What to eat in Iran
Essential guide to Iranian cuisine: from iconic dizi and koobideh kebabs to herb-rich ghormeh sabzi, saffron rice, and faloodeh.

[ ] Try chelo kebab koobideh
    Iran's undisputed national staple: two skewers of minced lamb and grated onion grilled over open coals, served over fluffy basmati rice with butter and a charred tomato.
[ ] Try dizi (abgoosht)
    A rich stew of lamb, chickpeas, white beans, potatoes, and tail fat slow-cooked in earthenware. You pour out the broth over broken flatbread, then mash the solids into a dense paste using a pestle.
[ ] Try ghormeh sabzi
    The holy grail of Persian stews: tender lamb or beef braised with kidney beans and finely minced herbs including fenugreek, soured by whole pierced sun-dried black limes.
[ ] Try fesenjan
    An ancient, luxurious stew featuring duck or chicken simmered in an unctuous sauce of finely ground toasted walnuts and reduced pomegranate molasses.
[ ] Try zereshk polo ba morgh
    Braised bone-in chicken in saffron-tomato sauce served over rice layered with ruby-red barberries sautéed in ghee and sugar, garnished with slivered pistachios.
[ ] Try Isfahani beryani
    Isfahan's signature specialty, unrelated to Indian biryani: minced boiled lamb and lungs pan-fried in flat copper ladles with cinnamon and mint, served over broth-soaked sangak.
[ ] Taste crispy tahdig
    The prized golden, crunchy crust scraped from the bottom of the rice pot, prepared either from crisp rice with saffron, flatbread, or thinly sliced potatoes.
[ ] Try kashk-e bademjan
    A warm appetizer of mashed fried eggplants seasoned with garlic, toasted walnuts, sizzling dried mint oil, and kashk—tangy fermented whey paste.
[ ] Try mirza ghasemi
    A smoky Northern Iranian spread made from open-fire charred eggplants stewed with ripe tomatoes, copious amounts of garlic, and soft scrambled eggs.
[ ] Try ash-e reshteh
    A hearty, thick noodle soup packed with legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans), bundles of green herbs, flat wheat noodles, and drizzled with kashk, fried mint, and golden onions.
[ ] Try freshly baked sangak bread
    The king of Persian flatbreads: a whole-wheat sourdough sheet stretched and baked directly over a sloping bed of blazing river pebbles inside a fiery dome oven.
[ ] Try kookoo sabzi
    A thick, fragrant herb frittata where eggs merely bind together dense layers of dill, cilantro, parsley, and scallions, accented with walnuts and barberries.
[ ] Try faloodeh Shirazi
    One of history's oldest frozen treats: fine starch vermicelli ribbons suspended in a semi-frozen rosewater syrup, dressed with tart lime juice or sour cherry glaze.
[ ] Try bastani sonnati
    Traditional Persian ice cream flavored with saffron, rosewater, and salep orchid resin for stretchiness, studded with crunchy pistachios and frozen clotted cream chunks.
[ ] Try Isfahani gaz
    Isfahan's famous royal white nougat made from whipped egg whites, rosewater, and sweet honeydew exudate from local tamarisk trees, packed with whole pistachios.
[ ] Try sholeh zard
    A delicate, aromatic rice pudding turned brilliant gold with saffron, flavored with rosewater and cardamom, and garnished with cinnamon dust and slivered almonds.
[ ] Try brittle sohan
    Rich, crunchy saffron-infused brittle candy made from wheat sprout flour, caramelized sugar, clarified butter, and cardamom, blanketed in green pistachios.
[ ] Drink Persian black tea with nabat
    Amber-colored black tea brewed slowly atop a samovar, served in waist-slender glass cups (estekan) with saffron rock candy sticks (nabat) for stirring.
[ ] Try salted mint dough
    A refreshing, savory beverage of fermented yogurt, cold water, and salt, finished with fragrant dried mint and occasional rose petals, still or naturally effervescent.
[ ] Drink sharbat khakshir
    A cooling folk cooler made with tiny herb seeds of London rocket, scented with rosewater, lime juice, and light simple syrup over crushed ice.
[ ] Drink non-alcoholic delster
    Iran's ubiquitous non-alcoholic malt beverage, found on every diner table in bitter original hops or flavored with lemon, peach, and apple.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/food-iran