Notes about Recipes in this book

• Eggplant dip with kashk (Kashki bademjan)

  • rhughes24 on December 29, 2021

    Move over, baba ganoush...this is such a great eggplant dip, especially with the barbari bread from this book. You can sub regular greek yogurt for the kashk, but the kashk does give it a little extra something. If you can't find it, she has a recipe on her website which I have used: http://bottomofthepot.com/homemade-kashk/ I freeze any extra in tablespoon-sized dollops so it's ready the next time I want to make this dip.

  • MsMonsoon on March 23, 2026

    This is really good! It's a nice golden color from the turmeric, and since you use Chinese or Japanese eggplants, the skins are easily broken apart with a potato masher. It's a little time consuming -- more steps and pans than baba ghanoush -- but worth it!

• Summer squash yogurt dip (Borani-yeh kadoo)

  • lholtzman on November 17, 2019

    Also great as a potluck and side dish.

  • Riya08 on April 14, 2021

    Fantastic recipe. Keeps well also, and enjoyed as both a dip/app and a side dish!

  • peacheater on January 17, 2026

    Have made this several times and it’s always a big success. A good vegetarian option too that looks pretty on a platter. Key is good roasting on the zucchini (let it get some color) and frying off the onions (ditto). Otherwise pretty forgiving of a bit less or more of various ingredients.

• Yogurt beet dip (Borani-yeh laboo)

  • Omsafeeya on January 22, 2026

    Made for Timmy and Aneesa. Excellent and beautiful.

• Lentil dip (Adasi)

  • lholtzman on April 03, 2024

    I would make this as a side dish. The golpear adds an interesting note.

• Tomato cucumber salad

  • bernalgirl on July 21, 2024

    This is barely a recipe but the proportions are right on to make in-season tomatoes sing.

  • Omsafeeya on January 22, 2026

    I prefer this when the veg are chopped smaller than the author specifies. Essential salad for a Persian or Arab meal.

• Arugula orange fennel salad

  • lholtzman on November 17, 2019

    Good fall salad for dinner party or holiday. The orange blossom water doesn’t overwhelm and the red wine vinegar provides balance.

• Cabbage salad

  • southerncooker on May 26, 2019

    Not my favorite but it was still good.

• Smoky eggplant pomegranate dip (Nazkhatoun)

  • lholtzman on November 17, 2019

    I like the sweet and sour taste of this dip. First time trying Golpar and I’m not sure I love it. Definitely a distinctive taste. Although the dish was easy, it definitely took a lot of time. You can freeze it. I enjoyed spread on pita.

  • lholtzman on November 17, 2019

    I thought this was okay. I found the golpar flavor really strong in this dish and it’s a bit off putting. I also didn’t find the smokiness of the eggplant really came through, but I cooked the eggplant in the oven. I used 1.5 tbsp pomegranate molasses

• Walnut verjuice dip (Seerabeh)

  • lholtzman on November 17, 2019

    So good and super easy.

• Sour cherry and feta crostini

  • Jviney on March 01, 2020

    Outstanding. Covered all the bases: pretty on the plate, delicious to eat, easy to put together. Sour cherries aren’t in season and we aren’t in a great area for them even when they are. I bought sour cherries in light syrup from the Mediterranean market, and then proceeded with the preserves recipe using half the sugar. Perfect aroma and taste of rose water. Will make again soon.

  • MissKoo on May 19, 2020

    This is a beautiful recipe. Wonderful eye appeal and flavors -- the rose water does not dominate but provides a lovely flavor note in the background. I pick and freeze my own sour cherries which makes this an easy last minute appetizer. This is especially pretty to serve around Christmas with the red cherries and the green of the mint and pistachios. Good for small cocktail and finger food gatherings too.

• Barley and lentil soup (Soup-e jo ba adas)

  • MsMonsoon on January 02, 2021

    Lovely, healthy, hearty vegan soup with an interesting mild tang from dried limes. The barley and lentils were perfectly done at the cooking times listed in the recipe. Used a 5.5 litre dutch oven; a 3.5 one would have been a bit too small.

  • bernalgirl on November 13, 2025

    This is a wonderfully hearty vegetarian soup. I used pearled farro instead of barley, and kale instead of chard. Wanting the bulk from the chard stems, I diced a few king trumpet mushrooms hanging out in the fridge and added them at the sauté step. I wanted more black lime flavor, which was barely noticeable, so next time I’ll reconstitute the dried limes in boiling water while prepping the vegetables to try to get more flavor out of them. Ive been eating this for lunch and I haven’t grown tired of it yet.

• Lentil and beet soup (Aash-e shooli)

  • wcassity on August 17, 2020

    Delicious! Surprisingly rich, lush taste. Used golden bees and chopped chard.

  • jenburkholder on May 31, 2021

    We thought this was excellent. Deep flavor, easy, healthy. Will likely repeat.

  • allisonsemele on August 11, 2021

    Delicious! As others have noted, this is a surprisingly rich tasting soup. Deep, healthy flavors. I would make this often if I didn’t find prepping beets to be such a pain! Had to make some substitutions/adjustments for what I had on hand: added three small grated carrots, subbed a diced potato for the rice, subbed garden kale for beet greens, and extra onion for the leek. I think this is a relatively flexible recipe.

  • bernalgirl on March 16, 2025

    Wow! What a delicious bowl of soup! Grating beets really turned me off but I left the tails on and that provided a nice handle for grating, it was surprisingly quick and easy. I used red wine vinegar to finish as the beets were sweet enough for my taste. Next time I’d add a good pinch of chiles, maybe cayenne or Aleppo, not enough to make it spicy but just to round out the sweetness of the beets a bit. So good and so beautiful!

• Butternut squash soup

  • MsMonsoon on February 22, 2021

    Love this soup. I’ve probably made it 4 times in the last 4 months. Super healthy, easy, vegan, and very little fat.

  • jenburkholder on December 28, 2021

    Quite tasty. I had a roasted squash, so used that instead. Needs a bit of acid at the end, I used pomegranate molasses.

  • crandall57 on February 02, 2026

    We loved this soup. We served it with gluten free pita one time and gluten free breadsticks another. We sprinkled sumac on top. Low in fat and calories too. Will make this again.

• Steamed Persian rice with tahdig (Chelo ba tahdig)

  • MsMonsoon on October 30, 2021

    I've always been intimidated by tahdig and rice in general, but his was my first tahdig attempt and it worked! I almost gave up after soaking the rice because I realized I didn't have a 5L nonstick pot. I ended up using my 3.5L Le Creuset and making the rice in two batches. I was nervous about not having the recommended nonstick pot, but I had very little sticking! For the first batch I made the standard recipe, and for the second I used the yogurt tahdig method. Both were great. The rice is fluffy, grains are separate, and the tahdig was perfectly crunchy. (The yogurt batch was crunchier and stuck a little more which was counter to what is said in the book.) Will probably make 1/2 or 2/3 the recipe next time as the full batch (3 cups of uncooked rice) makes a lot.

  • JimCampbell on October 25, 2025

    A 4.0 out of 5. This is our go-to recipe for tahdig. The rice comes out nice and fluffy with a crispy layer on the bottom, which is the wife's favorite part. She usually ends up eating the crispy stuff and I get the soft rice underneath. We top the tahdig with a sauce of barberries, slivered pistachio, honey, and lemon. I cannot find the recipe on the internet or in a book. It's a recipe given to us from the owner of a Persian market. It is worth seeking out 'Mother' brand rice. Generally from Pakistan, with the embargo on Iran. The Iranian rice is more earthy, which we like, but it's been years now since we've had it. Persian basmati rice is longer and thicker than most Indian basmati rice. Much toothier. We often skip the saffron and it's still a great rice dish. We cheat and use a four cup rice cooker we bought at a Persian market, which has a stronger heating element on the bottom to get the crispness.

  • heather_8spv9s on February 17, 2026

    Tasty but I have to practice!

• Potato tahdig

  • QuinceHouse on February 08, 2026

    Delicious but not nearly as good as regular tahdig.

• Green bean rice (Loobia polo)

  • ldtrieb on May 04, 2019

    Delicious, used left over rice. Love how each recipe states how to make ahead or how to freeze for the future.

  • bernalgirl on September 17, 2025

    I adapted this recipe to make it one-pan for a weeknight and adjusted the seasonings a bit, and this was a family favorite— a Persian arroz con pollo. I used diced chicken breast, substituted baharat seasoning for cinnamon and added a solid 1/4 teaspoon of chile flakes, and added the tomato paste with the sauté ingredients till it was brick red, then added the additional liquid with the saffron. I sautéed the rice in the pan, added liquid, and brought it to a boil before turning down the heat, covering the pan and cooking on low for 20 minutes. It truly is a bowl of comfort and I will make it again.

  • theresasmurk on December 19, 2025

    So delicious and comforting! Made the recipe as described.

  • jd_z77v3u on January 23, 2026

    super delicious and good for freezer meal prep!

• Baked saffron yogurt rice with chicken (Tahcheen-e morgh)

  • KarinaFrancis on March 28, 2020

    In a word, yum! Loved the chicken and the tahdig turned out perfectly. I won’t kid you, it’s a time investment but it’s worth it. I halved the recipe and baked it in a 24cm Pyrex pie dish, still using 1 egg in the base mix and cooked for an hour. I couldn’t source barberries so I subbed cranberries, which were ok. Served with a chopped Persian salad and yogurt.

  • hirsheys on January 18, 2022

    I followed KarinaFrancis' example and made a half recipe in my pyrex pie plate and baked it for 1 hour. It came out with a lovely crust on the bottom and the flavors are lovely (the barberries are more tart than I expected, though I'm glad to have had a chance to try them.) My biggest issue was with salt - despite salting aggressively throughout the rice cooking process, I felt like the rice was under salted and wished I had stirred in a little in the yogurt stage. I'm not sure I need to make this again (I want to try other options and this one was a bit of a megillah) but I'm glad to have learned how to do it! Will definitely make tahdig again, for sure.

  • mackerman on March 10, 2023

    Loved this recipe, made it as is and everyone loved it.

  • jackie_qngo05 on February 12, 2026

    Fun to make and worth the effort!! I also cut the recipe in half but still baked it in a 9x13 for less time and it was excellent! If I’d had a higher quality rice it would have probably been even better!

  • PriyaPath on March 27, 2026

    Turned out really well, I would pair it with the tumwric chicken or something that has gravy for more flavour.

• Lentil rice (Adas polo)

  • MsMonsoon on October 20, 2020

    Delicious! Uses 3 pots on the stove but recipe is pretty easy. I love the fruits and cinnamon with the savory lentils, rice and cumin. I may increase the onions next time just because I love them. I used pre-ground saffron but the book recommends grinding saffron threads yourself. I was glad the recipe says you can cook the rice in water instead of the chicken stock, so it’s vegetarian-friendly.

• Dill rice (Sheeved polo)

  • IvyManning on April 23, 2019

    Does not work with CA basmati rice, not sure if that was the problem. Overcooked at 12 minutes, another 20 as recipes states would have yielded burnt mush. Don't use again.

  • rhughes24 on December 29, 2021

    Made this with aged Indian basmati rice and it came out perfectly. There is no such thing as too much dill! A nice way to add some extra flavor to rice.

  • kate_8v3dzp on April 12, 2026

    Always tastes so buttery even with a relatively small amount. I used Indian basmati also and no issues. Maybe the other poster didn’t soak the rice? Or maybe your stove is on too high.

• Dill rice with fish tahdig (Sheeved polo ba tahdig-e mahi)

  • IvyManning on May 20, 2020

    The rice was very overcooked, but the fish was delicious. I'm not sure if grocery store basmati is the right thing to use, because it was mush following this recipe? What did I do wrong?

• Cabbage farro

  • Frogcake on December 29, 2019

    This is a fantastic recipe! So tasty and it comes together quickly. I didn’t have any basil so I added chopped flat leaf parsley instead. Leftovers make a very tasty and filling lunch.

  • bernalgirl on February 15, 2024

    So good! Even my whole-grain ambivalent husband went back for seconds. The golden raisins wonderfully compliment the charred cabbage, and the whole dish is lovely with the sauce from the Everyday turmeric chicken from the same book.

  • lholtzman on January 25, 2025

    Good, but a bit too salty. I would add pinches of salt along the way and salt to taste at the end.

• Rice with tomatoes and potatoes (Kateh estamboli)

  • lholtzman on April 08, 2025

    This rice is great and kid-friendly, but took longer than I initially thought. I skipped the last 30 minute of cooking because my rice was done and we were hungry. We all enjoyed with an egg on top.

• Celery stew (Khoresh karafs)

  • allisonsemele on February 18, 2021

    I made this dish because it was popular with a cookbook group--delicious and easy! Made no changes apart from dialing back on the salt a bit. Served with the suggested rice and yogurt dip and it all went together extremely well. This would be a good dish for company--the prep is quick, but it takes a bit to stew, giving you time to throw together other dishes.

  • allisonsemele on March 28, 2022

    I made this again using ~1.5lbs of chicken without increasing the other ingredients, and surprise! it was not as good, though still tasty. It is the seemingly absurd quantities of green stuff--celery, mint, parsley--that make this dish, so don't cut back.

  • bernalgirl on November 14, 2025

    So delicious and easy! Much more than the sum of its parts. The herby quality is what makes it.

  • Tatiana131 on May 21, 2026

    Definitely skip the last 1/2 - 1 tsp of salt, and I speak as a salt lover. Different and oddball stew that’s surprisingly delicious.

• Eggplant stew (Khoresh bademjan)

  • lholtzman on October 30, 2025

    I adapted this recipe to make vegetarian. Instead of chicken, I used 1 can of drained chickpeas. I enjoyed it over couscous.

• Vegetarian mint and parsley stew (Khoresh na'na jafari)

  • jenburkholder on October 25, 2021

    Very nice stew that I've now made a couple times, though never with artichoke hearts (don't care for them). The first time I used kale, and the second I used bell pepper, but honestly I think you could use anything that isn't too strongly flavored, so as not to overpower the herbs. Such a simple stew, but much more than the sum of its parts.

• Fresh herb stew (Khoresh ghormeh sabzi)

  • JulieCruz on September 07, 2019

    Wonderful stew! Do not skimp on the fresh herbs, he just used the term "bunches" and don't go by the supermarket bunches. I went to my International fresh market and the bunches there were about 3 times as large, that's what I used. Don't do it without the dried limes, I think it is a big part of the taste that you can't get from adding lime juice.

  • ShirleyHarring on April 22, 2020

    Also works well with lamb or hogget chops left on the bone.

  • allisonsemele on March 01, 2021

    Made a half recipe--very good, reminded me a little bit of palak paneer with the greens and dried fenugreek. Liked the celery stew from this book slightly better, and it came together quicker.

  • jbny on May 11, 2022

    Delicious! Made with beef stew meat. our local Persian market had a frozen package of the chopped vegetable/herb combo. Saved a lot of work.

  • PinchOfSalt on May 19, 2022

    It was quite tasty, but a real chore to make. Cleaning and especially drying all of the bunches and bunches of herbs took a lot of elapsed time. Finally chopping them in my food processor was the quick and easy part. This was my first encounter with dried fenugreek. The package that I purchased seemed quite fresh. The dried fenugreek itself was very aromatic in a mouth-watering way. It now has inspired me to find more recipes that use it.

• Pomegranate walnut stew (Khoresh fesenjan)

  • rhughes24 on December 29, 2021

    This yields a ton of flavor for something relatively low effort. Perfect with basmati and a bit of plain Greek yogurt on the side.

• Spicy tamarind fish and herb stew (Ghalieh mahi)

  • allisonsemele on March 09, 2021

    Fantastic! Also much quicker than the other stews I have tried from this book. I made a half recipe with halibut. Will try again with cod or shrimp. I loved the tamarind/cilantro/chili/fenugreek flavor combo.

  • heather_8spv9s on February 17, 2026

    It was a little salty but really good! I was surprised at the amount of cilantro in the recipe but the tamarind gave it a really nice flavor. If mAke it again!

• Vegetarian apple carrot stew (Khoresh seeb-o havij)

  • jenburkholder on September 15, 2020

    Yum. Perfect for winter - warm, tart, cozy. I added more chickpeas than called for and served over brown rice.

  • MsMonsoon on January 10, 2021

    Delicious. Uses many spices. I was expecting a thinner soup, low-calorie, but the recipe only calls for 1.5 cups of water, so it’s a quite hearty stew and would be good with rice like another reviewer recommends but is quite filling on its own. It’s also vegan if you don’t cook the optional raisins in butter.

  • Etrnalhope on January 20, 2021

    Added an extra small onion because I didn't have leeks, but it was still really tasty. Raisins are optional, but I found that extra sweet helps round out the dish. Went well with the lentils, rice, and dried fruits dish also in the same book.

• Meat and yellow split pea stew (Khoresh gheymeh)

  • Etrnalhope on December 19, 2021

    Always tasty and hearty. Recently did it in an instant pot - turned out pretty good! Sauté onions, brown meat, then add all the other ingredients, minus the yellow split peas (and associated water and salt) and minus potatoes. Pressure cook on high for 30 min. Natural release for 10 min., then release the rest. Prepare yellow split peas and simmer until desired softness. Make oven fries. Probably not AS good as the original recipe, but much less labor intensive and still very good!

• Sour chicken stew (Khoresh morgh-e torsh)

  • Etrnalhope on April 21, 2021

    Used previously chopped and frozen herbs. Delicious!

  • Omsafeeya on January 03, 2024

    Despite crisping the chicken thighs they were soft. I wouldn't repeat this recipe.

• Chicken drumettes kabab (Joojeh kabab)

  • southerncooker on May 26, 2019

    This was delicious.

• Rosé-dipped strawberry rose ice pops

  • SheilaS on August 07, 2019

    Delicious and a very pretty way to present popsicles. I went light on the rose water (the recipe calls for "a splash") and couldn't really detect it in the pops. I may try adding a bit more next time, though they were lovely as is.

• Stuffed branzino (Mahi shekampor)

  • lholtzman on November 19, 2019

    I did not have a peach/nectarine or basil so I subbed frozen mango for the peach and cilantro for the basil. Tasted delicious. Save some time by chopping all the herbs with the pistachios in the mini chop.

  • lync on January 29, 2020

    Excellent. I made a sauce of all the "stuffing" ingredients rather than go through the effort of stuffing and tying. Made a special week-night dinner in just 35 minutes.

• Meat and potato patties (Oven-baked kotlet)

  • Jviney on March 01, 2020

    I liked these. Perfect for book club - the early assembly and chilling time is helpful. Crunchy and flavorful.

• Roasted dill salmon

  • lholtzman on May 03, 2020

    11/8/24- The flavor is great. Don’t skimp on the salt. It seems like a lot, but it was the right amount.

  • jenburkholder on December 21, 2021

    This was fine but not exciting. We made a yogurt sauce and it needed it. Wouldn't repeat.

• Zucchini kookoo (Kookoo kadoo)

  • MissKoo on May 19, 2020

    A bit labor intensive but worth the effort. Intriguing combination of flavors, and an excellent dish for breakfast (especially for houseguests) or brunch. Leftovers hold up well. I've served it at brunch together with the Arugula Orange Fennel Salad (p. 54) and the Sour Cherry and Feta Crostini (p. 66). Do pay attention to author's instructions to use a glass pan. When doubling the recipe I had to use one glass pan and one metal pan. The ingredients stick tenaciously to the latter; even after long soaking it's hard to clean.

  • Yildiz100 on June 20, 2020

    I needed only 1 tsp salt for the zucchini and an additional half for the mix, so use caution before adding the full 2.25 tsp. I didn't like the barberries here. I can't decide if it is just personal taste, a bad combo of flavors, or if it was just too many. This kookoo is much more heavily spiced than most zucchini kookoo and I am not convinced it works. The expensive saffron and rose disappeared under the cinnamon so not the best use of them. Next time I would use a simpler more traditional recipe.

  • MsMonsoon on October 30, 2021

    Have been wanting to make this for a long time because I was intrigued by the barberries, rose, and list of spices. Takes a while to squeeze the water from the zucchini and squash. Agree there is a lot going on here, and not sure it's possible to even taste the saffron, but I liked the dish. The orange zest is quite assertive, and I can see this being a great brunch dish. Just realized it's dairy-free, too. And how fun is it to say "kookoo kadoo"?

• Roasted okra (Bamiyeh)

  • jenburkholder on August 02, 2020

    As okra non-lovers, I can’t claim this method was a revelation. However, it was miles above wetter styles, and the two dipping sauces were tasty.

• Sumac cauliflower

  • jenburkholder on August 04, 2020

    I love both sumac and cauliflower, but this dish felt like it was missing something. Okay as a side, but probably won’t make again.

  • lholtzman on June 26, 2025

    This is a very easy side and nice recipe to have in your back pocket. It’s great great for when you have cauliflower you need to cook and want to jazz it up.

• Sardine fish cakes (Kotlet-e sardine)

  • jacqie on January 19, 2021

    made with rice and cucumber/tomato salad from book.

  • lholtzman on May 15, 2026

    My kids found this too spicy. Leaving the cayenne out would be fine.

• Yellow split pea and meat patties (Shami rashti)

  • Etrnalhope on January 20, 2021

    Subbed a little under 1/2 the yellow split peas with lentils because I didn't have enough. It still held together, but was a little soft. Really good with muhammara on the side.

• Barbari bread (Naan-e barbari)

  • MsMonsoon on January 24, 2021

    Recipe worked great and this was the first time I’ve ever baked bread! I wasn’t sure from the instructions if you are to preheat the sheet in the oven, like a pizza stone. I did one loaf on the suggested upturned baking sheet preheated on the bottom rack. But the loaf done right on a (non-preheated) baking sheet on the middle rack was just as good. Didn’t have nigella seeds so I used poppy seeds with the sesame, and added a sprinkling of sea salt.

  • rhughes24 on December 29, 2021

    This is a great bread for dipping into all kinds of mezze. Has a nice crunch and sheen from the wash and seeds. Freezes well too. I bake on a preheated pizza stone.

• Sole in parchment paper with Drew's oven fries

  • jenburkholder on December 21, 2021

    Only made the fries. They were very good, ate with yogurt sauce.

• Quince and labneh tart

  • rhughes24 on December 29, 2021

    I skipped the quinces, if memory serves, and paired this with the sour cherry compote from earlier in the book. I thought the rosewater would be overpowering, but it was not. I made a full meal from the cookbook for a dinner party and this dessert complemented the rest of the dishes perfectly.

  • MsMonsoon on January 07, 2024

    Interesting, rather filling and healthy for a dessert. Used store-bought pie dough but made my own labneh over two days (yogurt in kitchen towel, tied up and suspended over a bowl in the fridge). Rose water and cardamom flavor was faint so I may increase next time.

• Potato kookoo (Kookoo sibzamini)

  • jenburkholder on April 01, 2022

    We enjoyed these. They’re exactly what they sound like - lightly flavored potato and egg patties. Don’t omit the yogurt. We won’t be running to make these again, but they were good.

  • lholtzman on August 08, 2024

    This was a hit, especially with the 6 and under set. I used plain yogurt instead of Greek yogurt for the optional spicy yogurt sauce. It was fine. Overall I thought these were yummy and a hit with the family. They take a bit more time because you need to boil the potatoes and fry the patties in batches, but it’s definitely doable on a weeknight.

• Baghlava cake

  • s.shadan on May 15, 2023

    would need 1.5 x syrup.

  • MsMonsoon on May 12, 2025

    Simple, easy, fragrant, and dairy-free. This is much simpler than a recipe I saw on Serious Eats which uses butter, saffron, and pistachio flour in addition to the almond flour. My cake came out a bit dry so I may have overbaked. I see the note about making 1.5x the amount of syrup and that would probably help.

• Braised lamb shanks (Maheecheh)

  • peacheater on February 17, 2026

    This was good but perhaps not as good as the work involved. I cooked this essentially over three days, on day 1 marinating in turmeric and salt. Day 2 was the bulk of the cooking including making the spice mix (easy enough since had all ingredients including rose petals) and cooking slow for 3 hours (in oven, checking water and turning every half hour). Then let it sit overnight, separated meat and liquid portion of sauce to skim fat. Finally reheated altogether on Day 3. Worked really well. Only ingredient I omitted was the orange blossom water (thought I had but didn’t). Husband said he might have preferred a simpler flavor, however son gave it 4.5 out of 5. Meat was perfectly tender.

  • Marliesjes on October 13, 2024

    A bit salty but otherwise delicious

• Everyday turmeric chicken (Morgh ba zardchoobeh)

  • bernalgirl on February 15, 2024

    This seemed bound for failure but it was absolutely delicious. I added more water and cooked it covered, then thickened the sauce a bit at the end. I’d make a few adjustments next time: brown the chicken, then add the onions, add a tablespoon flour with the garlic, double or triple the water, and cook the chicken with the lid on. It may not be the way your Persian grandmother cooked it, but it would save watching the pan for burnt onions.

• Fresh herb kookoo (Kookoo sabzi)

  • MsMonsoon on March 23, 2026

    Made for a Nowruz celebration. Did the spinach version, not Swiss chard. My family wasn’t crazy about it and thought there was too much going on with the barberries and the optional walnuts. Made a nice big 12-inch omelette. I had put in two extra eggs (10 total) because I thought I may have had too many herbs. Will keep trying! Ok, editing this and raising a star because the one complainer called me the next day to rave about how good the kookoo was!

• Persian omelet

  • lholtzman on June 06, 2024

    Amazing and very easy. I made as a week night dinner with salad. I halved the recipe to serve two people. One medium tomato was good for a 10 inch nonstick pan. The eggs took less than 10 minutes to set for me.

• Scrambled eggs with dried mint and yogurt

  • lholtzman on June 26, 2025

    This is a great, kid friendly dish for breakfast, brunch, or a light dinner. Sour cream works in place of yogurt.

• Grean bean kookoo (Kookoo loobia sabz)

  • lholtzman on January 27, 2026

    This recipe is a perfect way to get kids to eat vegetables. Both my 2 and 8 year olds gobbled this up. I think shredding them makes it less noticeable. I did find it a little oily so I’d probably use less in the future. Also, this took way less time to cook than suggested in recipe. I would take out earlier in the future.

• Rice pudding (Shir berenj)

  • kkmatti on February 11, 2024

    Excellent rice pudding recipe. I really like the use of mixed sushi rice and basmati here. I felt the end result wasn't sweet enough to suit my tastes so I added a little sweetened condensed milk at the end.

• Eat Your Books by Jenny Hartin

  One of my top books of 2018 which delivers a glorious journey through Naz' Persia.

  Full review

• Food52 by Padma Lakshmi

  ...a final product as flavorful and memorable as was promised on the page.

  Full review

• Food52

  This one is powered by the recipes, which are appealing and approachable and alive. And I was enchanted with the results, which is due both to the cuisine and Deravian’s words.

  Full review

• Food52

  Deravian really shines when explaining the tenets of Persian cooking. She shares the staples of a well-stocked Persian kitchen, defines the Persian palate...

  Full review

• Food52

  ...introduces us to the Iranian home cooking she grew up on—with a dash of spice from her own journey and experiences, having emigrated to Canada and then relocating to California.

  Full review