into 12 Pieces (Alternatively, 2 – 2½ Lb Boneless Meat)

• 1 Onion, Thinly Sliced

• 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

• 1 Cup Walnuts, Toasted and Finely Ground in a Food Processor

• 1 Teaspoon of Salt

• 3 Cups of Pomegranate Juice, or 3 Tablespoons of Pomegranate Molasses

• 2 or 3 Cardamoms

• Half a Cup of Almonds or Cashew Nuts (Optional)

Fesenjan Procedure

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

• Add the chicken and onions, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this stage, you may add diced aubergine, if you wish.

• Mix in pureed walnuts, salt, pomegranate juice or molasses, and cardamom. Bring to a boil.

• Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.

• If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in ¼ cup of warm water.

• Adjust the seasoning, and simmer for another 10-30 minutes, and serve.

Joojeh Dum Kardeh Ingredients

• 4 Whole Chicken Legs and Thighs

• Few Strands of Saffron in a Tablespoon of Boiling Water

• 3 – 4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

• 3 – 4 Garlic Cloves

• ¼ Teaspoon of Cracked Black Pepper

• Juice of 1 Lime

• A Few Chilli Flakes (Optional)

• ½ Teaspoon of Salt, to Taste

Joojeh Dum Kardeh Procedure

• If chicken is not already off the bone, remove it while leaving the meat whole.

• In a large mixing bowl, put two tablespoons of olive oil, saffron, crushed garlic, lime juice, cracked black pepper, chilli flakes and salt.

• Mix well and add the chicken pieces into it. Make sure that the marinade has worked itself into every bit of the chicken.

• Cover with a cling film and refrigerate overnight, or preferably for 24 hours.

• Spread the chicken into a steamer as a single layer.

• Sprinkle more black pepper and few more chilli flakes, if desired. Steam for 45 – 60 minutes.

• Take the steamer off the heat, smear a bit of olive spread or any margarine onto the cooked chicken, and let it rest in the steamer for another 10 minutes.

• Cut them to bite-sized pieces and serve with any type of bread, potato, etc, and a fresh seasonal salad. A dollop of mayonnaise makes it even tastier!

Khoresht-e-Gheimeh Ingredients

• 1 Cup of Yellow Split Peas

• 3 Ripe Plum Tomatoes, Chopped

• 2 Sun-Dried Limes

• ¼ Cup of Oil

• 2 Onions, Thinly Sliced

• ½ Teaspoon of Turmeric Powder

• 3 Cups of Water

• Lime Juice from Two Fruits

• Small Potato – to Make Fries for Garnish

• Salt and Pepper, to Taste

Khoresht-e-Gheimeh Procedure

• Put the split peas, with a little salt and half the turmeric, in a saucepan and add water to cover by about two inches (or three cups’ worth).

• Bring the water to boil, cover with a lid, and simmer on gentle heat until the lentils are thoroughly cooked. Set the saucepan aside, while you prepare the rest of the dish.

• In another pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and sauté until thoroughly wilted and have begun to caramelise. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 3-5 minutes on medium heat, until it has a sauce-like consistency.

• Stir in the rest of turmeric, salt, and pepper and continue to cook for a further 2-3 more minutes. Add the crushed sun-dried limes.

• Pour this preparation into the saucepan with lentils and cover. Take utmost care while pouring, as it may spit!

• Simmer for another 20-35 minutes on a very low heat.

• Add water as necessary to maintain a stew-like consistency.

• Stir in the lime juice, adjust seasoning, and rest for at least 10 minutes.

• Garnish with thin fries and serve with pollo rice.