Today is the Persian New Year. The number in the gif above is the year according to the Persian calendar. A few of the things you see on the right — the eggs, the wheat grass — are traditionally displayed as part of the haft-sin, the decorative table laid out for the event. More information here:
My wife was born in Tehran and lived in Iran for several years before her family emigrated on the eve of the Islamic Revolution (her father was a university professor; he saw the writing on the wall and made a last-minute exit before things went totally to hell*). Our family keeps up these traditions, and we’ve set out our own haft-sin, as we do every year. This Saturday, we’re inviting friends over and making them a Persian feast: barberry chicken stew, saffron rice, pomegranate salad, rosewater cake, and so on.
*When a country begins terrorizing its scientists and academics, and the brain trust starts looking for the exits, you know that country is in serious trouble. Not that this has any particular relevance or anything.
Forty minutes ago, when the calendar officially ticked over, we played the traditional music and wished one another a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year. I’m currently sporting a big bright lipstick smooch on my cheek, and I’ve put on a brand-new shirt, never before worn. (New clothing is another common aspect of the holiday.)
Nowruz is traditionally an opportunity to turn your back on the past and make a fresh start going forward. I think we can all agree that’s an appealing sentiment at the moment.
Then, wishing you and yours a happy, healthy Nowruz, indeed!
Iran (as I’m guessing you’d agree) has always struck me as one of those beautiful, magical, warm, wonderful, varied, and fascinating places that I’d love to visit.
And then there’s its government … like so many other parts of the world.
Funny story: before I met my wife, I was dating an Italian woman, a first-generation American child of immigrants. I found the Italian culture happy and welcoming, full of feasting, music, and dance, with boisterous cultural events attended by huge family groups.
Then I met my wife, and the Persian culture was… largely the same. Bit more of an emphasis on gold-plated bathroom fixtures and leopard prints, but otherwise very familiar.
I hope you don’t mind a minor hijack- a family member of mine is of Iranian descent, and created this documentary about her experience with her Iranian identity and her relationship with her mother (who emigrated as a college student about the same time your wife did @Cervaise ) and grandmother: Joonam.
They’re hosting tonight for Nowruz but unfortunately we have to pass this year for other commitments.
Second, I am familiar with saffron rice from many visits to Indian restaurants. What makes barberry stew different from other chicken stews? What goes in a pomegranate salad besides pomegranates? The rosewater cake sounds delightful? Can you recommend a recipe? I don’t cook much. But, my Gobhi is a gifted cook and baker.
I realize I might be able to find these things by Googling. My Google fu is weak. Even a good site would likely use a lot of terms I don’t know. Finally, I just find I get better quality answers by asking Dopers.
Well, here’s the thing: I do the cooking in my house, except for these feasts of Persian food. My wife always cooks those, and shoos me out of the kitchen. I can make a few things (pistachio soup, celery stew, etc), but my wife is the expert.
The one I know is the pomegranate salad, which is a simple mix of pom pips, cucumber, tomato, shallot, and mint, with lime juice squeezed over. This recipe is similar (and there’s a picture):
Re the other stuff, all I can do is point you at her Iranian cookbooks and wish you luck.
Than you! To be clear, I feel I am a slightly above average cook. But, because cooking and baking take so ver long, involve so much effort, and the food is gone so quickly- I rarely cook. My Gobhi OTOH, is fantastic in the kitchen and making food is one of her love languages. Her chocolate cupcakes with Bailey’s ganache frosting are the best cupcakes I have ever had. Knowing I love chocolate and peanut butter, she surpised me with a chocolate cake with peanut butter icing one birthday. The, she switched to a peanut butter cake with chocolate icing. She is very talented in very many ways.
My first thought, before I got to the part in the OP about the eats, was I bet there’s a great spread of food served! There used to be a Persian restaurant in our area, sadly closed now, that had some fantastic dishes.
Here’s a recipe for barberry chicken stew I found online. Sounds yummy. The barberries might be a bit difficult to source. I wonder if an Indian grocery would carry them?
I assume there will be similar resources in the US, probably based out of LA as that’s where the Iranian population is largely centered. Might be limited as to the fully authentic Iranian-origin products due to American import restrictions, though.
Happy Nowruz to you and your family and friends! May you enjoy a good celebration and a properous, healthy and happy continuation during the rest of the year!
And thanks for reminding me that spring starts today. May everything be auspicious! I am sure both saffron and rice are, particularly together, and pomegrenades are too, at least in Greece.
To Cervaise I do not mean to reduce a culture or its holidays to food. Growing up, Hannukah meant presents, a menorah, latkes (potato pancakes) and that Dad would buy us halvah. Now, the holiday has much more meaning for me. But, I demand latkes!
Food is just the easiest aspect of a culture or holiday to access. When I saw a lot of ads for Rathayatra- The Festuval Of Chariots, I decided to go. I recognized Hanuman, the monkey king, right away. I was absolutely clueless as to what was going on or what anything meant. However, I tried Indian food for the first time- because it was free. I expected to hate it. Indian food is now my favorite cuisine.
Food is a great way to begin studying and understanding a culture.
