Introduction 1Part 1: Getting Started with Persian Cooking 7Chapter 1: Exploring Persian Culture through Food 9Chapter 2: Tools of the Trade 15Chapter 3: Shopping for Essential Ingredients 23Part 2: Getting Comfortable in the Kitchen 35Chapter 4: Common Persian Kitchen Techniques 37Chapter 5: Using Staple Ingredients in Persian Dishes 63Chapter 6: Delicately Spicing the Persian Way 71Chapter 7: Bringing It All Together in a Persian Meal 77Part 3: Appetizers and First Courses 83Chapter 8: Healthy Yogurt Vegetable Dishes, Salads, and Sides 85Chapter 9: Egg-xotic Egg Dishes 99Chapter 10: Fill 'er Up! Stuffed Vegetables 111Chapter 11: Warm and Hearty Soups and Porridge 121Part 4: Main Courses 135Chapter 12: Rice Is a Very Nice Dish 137Chapter 13: Practicing Patience for Braises 163Chapter 14: Sticking It to Kabobs and Roasts 181Chapter 15: Savoring Meatballs, Patties, and Casseroles 195Chapter 16: Fixing Fish Entrees 207Part 5: Side Dishes, Desserts, and Other Delights 217Chapter 17: Pickles and Preserves 219Chapter 18: Pastries, Sweets, and Candies 233Chapter 19: Delicious Desserts 247Chapter 20: Breads and Street Food 257Chapter 21: Thirst-Quenching Beverages 269Part 6: The Part of Tens 277Chapter 22: Ten (or So) Time-Saving Tips for the Kitchen 279Chapter 23: Ten Myths about Persian Cooking 283Chapter 24: Ten Tips on Persian Table Manners 287Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide 291Index 295
Najmieh Batmanglij has been hailed as the "guru of Persian cuisine" by The Washington Post. Born and raised in Iran, she has spent the last 40 years adapting authentic Persian recipes to tastes and techniques in the West. Batmanglij's cookbooks include Food of Life, Silk Road Cooking, and Cooking in Iran: Regional Recipes and Kitchen Secrets.