Gulf & Arabian cuisine
Loomi: The Sun-Dried Lime That’s Been Quietly Flavoring This Whole Blog
Country of origin: Widely used across the Gulf, Iraq, and Iran Loomi (also called limoo amani…
Persian/Iranian cuisine
Kabab Barg: The Persian Kebab That Skips Ground Meat Entirely
Country of origin: Iran This round’s pick is kabab barg — thin, wide slices of marinated…
Persian/Iranian cuisine
Kabab Torsh: The Sour Kebab From Iran’s Green, Rainy North
Country of origin: Iran (Gilan province) This round’s pick is kabab torsh — literally “sour kebab”…
Persian/Iranian cuisine
Kofta: One Word, a Dozen Completely Different Meatballs
Country of origin: Persia (etymological root), with distinct regional versions across nearly the entire Middle East…
Persian/Iranian cuisine
Halva: The Sesame Confection That’s Really a Sugar Science Experiment
Country of origin: Widely shared across the Middle East, with roots likely tracing back to Persia…
Persian/Iranian cuisine
Kabab Koobideh: The Persian Skewer That Falls Apart If You Get the Ratio Wrong
Country of origin: Iran This round’s pick is kabab koobideh — long, flattened skewers of seasoned…
Persian/Iranian cuisine
Zereshk Polo: The Persian Rice Dish Built Around a Tiny Tart Berry
Country of origin: Iran This round’s pick is zereshk polo — saffron-scented basmati rice studded with…
Persian/Iranian cuisine
Kashk-e Bademjan: Persia’s Smoky Eggplant Dip Built on Fermented Whey
Country of origin: Iran This time the pick is kashk-e bademjan — a rich, smoky Persian…
Persian/Iranian cuisine
Ash-e Reshteh: The Soup Persians Eat to Wish Someone a Good Path Ahead
Country of origin: Iran This round’s pick is ash-e reshteh — a thick, hearty Persian soup…
Levantine cuisine
Warak Enab: The Patience Dish of Stuffed Grape Leaves
Warak enab (literally “grape leaves” in Arabic, also known as dolma across much of the former…