Several vegetarian Persian meals are cooked with different ingredients like vegetables and spices or a mix of fresh herbs. Now I want to tell you about these recipes, if you are a vegetarian or sometimes you like to have a light and tasty dinner, you can cook these dishes and enjoy them.

Most of these vegetarian foods have speedy and easy recipes. Nowadays, people have a busy life and in many cases, we need to cook a warm homemade dish in the shortest time possible!

Adas Polo (Lentil Rice)

Adas Polo or lentils with rice is a simple, aromatic, and tasty Iranian food that is very nutritious and healthy. If you get to know this dish, it will become a regular part of your weekly schedule, as Iranians love this dish and it is prepared in all the cities in Iran, everyone knows it and eat it.

Of course, this dish has two versions, the first version is simple and vegetarian, which is cooked without any meat, and another version is made with ground meat. So that, everyone can prepare this dish in any way they like and enjoy it.

Ingredients:

. 1 cup rice

. 1 cup lentils

. Salt and pepper to taste

. Butter

Making the vegetarian version of Adas Polo is very simple. To start your cooking:

1. pour the amount of lentils into a suitable pan and cook lentils with water and salt. After the lentils are cooked drain them and set aside
2. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil. Add the rice with salt and butter and cook until it’s almost done but still slightly firm.
3. At this stage of cooking rice, add the cooked lentils to the rice and cover the pot door until the food is cooked.

Now, your Adas Polo is ready! there are specially mixed ingredients that are cooked for this dish, which has a wonderful companionship with this dish. In the non-vegetarian method, these ingredients are prepared with ground meat.

But in the vegetarian version, you can remove the meat from the onion and raisins mixture too. Many people are not vegetarians, but they like this dish without meat. The recipe for this special mix is:

Ingredients:

. 2 onions, thinly sliced

. Date

. Raisins

. Ground meat or soy meat – optional

. Salt and pepper to taste

. 1 teaspoon turmeric

. 1 teaspoon cinnamon

. Saffron

. 1 teaspoon cardamom – optional

. Rose water – optional

. Butter or oil

1. In a pan, pour the amount of butter or oil after that, sauté the thin onions until they become light
2. If using soy meat, wash the soy, and soak it in water for half an hour, then drain. Add soy meat this step to the onions, and cook them together
3. When the soy meat is cooked, add date and raisins ( it is optional to use date and raisins together or just choose one of them )
4. If you don’t want to use soy meat, just add date and raisins after the onions become light
5. Fry the ingredients together until their aromas and flavors combine
6. It’s time to add spices: Salt and pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, saffron, rose water, cardamom
7. Cook for about 5 minutes

You can eat Adas Polo with this mixed ingredients and enjoy this delicious Iranian traditional food.

Kuku Sabzi

What is the history of Kuku Sabzi?

Mirza Ali Akbar Khan Kashani nicknamed Ashpazbashi, the chef of the Qajar palace, in his famous cooking book which is one of the few cookbooks left from the Qajar period. Wrote a description of different types of Kuku that were commonly cooked in the past.

Mr. Ashpazbashi’s view of Kuku is very interesting and he considers it as a colorant and an ornament for the royal table and divides the types of Kuku based on color.

Ingredients:

. 2 cups finely chopped mixed herbs (the aromatic herbs of basil, tarragon, parsley, cilantro, dill, welsh onion, and chives)

. 4 eggs

. Salt and pepper to taste

. Oil for frying

. Barberries – optional

. Walnuts – optional

1. Wash the fresh herbs and finely chop them
2. Add eggs, salt, and pepper, and mix well
3. If you want to use walnuts and barberries now it’s time to pour them into the Kuku
4. Heat oil in a pan
5. Pour the mixture into the pan
6. Cook until the bottom is golden brown, then carefully flip and cook the other side
7. Once both sides are cooked. Remove it from the pan and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Goje Polo(Tomato rice)

One of the types of Persian rice dishes that has been served in Iranian homes for years. This is a yummy velvety dish with a wonderful aroma.

If you want to eat a new and tasty vegan food, I recommend this food. Goje Polo is made with two simple ingredients that always we have in our refrigerators, tomatoes, and rice. As a result, this is a simple and common rice dish among Iranians.

Ingredients:

. 2 cups rice

. Salt and pepper to taste

. 2 large tomatoes, diced

. 1 onion, finely chopped

. 2 tablespoon tomato paste

. 1 turmeric

. 1 tablespoon cinnamon

. Butter

1. In a pan, sauté the chopped onion in butter until golden brown
2. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper
3. Cook all mixture, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens
4. In separate pot, pour rice and water and your tomatoes mixture and mix well
5. After the water boiled and evaporation the water of food.
6. Now the rice is parboiled, cover the pot and reduce the flame
7. Wait for 30-40 minutes until Goje Polo cook

Adasi (Iranian lentil stew)

Adasi is one of my favorite foods, it can be eaten in different meals such as an appetizer. Also in the morning as a hot breakfast or in the evening for a healthy and filling light meal.

Lentils are known as an excellent source of protein, iron, copper, phosphorus, B vitamins, and folate. Also, lentils have high fiber that helps absorb nutrients in the body and makes you feel fuller. It is a good source of plant proteins that can be a great substitute for meat for vegans and vegetarians.

Are you ready to add some excitement to your cooking routine?

Let me introduce you to a traditional and flavorful recipe with lentils. It’s a dish that’s been passed down through generations, and it’s sure to impress your taste buds. So why not try something new today and give this recipe a chance.

Ingredients:

. 1 cup lentils

. 2.5 cup water

. 2 onions, finely sliced

. 2 cloves garlic

. 1 potato, chopped – optional

. 1 green bell pepper

. Salt and pepper and turmeric to taste

. A pinch of caraway powder

. A pinch of cinnamon powder

. A pinch of ginger powder

. A pinch of cardamom

. A teaspoon of Golab (rose water)

In the first step slice the onions and add them to a suitable pot, fry the onions until become light. After that, Clean and wash the lentils and pour them into the pot with 2.5 cups water and some spices, salt and pepper, and turmeric. Please wash the green bell pepper thoroughly and then divide it into four equal parts. At this time, add garlic cloves and green bell pepper to the pot. Cover pot and let it boil. Once the food has boiled, reduce the heat and let it simmer.

If you like to add potato you should wash and chop potato. Add chopped potato to the pot with garlic and bell pepper. Some people don’t like potatoes in Adasi. There are different recipes for this dish, for example, Adasi with tomato or tomato paste, mushroom or potato but it is a basic recipe of Adasi, and if you want you can pour additional ingredients.

When the lentils are half-cooked, now add other spices, caraway, cinnamon, ginger powder, and cardamom, Cover the pot again and let the lentils cook until they are fully done. It’s time for mom’s golden point when the lentils are cooked pour a teaspoon of golab (rose water) and wait to simmer around 5 minutes.

Now your Adasi is ready, turn off the flame and serve that with fresh lemon. Garlic bread also is a good side dish for this food.

Bon appetite!