In Episode #36, co-hosts Beata and Bita cover a variety of popular Persian drinks, known as “nooshidani” in Farsi. They also share some cultural stories and family memories.

 

• Persian Tea | Chai
• • Black tea double boiled - one pot of concentrated tea leaves simmering on top of a 2nd pot with plain hot water
  • Sometimes flavored with cardamom and a touch of rose/rose petals
  • Served in a clear tea cups, dark brewed tea first, topped off with plain boiling water
• A decaf version of Persian tea
• • Plain hot water served with fresh mint leaves
• Dough
• • Salty yogurt drink, often carbonated and seasoned with dried mint
  • Served over ice and alongside kababs

 

Fruit juices | Ab Meeveh

• Pomegranate juice
• Carrot juice and carrot juice floats
• Melon juice (often cantaloupe)
• • Pulp included (melon is grated), a little rose water - refreshing summer drink
• Orange Juice

Health tip - keep fibers (vs using the juice only/high sugar); prepare with whole fruits in a blender/smoothie form, for maximum health benefits

 

Sharbats | Syrups (served diluted with water and served over ice)

• Sharbat sekanjabin - traditional minty honey vinegar syrup (refer to episode 35 for more info on sekanjabin)
• Sour cherry syrup
• Lemon juice syrup
• Tokhmeh sharbat 
• • Basil seeds (chia seeds can be substituted)

 

Alcoholic drinks

• Shiraz wine
• • A red wine originally the red grapes were from the city of Shiraz in Iran - today they often come from France’s Rhone Valley, Australia, or South Africa
  • Also known as a Syrah
• Persian beer!
• Sharbats | Persian syrup drinks that are spiked with a hard alcohol
• Persian-ish fruit juices that are spiked with a hard alcohol

 

Persian coffee, Turkish coffee | Ghafeh Tork

• Made with a very finely ground coffee, water, and sugar in a small tin pot
• The result is a thick, rich, coffee with grounds left at the bottom of the cup
• Served in tiny cups and saucers
• • Turkish coffee fortune telling
  • Make a wish (called “niyat”) - either while you’re drinking it or as you are turning your cup towards yourself/towards your heart
  • Leave the cup upside down so the grounds drip on the inside of the cup leaving a pattern
  • Common fortunes:  you’re going on a trip, you can expect some news, you will meet someone special

 

Ask the Beats!

“What is tarof” from Sarah in Laguna Beach

• An exaggerated politeness, formality, and hospitality in the Persian culture 
• Situations where tarof is displayed - serving or offering something (tea, food), insisting someone go first in line, eat first, serve themselves first; insisting to pay for a meal at a restaurant; invitations

 

Resources from this episode:

 

Bita’s: Sekanjabin recipe

NYC Persian Beer referenced in episode: BackHomeBeer.com

 

All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: https://modernpersianfood.com/episodes/

Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: https://beatseats.com

Co-host Bita Arabian blog: https://ovenhug.com

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio