Persian food, a true love story

In my employment history I had the opportunity of working for 2 Persian employers for a good period of time. One was Jewish and the other was not. Both shared a passion for food (just like me). The first time I have tried Persian food was on a trip to New York to do some buying for the store I was managing. My boss and I have stopped for lunch at a small Persian restaurant called Colbeh near the garment district. It was love at first bite. Later my other boss introduced me to  Moby dick  which is a Persian kebab place on Huntington Ave. in Boston, that used to be our dinner when we had to stay all night working on hypothetical projects.
There is something you need to know about me, I am ½ polish ½ Hungarian, I eat GefilteFish with sugar. Persian food is not exactly from my part of town.
It was after celebrating Thanksgiving in Santa Fe with a couple of friends, Way before kids, when I have started cooking Persian food my self. we spent some time with this nice Persian couple who told me all about this Persian cook book – New Food of Life.  that was it....I was no longer dependent on restaurants. My kitchen transformed and saffron became part of my grocery list at the market.

Why am I telling you this?
because, I want you to try it too.
Tomorrow is the Persian new year holiday, Sizdah Bedar (or, the Festival of Joy and Solidarity), and also celebrates the joyous coming of spring (I just found that out via Green Prophet). A great excuse to try Persian food.

Accidentally Zoe have asked me to cook some of her favorite yellow rice tomorrow (which is the secret code for Persian food)

So I guess I will be spending the afternoon in the kitchen, with Ori right besides me on the kitchen counter, and this will most likely be our menu:

Matzo Ball soup (my grandmother's recipe)
Spinach and Prune Koresh (page 219)
Saffron Steamed Plain Basmati Rice (page 146) with potatoes crust (Zoe’s favorite)
Yogurt and cucumber dip (page 29)
Tomato and cucumber salad
strawberries for desert, unless you have any other suggestions...

So pick up the New Food of Life, its good and really easy to follow (if I can do it...everyone can)
Don’t be afraid to try new things, a new world of delicious flavors and smells may open up to you and your family.

tali