Spices are mother earth’s gift to us and they enrich our culinary experience with special property, aroma, and flavor. No two spices are necessarily interchangeable just because they resemble one another in shape or color. Get to know and appreciate your spices and enjoy them fully by using them correctly.
Cardamom hel:
The whole cardamom is a ½ x ¼ inch pod that is spindle shaped and papery green or brown on the outside. There are small black seeds inside each pod. This aromatic spice is used in many pastries and also in the Persian rice spice in its powder form; 10 pods yield about 1 ½ tsp of ground cardamom. To make cardamom tea add 4-5 whole pods to the tea pot along with the black tea leaves and brew as usual. Cardamom has antiseptic properties that when chewed promotes fresh breath. It is worth mentioning that there is also a black cardamom, or Indian cardamom, that is significantly larger than the green or brown cardamom and measures about 1 ½ x ½ inches. The black cardamom has a somewhat smoky flavor with much larger seeds and is used in savory dishes. A couple of these pods will be enough to add a wonderful flavor to steamed cumin rice and some sauces; remember to discard the pod when serving the dish.
To make ground cardamom: Place whole pods (it’s not necessary to peel the pods, as implied in some recipes) in a small coffee grinder (see below in tools) and process until you have a fine powder.
Cayenne felfel ghermez:
Cayenne pepper is usually used in its powder form to flavor spicy dishes. A little bit goes a long way so be careful how much you add to your dishes. It is used both as a spice during the cooking process or sprinkled lightly over cooked dishes before serving. It is believed that cayenne pepper has antibacterial properties.
Cinnamon darchin:
This universal spice is used in the ground form in a lot of Persian sweets and many savory recipes. It is one of the ingredients in the Persian rice spice. The cinnamon bark is brewed with Persian tea to make the cinnamon tea. Add a few barks to your hot cider and enjoy the taste and aroma. It is believed that Cinnamon is an antioxidant that improves insulin sensitivity and also lowers cholesterol and triglycerides. So go ahead and sprinkle it on your favorite breakfast cereal, ice cream, rice pudding or even on your buttered toast.
Coriander geshneez:
This is the seed (dried fruit) of the mature cilantro plant. The seeds have a lemony citrus flavor when crushed. Roasting on low temperature enhances the flavor. It is used in ground form as a spice in savory recipes. It is one of the ingredients in the Persian meat spice recipe. Coriander is used topically in cosmetics as a fragrance component.
Cumin zireh:
Cumin is used as whole seeds and in powder form in different cuisines such as Persian, Indian, Northern African and Latin American. Toasting the seeds on low heat enhances the flavor. I find this spice to be so very uniquely exotic, it has a very distinctive warm, smoky spicy flavor; it is not hot though. Cumin adds such a special flavor to the dish, whether it is rice, chilies, dips or hummus. In its powder form cumin is one of the main ingredients in the Persian rice spice, yet the whole seed does wonders for the cumin rice when combined with the black cardamom pod. It is also used in pickled vegetables torshi.
Curry Powder kari:
The curry powder gets its yellow color from one of its main ingredients, turmeric. Curry is a blend of different spices that besides turmeric may include, cumin, black pepper, bay leaves, red pepper, fenugreek and ginger. Some curries may also include cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Curry is used in lamb, beef, poultry and some vegetarian dishes.
Dried Lime limoo amani (limu amani, or limu omani):
Dried lime is used in Persian cooking for its smoky sour flavor. It is used whole, crushed, or powdered (each lime = 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons powder) to add flavor to khoreshs such as Ghormeh Sabzi and Gheymeh. Whole dried lime is sold in most Middle Eastern markets. The color of dried limes varies from light tan to dark brown, depending on how light or dark the color of the fresh fruit was. The skin is dry and hard and needs ample simmer time to soften and to release the wonderful flavor to khoresh. Despite what some recipes might suggest, adding limoo amani at the end of cooking is truly a waste of this amazing souring agent. The whole lime is edible and delicious, when cooked right, and it should not be discarded before serving. Before adding the whole limes to the food, you may gently crack the skin with a nut cracker, or poke several holes with the tip of a knife or a fork. Soaking limoo amani in hot water will soften the skin which makes it easier to poke. Alternatively, to use crushed dried limes, crack the hard dry skin to expose the seeds and discard them before using in the cooking. You may also crack the hard skin with a meat tenderizer. The flavor of dried limes is more intense and different from fresh limes, but most stews will taste fine by substituting fresh juice for the dried fruit, if needed.
Garlic seer:
Garlic is used worldwide in recipes for its fantastic flavor and health benefits. Both fresh garlic and garlic powder are used in a lot of Persian dishes such as Kashke Bademjan, Garni Yarikh, Mirza Ghasemi, Baghali Ghatogh, to name only a few. Garlic is known to lower blood pressure by fighting clogged arteries. It is also believed to be antimicrobial and beneficial for colds.
Ginger zangebil:
Ginger is used in its powder form in breads, cookies and other sweets. The fresh ginger is chopped and added to savory dishes. This is a warm and fragrant spice. Ginger candy is soft and spicy and is made from thin slices of fresh ginger root. Ginger preserve is sweet and crunchy with a mild spicy flavor. Fresh ginger root can be peeled and finely chopped and stored in the freezer. Alternatively, the unpeeled fresh ginger root may be stored in the freezer and grated with a sharp small hole grater when needed. Steeped ginger tea with honey and lemon is believed to have antiemetic effect.
Persian Meat Spice (Advieh Goosht):
The Persian meat spice is a blend of different spices and is used in many beef, lamb, poultry and some vegetarian dishes. It adds a rich flavor to different recipes without being hot. Most of the curry powders that are sold at the stores have some of these ingredients and each brand tastes slightly different and you will have to experiment and see which one you like best. The following Original Meat Spice Blend & Meat Spice Blend II are very similar, with the exception of some additional warm spices in the Spice Blend II. When a recipe calls for meat spice, I will specify which blend would better complement it
Recipe:
Yield: About 1/3 cup
Ingredients [Original Meat Spice Blend]
2 TBSP ground turmeric
3 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Bay leaf, crushed
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp paprika
Ingredients [Meat Spice Blend (II)]
2 TBSP ground turmeric
3 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp Bay leaf, crushed
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
To make ground bay leaf: Place the crushed bay leaves in a small food processor and process for about 2 minute, or until very fine.
Add the rest of the spices and process for an extra 30 seconds. Place the spice blend in an airtight jar and store in a cool, dark place. Most of the spices have a longer shelf life if you refrigerate them.
Persian Rice spice (Advieh Berenj):
The Persian rice spice is a blend of 5 spices with the main ingredient being the dried rose petal powder. This spice is used in several recipes such as, Kuku Sabzi, Tahchin e Morgh, Tahchin e Mahicheh, Loobia Polo, and Adas Polo. You may find dried rose petals “gole sorkh” in most Middle Eastern supermarkets. It is the dried blossoms of a special species of wild rose that grows in Iran and is used for culinary purpose. However if you have a hard time finding it, no worries, the spice blend still tastes wonderful without this ingredient. I have cooked my Aromatic Rice with a spice blend combining cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg and cardamom, using the same amounts as in this recipe and it turns out really delicious and fragrant.
Recipe:
Yield: 3/4 cup
Ingredients:
4 TBSP ground cinnamon
2 TBSP ground cumin
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cardamom
6 TBSP powdered rose petals (optional)
Mix all the spices in a small bowl, use a whisk to blend well. Place in a small airtight jar and store in the refrigerator.
Spice Blend for Seafood:
Yield: 3/4 cup
The Spice Blend for Seafood:
5 tsp coarsely crushed dried oregano leaves
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp onion powder
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix with a fork to blend. Store in an airtight container. I use this spice blend in my Blackened Salmon recipe.
CHILI SPICE BLEND:
Yield: 8 1/4 tsp
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 tsp dried basil leaves, crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ancho chile pepper powder
¼ tsp chipotle chile pepper powder
Dried Rose Petals gole sorkh:
The rose that is used in Persian cooking is from a species of the wild rose (Gol Mohammadi) that grows only in certain areas of Iran. The other species of the rose family are not used for culinary purposes in Iran. Rose is harvested in the spring and is sold fresh for a short while in the spice bazaar; it is used to make rose jam and it tastes amazing. Later in the season you can only find the dried rose to purchase. The dried rose is grinded into powder and is used as a spice. It is added to savory dishes to add a delicate fragrant flavor. It also creates a beautiful color contrast when sprinkled sparingly over desserts and pastries. The rose powder is also mixed with ground cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg and cardamom to make the rice spice.
Saffron zaferan:
Saffron, or the “red gold,” is by far the most expensive spice you can buy. The reason is that it takes a lot of saffron flowers to make a single ounce of saffron. Each saffron flower has only 3 stigmas. The stigmas are the part that are the most fragrant and are bright red. So when buying saffron one should look for very red fragrant strands (on the left). The best saffron in Iran is grown in Khorasan which is in the northeast. Saffron is used sparingly to add taste and color to different foods both sweet and savory. To get the most of this expensive spice, I grind the strands in a very small coffee grinder (see below in tools) until it is a fine powder (on the right) and sprinkle it directly on the food in most of my recipes.
Sumac somagh:
There are many species of sumac in nature but not all are suitable for human consumption. The dried fruit of the edible species are ground to a reddish purple, tangy lemony flavored spice. Sumac is a popular spice that is sprinkled on Persian white rice and Kabobs. Sumac is also used as garnish on tas kabob or Beef Stew with Vegetables, and Persian Meatballs Koofteh Rizeh.
Turmeric zard chubeh:
Turmeric in its powder form has a deep orange-yellow color that is mainly used in savory dishes. It should be used in small amounts because its bitterness can overpower the other flavors. Turmeric is used in variety of dishes from stews to soups and also in a lot of vegetarian dishes. Turmeric is widely used in Persian and other Middle Eastern cuisines. It is also used as a coloring agent and flavor enhancer in the U.S. food industry in preparation of many products. In the recent years Turmeric has been researched for medicinal properties regarding reducing inflammation and possibly being beneficial in prevention of Type 2 diabetes and arthritis. Turmeric is one of the main ingredients of curry powder. Turmeric Golden Milk has gained a lot of popularity in the recent years as a very soothing warm beverage.
Vanilla Powder poodre vanil:
This powder adds the greatest vanilla flavor and aroma to pastries, whipped cream and many other Persian desserts. It is a pure white powder with very delicate flakes that glisten in the light. It is also very potent; ¼ tsp of vanilla powder is substituted for 1 tsp of vanilla extract. The pure vanilla powder is very expensive and must be bought from a reliable source, beware of the imitations.
Spice Grinding Tools:
These are the tools that I use for grinding my saffron and cardamom. I have designated two small 2.5-ounce capacity electric coffee grinders for these precious spices. There is virtually no waste with this method, since the strands of saffron and whole cardamom pods are processed in their own separate grinder to a fine powder. It is also a time saver for me because I don’t have to clean the grinder every time. I use a regular small food processor for grinding the other spices. The other option is the good old fashioned mortar and pestle which requires a bit more elbow grease!
وای چه ترکیب رنگ و چیدمانی…چقدر اینها را قشنگ گذاشتید کنار هم….ادم دلش می خواد بیاد اشپرخونه شما را ببینه…
لیلی جون ممنون از محبت و لطفت این ادویه های خوش رنگ و بوی ما هستند که اینقدر خوشگلند من فقط چیدمشون . یکی از این روزا عکس آشپزخونه پر جنجالمو خواهم گذاشت توی سایتم. موفق باشی عزیز
Dastetoon dard nakone, vaghean site-a zibast.
دوست عزیز سپاس از مرحمت شما
A friend of mine wbo is Assyrian wants to know the english name of a herb name orzaga
Hi Janette; I believe the English name for orzaga is ‘nettles,’ and it’s ‘gazaneh’ in Farsi!
Thank you for your translations. I’m thrilled to read and learn about your cuisine
It’s very flavorful
I live learning about how to use these spices. English helps share it for me.
Hi Donna; I’m very glad that you’ve find this post to be helpful! Thank you so much for your kind comment. Please keep in touch and continue to make comments on the recipes that you try. Have a great week!
Shucran from Brazil
My pleasure dear Vera!
can you please let me know what is “OVICHAN” in Englisg
Hoss, ovichan is thyme in English.
Please check out this link and scroll down to see it: https://persianmama.com/all-about-herbs/
واقعا کارتون تحسین برانگیزه….من هم همه این ادویه ها را تقریبا دارم…اما کو این همه سلیقه و خلاقیت!!!! این نلبکی ها رنگشون همخوانی داره با رنگ ادویه ها…عکاسی هم خیلی خوب انجام میدید…واقعا کارتون تاثیرگذاره…بسیار خوشحالم با خانومی مثل شما و بلاگ بسیار خوبش اشنا شدم…منتظر عکس اشپزخونه شماییم
لیلی جان من هم خیلی خوشحالم که بلاگم همراه مهربانی مثل شما داره
Thank you much for the informations regarding spices.
I hope you have time to give us recipes about persian foods.
Tera thank you so much for visiting my blog. I’m glad you like the information about the spices. I have a lot of Persian recipes posted on the (Recipe) section of the blog and I have a lot more recipes to come.
Please let me know if you’re looking for a specific Persian recipe.
I LOVE your Rice dishes – I think there is one made with pistachios (MMM, was sooo good!), and Juicy chicken anything! I love Persian food! So thank you for sharing with America!!
What’s the best place to get the processed rose petals in your opinion?
Dear Nicole, It is my pleasure, so happy you like Persian food! I have seen dried rose petals online but have never tried it myself; I get mine from Iran. However, I would do my research before buying too much from one place, because I have tried dried rose petals from some international markets and they are not the Persian rose petals and lack flavor or aroma. I would recommend getting small packages if possible, and the Persian markets are probably your best bet. The dried petals should be pink and not deep red in dolor, and they should have a distinct rose fragrance.
We just Love Persian food! I’m so happy to have found your blog. Tonight I’m making baked Salmon and Quinoa with a cucumber, tomato and mint salad.I also have a question about the dried roses. We have a climbing rose called Cecile Brenner, tiny light pink flowers with peppery overtones in aroma; they smell like roses for sure, but a distinct pepper too. I’ve no idea how they measure up with flavor to the Persian pink you’re talking about, just curious if you’ve had experience with other roses in the place of the normal ones you’ve used for food. I’m looking forward to your recipes. Thank you.
Hello Susan, and welcome to my blog! The culinary rose that is used in Persian cooking is Damask Rose, and this is the only kind that I use in my cooking. Even though I’ve seen recipes on the net that use ornamental roses, the common belief in Iran is that these roses are not for consumption, and have been known to cause gastrointestinal issues! Most Persian markets sell the dried rose petals of Damask rose; which should have a very distinct rose aroma. I have seen some dried rose in other markets that don’t have any rose smell and I would not recommend using them. I really appreciate your comment; please keep in touch and have a great weekend.
Have ever heard of spice calledابی شن؟
Hi Maryam; I believe you’re looking for the herb called, اویشن ‘avishan’ which is thyme in English. You will find the picture and description here: https://persianmama.com/all-about-herbs/
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
An aromatic and gorgeous post!
Thank you dear Fae!
Salam Homa khanome aziz.
man bishtare is spice ha ro daram va chon vegetarian hastam spice haro ziyad estefade mikonam.
vali beh tartibi keh shoma godashoon kardin ba oon salighe va zibaee e khodetoon, akasi e ghashang mano goresneh mikoneh keh aslan spice ha ro khali khali bekhoram.
khoshalam keh ba khanome honarmandi chon shoma dar inja ashna hastam.
wish you the best Homa khanom.
Salam Tera azizam, kheili mamnun az in hameh lotf. Kheili khosh halam axa mored pasandetoon hastand, akhe manam asheghe spice hastam 🙂 Happy to have you here my dear
My mother who is 84 has told me about a spice that her father used to use from Iran. She pronounces it Galaylee or gilalley. Does it sound remotely familiar to you? He would use it in his lamb kabobs and beef stew. It was green.
Hello dear Gary, none of those names sound familiar. However, gilalley sounds Turkish with gila meaning the iris of the eye. I started asking around when I received your email, so far no luck. What part of Iran is your mom from? Maybe that will give us a clue where to look for this spice. Now I am also very interested to find this spice 🙂 Thank you for visiting and please keep in touch.
Salaam, Homa khanoom. I just discovered your blog and am loving it what I’ve seen, so far. Regarding Gary’s Nov. 15, 2015 comment, I’m wondering if the word he’s referring to is the Persian version of Galilee. I found such a spice combination referenced online at a company in the UK… https://www.spicewayuk.com/store/products/fr-cinni-health-infusions/galilee.php. Their Galilee spice mix includes: lemon verbena, spearmint, peppermint, calendula, roses, sage, micromeria, fennel seeds and Melissa.
I look forward to reading more of your posts, and all the in the Persian New Year!
Salam Mia jan, welcome to my blog and happy new year to you too!
I’ve asked around for the spice that Gary had mentioned but no one seems to know what it is. My guess is that it is a local blend of different spices. The link that you have sent sounds really tasty but it seems like it is a type of tea, and Gary’s spice is for stews and kabobs, but you never know! I have seen so many similarities in foods and spices of different regions of the world that I would not be surprised if there is some similarity between the two. Please let me know if you try it.
very handy! thanks
Dear Toot, you’re welcome! I’m glad you find the information useful
Thank you very much. Your spice info allows me to learn how spices create the Persian flavors. Although not Persian, I’ve made about 4 dishes from my local Persian restaurants. Please continue to share your culture through our tongue and tummy 🙂
Dear Shar, you’re so welcome!! I’m very happy to know that this spice post has been helpful to introduce Persian flavors to you. Please keep in touch; I would love to read your comments about the recipes that you try from my blog. Happy cooking 🙂
Wow, I love your information specially about the Persian Spices. I live in US and have been looking through the internet for a site like yours and I’m glad I’ve found your blog. Thanks for putting together such informative as well as beautiful site. It’s definitely a site that make me proud to be a Iranian.
Hello Fariba jan, welcome; lovely to have you here my dear. You have no idea how great it feels to read your comment. I’m also proud of our Iranian cuisine, and I thank you for your kind words!!
I have been looking for Persian cuisine information such as your site. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge about one of the best food traditions there are.
Welcome to my blog Marzena, happy to have you here! I will be sharing many authentic Persian recipes with the friends of this site. Please stay in touch and share your cooking experience when you try any of my recipes. Have a great weekend!
For my first Persian cooking experience I searched for recipe of “abgusht” and I found your website, and not only I found that recipe, I also found much much more. I have to admit that your website is arranged very nicely and it is very informative. Thank you very much for all the time and effort that you have spent to keep and run this nice website.
Dear Khasha it is lovely to have you here! I really appreciate your thoughtful comment. Having food lovers like you follow my blog to find useful information and delicious recipes has been the aim of my blog. Please keep in touch and keep me posted about the different recipes that you try.
Hi, I write to you from India and can’t thank you enough for all the useful tips and recipes you have shared. I run a small Kebab joint and your blog has been extremely helpful when I have tried to develop new dishes. Wanted to ask you if Walnuts or cashews are used in any type of minced meat Kebabs? I have tried to use walnuts in Adana Kebab but I think it becomes too heavy. Any tips? Thanks
Dear Shivani, I’m truly delighted to hear that my blog and recipes have been helpful for your Kabob business in India! I have never used nuts in my kabobs, but I would imagine chopped walnuts would have the best texture, of all other nuts, for this purpose. You did say your Adana kabobs turned out heavy; did you use fine ground walnuts? I wonder if a slightly coarse chopped walnuts would be lighter? Best of luck with your business and please keep in touch!
I appreciate this comment because oft one might think ground fine would make it lighter but learning that using coarse ground is the direction to go is very good information. Thank you.
.ستور کوبیده شما را خیلی خوشمزه است! با تشکر از شما، و خدا برکت دهد
!ممنون، خوشحالم مورد پسندتونه
Homa Khanom, I just discovered your page and was glad to see your spice recipes and your descriptions. I came to this page from Google. I noticed your URL ended in ../all-about-spices-2, so I replaced the 2 with a 1 and another page of yours came up, but it also gave me an error message, even though most of the links on that page are valid. Anyhow, I am an Iranian male, living in the US and have of late discovered Persian cooking. Am delighted to have found your page. Thank you and keep up the good work. Kind regards.
Welcome dear Jay; happy to have you here. I have only one Spice page and that ‘2’ is just part of the URL. You will be able to find all the recipes under ‘index’ and the basic information under ‘helpful tips.’ Thanks very much for the nice words! I’m glad you will be trying my recipes, and I would love to hear all about your cooking experience when you do. Have a great weekend!
loveley blog i need to find sumac locally .mojacar .garrucha vera ..spain any idears are pipes used to cook kebobs?
Hello and thank you Lewis; I’m afraid I don’t know how you can find sumac locally in Spain. I will give you the link for online purchase: http://www.sadaf.com/ click on ‘Products’ and then click on ‘Herbs and Spices’ in the drop down menu; sumac is on page 14.
You will find a tutorial for making kabob koobideh here:
https://persianmama.com/kabob-koobideh-grilled-minced-meat-kabobs/
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
how do i find sumac locally mojacar ..garrucha..vera ..ameria spain
how do i find sumac
Just returned from a wonderful trip to Iran, and have been wondering how to recreate some of the delicious meals I had there. So glad to have stumbled across your blog! Particularly love the herbs and spices section on the helpful tips, very useful.
Hello Lucy; welcome to my blog; lovely to have you here! It makes me very happy to read that you find these posts helpful. You will find a lot of delicious recipes here and I hope to hear back from you when you try them. Have a great weekend 🙂
Thank you for all of the recipes and information. I’ve been enjoying Persian food since I was in college…a long time ago hahaaa. My best friend, who I met in college, is from northern Iran near the Caspian Sea. He lives in the same city here in the US as me so I still get to enjoy his Persian cooking as well as my own. I will be trying some of your recipes. My most recent new dish was Sohan that I made and brought to his house, delicious!!
Hello Andrew; Lovely to have you here; it’s always a pleasure to meet a Persian food enthusiast 🙂 Sounds like you and your old college friend from ‘shomal’ have great fun cooking and sharing Persian food! I hope to hear back from you when you try some of my recipes. Please keep in touch and happy cooking.
هما جون، عالی واقعا دستتون درد نکنه، کار زیبایی کردید که فرهنگ و غذاهای سنتی ایرانی رو به خوبی و با دقت معرفی کردید. درود بر شما
به واقع لذت بردم.
دوست عزیز خوشخالم که کارم مورد پسندتونه. سپاس از محبت شما
Homa…
Lovely spice blends… I’m new to Persian/ Iranian food and am very happy to find a short list of common spice mixex… I believe spice make all the digference in a dish…
Have a great new year…
Hi Nehal; so happy to hear from another spice lover 🙂 Glad you find this post helpful and welcome to the world of Iranian cooking. Please keep in touch and let me know if you have any questions. I would love to read your comments whenever you try one of my recipes. Happy new year to you too my dear!
I just love your Advieh blend for rice. It takes rice to a whole new level. The subtle spices enhance but do not overpower the flavour of the rice. I was delighted that your recipe was successful. The dried rose petals make it extra special. Thank you Persian Mama!
I’m very happy to hear that; thanks so much for letting me know! Yes, I agree the rose petals are amazing!
Homa jan, I’m so grateful for your wonderful blog. I am Armenian, obsessed with the rich and distinctive food from your culture. I’d love to learn how to make limoo amani light in color… tan, so to speak. Our Mexican Key Lime tree here in California makes wonderful limoo amani, but I’m trying to mimic the nice Sadaf or Golchin round and tan ones. Mine, while still perfectly tasty, tend to come out moderately dark brown and pressed a bit from the slow dehydration process. I’ve experimented making limoo amani in so many ways, and my preferred method is to use an antique gas oven on only its pilot light (usual temperature is 49 Celsius or 120 Fahrenheit) for 1 week, without blanching the limes. Any advice you can share, I’m immensely grateful to you.
Hope you’re doing well and thank you again.
Your friend,
Andro Hollander
Hello Andro; I’m delighted to meet you here and I’m so glad you are enjoying my blog. As I understand, the color of fresh limes has a lot to do with how light or dark the colror of limoo amani will be. It’s very impressive that you make your own dried limes. Please keep in touch 🙂
Hello Homa,
I live in Pennsylvania and shop online all the time. I cannot find rose petals that you mention above , Gol Mohammadi. I found only one that sells petals and it is from the site Kalamada.com. The persian basket calls their rosebuds Persian rosebuds. And then from savorspiceshop they have Pakistani roses unnamed. Can you help please?
Hi Connie; I was unable to access Kalamada website. The rose buds advertised on Persian Basket website is described as Kashan rose, which should be gol Mohammadi. The real rose Mohammadi has a shade of light to dark pink, not red. To test, place a petal in your mouth; though at first it tastes slightly bitter, almost immediately it turns faintly sweet. I hope this helps and you will be able to get some good rose petals. I’m sure it will be helpful to our other readers if you write back and share your thoughts on whatever brand that you try.
Thank you Homa and bless your day. I will let you know.
My pleasure Connie 🙂
Thank you for posting so much delicious information! Besides cumin, which spices do you recommend to flavor torshi?
My pleasure Donna! You could add black pepper corns, turmeric, red pepper, coriander seeds, and fresh garlic cloves. Most torshi recipes would also benefit from dried herbs such as tarragon, summer savory, mint and dill. Thanks for your comment and please keep in touch 🙂
ای جانم چه سلیقه زیبایی خدا حفظتون کنه فکر کنم من بعد بیننده پر و پا قرص شما بشم زنده باشین و پاینده
ممنون از شما اسمر جان. خیلی خوش اومدین به وبلاگ من. امیدوارم مورد علاقه هاتونو اینجا پیدا کنین و لذت ببرین.سپاس و درود دوست عزیز
از تویتر فالوتون
کردم
تشکر از لطف و صفای شما اسمر جان
Dear Homa,
thanks for this very interesting article and for sharing recipes.
As I want to make the rice spice as a give-away I would like to
know if you could write the name of the rice spice (Advieh Berenj)
in Farsi so I am able to make a nice label. Your help is very much
appreciated.
Greetings from Germany!
Pascale
Dear Homa,
I love your blog!
I have a question, probably very silly, but could you please let me know exactly how to use the “rice spices” when you cook the rice?
I am planning to cook Tahching and I am a bit confused about the second rice layer.
Thank you so much
Gemma
Thanks Gemma 🙂
You will find the instructions by following this link and scrolling down to Advieh polo/aromatic rice: https://persianmama.com/persian-steamed-rice-with-tahdig/
Please let me know if you have further questions.
خیلی عالی بود، واقعا کمک بزرگی بود واسه من که درمورد ادویه جات دارم تحقیق میکنم، ی دنیا ممنون
درود میلاد گرامی؛ خوشحالم که این پست برای شما قابل استفاده بوده. ممنون از کامنت شما. موفق باشین دوست عزیز
Hello, I discovered the taste of dried lime and I found it incredible. I’ve bought some and I’d like to use it in everyday food, like marinades .With which ingredients does it combine better? Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Hello Laura; dried limes are wonderful as they add a totally different flavor than fresh limes to food! To use these as a marinade, it’s best to grind them to a powder; first crush the limes, discard the pits and then grind in a food processor. You could mix them with your favorite spices and olive oil and make a marinade rub for chicken or fish. You could also sprinkle the lime powder on salads for a burst of citrus. They could be used whole in stews or soups. Soaking them in hot water for just a few minutes will make it easier to poke holes in the dry skin. Happy cooking!
Hello, I am looking for the recipe of persian rice – chicken , i don’t know if its called persian biryani.. it is usually served in wedding or in special occasions. It has cashew nut, raisins (Kishmish?), potato wedges and sometimes hard boiled egg. The chicken are shallow fried first then it is usually sandwich to the half cooked steamed basmati rice. The cashew nuts, raisins and potatoes are also shallow-fried first before mixing them into the rice. I would really appreciate if you can give me the exact recipe for this please..
Thank you in advance!
Dear Bera; I have been researching to find out more about the recipe that you’re looking for; unfortunately I can’t find any recipe with the ingredient combination that you’ve mentioned. It sounds like a combination tahchin and shirin polo and I’m referring you to those links. I hope this helps to give you some idea how to use the ingredients that you’ve mentioned in these recipes. Have a great weekend!
https://persianmama.com/tahchin-morgh/
https://persianmama.com/shirin-polopersian-sweet-rice/
Homa khanoom, once again I want to request your guidance. I have always broken open the dried Persian limes to remove seeds before using, but now I find there are no seeds inside. I wonder if growers have hybridized so no seeds remain inside. Have you experienced this, as well?
Merci!
Hi Mia jan. I guess all the limes are not created equal lol 😉
Yes, I have noticed that too, but not in all the brands. The small ones that I get from Iran still have several pits. The large dark brown ones that I get in the States don’t have any. I love them and always add extra just for me 🙂
Have you heard of volak? Not sure of Persian spelling. Is it the same as Tansy? My father has some but am no sure it’s safe to consume.
Tx
Hi Raana, I’m sorry but I have not. However, I searched for Tansy and it is poisonous and not suitable for consumption according to one article.
Can you tell me which rose petal or ground rose petal powder brand and sumac brand you recommend and where to get it?
Would appreciate !
Hi Negar, I have not tried any of the online spices! Before the unfortunate events of 2020 I had been getting all of my spices from Iran 🙁
However, I would recommend sticking with Iranian brands such as Golchin or Sadaf! Take care..
I live in Ottawa, Canada and I have a Persian buddy. We went to a Persian restaurant and Joe brought a couple of raw eggs along with him to lunch, saying that this is a Custom in Iran. Correct? (I find it amusing!)
Hi Tom, yes some Iranians love the yolk (only) with chelo kabob! I think it would be easier to ask the server for a raw egg or two from the kitchen, lol 😉
Dear mam, I need asafoetida seeds.
Hello, please search online, this is a food blog 🙂
Hello Persian Mama, I was delighted to find your kabab recipe. I am trying to find sumac online but reviews are discouraging. What brand can I rely on for quality and freshness? (Or where may I find a market in the Daytona Beach area?). Like many, I have stood in line for hours at Nowruz festivals for this wonderful delicacy.
Hi Gene, I get my sumac from Iran and have not tried any of the online products. I suggest trying a small package of online sumac and see if you like it. I have been happy with Sadaf and Golchin products but have not tried their sumac yet. Good luck and take care
Halle shoma chatouri –
While researching a recipe for joujeh kabab that I plan on making for my 14 year old son tomorrow, I discovered your website and blog. I lived in Iran in the late 1970’s and regrettably could never return. Persian food is near and dear to me; many great friends, great meals and great times. However, my son is a bit oblivious to my “ancient” history. Unfortunately, many things that I really enjoyed are no longer readily available; Shams ob joh and Shirazi sharab come to mind. I’ve managed to find a few suitable substitutes along the way for other more mundane items; Victoria Taylor’s Origin Spices sells a rather good sumac (Turkish, but that’s just a detail). More difficult has been finding the wheat flour used back along in the Tehran bakeries to make sangyak. Befarmyine, any suggestions on a suitable substitute?
Haille motchacaram,
HRB
Dear Jurmedica, welcome to my blog. I think you will find many of your nostalgic Iranian meals here. Please share your feedback if you cook any of them. Thanks for sharing your fond memories of Iran. Unfortunately I never had a chance to try our sharab and objo but have heard they were superb!
The flour that sangak bakers use in Iran is a special blend of white and whole wheat flour. I do not have a substitute for the flour but I have seen some videos online that you might find helpful for figuring out the right ratio. Thanks for writing to me, take care and keep in touch
During a recent visit with my husband’s parents in Dubai, they brought some dried rose petals with them from Iran. I will attempt to grind them into a powder and use them for Kalam Polo. I appreciate having the recipe for the Persian rice spice mix!
Hi Paula, very glad to hear that enjoy it 🙂