Looking for a Persian vegetable side dish for a cozy Christmas dinner

December 21, 2019 5:21 AM

Persian Cooking Filter: I need a vegetable side dish to go with fesenjoon and tachin. (Not Shirazi salad.)

I'm making Christmas dinner for two. The fesenjoon and tachin both lean sour (as many Persian dishes do) – so I want something non-sour, for contrast.

I probably want something that's served warm, but I'm open to other ideas.

I don't know much about Persian food (except that I've loved everything I've tried so far), so whatever you suggest will probably be new and exciting to me.

Thanks!

posted by escape from the potato planet to Food & Drink (5 answers total)

Best answer: Sounds delicious! I’ve made this herb and chickpea stew (minus the rice) and it’s delicious. As I recall, I went much lighter on the broth to keep it from being too soup-y. May not meet the non-sour requirement, however.
posted by kittydelsol at 5:53 AM on December 21, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Mr Poste - who has the good fortune of Persian family- says: kuku (many kinds available!) or mirza ghasemi. Both are warm vegetable sides, milder flavours than fesenjoon. I'd add if you're not doing it already, the staple side dish is mast o chiar/yogurt and cucumber, as it is a good contrast with tangy sour flavours. Enjoy!
posted by Flora Poste at 8:25 AM on December 21, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Kashke bademjoon is one of my favorite foods. More of an app than a side, but delicious.
posted by phunniemee at 10:35 AM on December 21, 2019

Best answer: I'll second mirza ghasemi. It's slightly sour (from the tomatoes and smokiness of the eggplant), but the eggs give it a richness that counteracts acidity.

A bowl of bread, (feta?) cheese, fresh herbs, walnuts, and radishes is a common appetizer/accompaniment to Iranian meals.
posted by aws17576 at 10:59 AM on December 21, 2019 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Thanks! I ended up choosing mirza ghasemi. It's relatively simple to make, and I already have my hands full.

Happy holidays to all!
posted by escape from the potato planet at 2:47 PM on December 21, 2019