In Episode #49, co-hosts Bita and Beata chat about delicious, Persian breads. Persian breads come in several varieties. Most of them are considered to be flatbreads. The Beats have fun sharing which are their favorites as well as some memories of experiences with traditional bread bakeries in Iran as well as modern versions and substitutions available in the west.
Note: Noon and naan are the Farsi words for bread and can be used interchangeably.
There are many varieties of Persian breads. There are three or four varieties that are most common and familiar to Bita and Beata – lavash, barbari, sangak, and sheer mal. Although all are flatbreads (typically quite long), each has unique ingredients, properties, and methods of preparation.
Lavash
- On the thinner side
- The type of Persian bread traditionally used to make bread tahdig (the bottom of the rice pot, crispy crunchy delicacy)
- Great for tucking herbs, nuts and cheese into for a perfect bite (in Farsi such a bite is called a “loghmeh”)
- Good for an herb platter Sabzi Khordan
- Nice to dip into yogurt dips like mast o khiar and mast o mooseer
Barbari
- Thicker and fluffier
- Often coated with sesame seeds (light and/or dark seeds)
- Enjoy with butter, jam and tea for breakfast; or with fresh herbs, cheese, and nuts for breakfast, appetizer, or snacking
Sangak
- Traditional bread, cooked on little pebbles (sang in Farsi means stone)
- Crispy on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside
- Delicious, unique flavor
Sheer Mal
- Sweeter, milk based bread made with Persian essences of rose water, cardamom, and saffron
- Almost like a pastry, lovely with breakfast
Substitutions for Persian bread:
- Flour or whole wheat tortillas
- Reference to Tahdig art and instagramer Vartamelon VartaMelon – Not your ameh’s kitchen
- Pita bread
Sweets and cookies that in Farsi contain the word Noon or nan (standing for flour based things)
- Noon o Gandi
- Noon Khormayee
- Noon Khameyee
- Naan Berenji
Ask the Beats!
Sam from San Francisco asks how one can make a lighter version of koo koo sabzi?
Koo koo sabzi is traditionally deep fried in a lot of oil and contains several eggs.
- Bake vs fry
- Reduce the number of eggs or use egg whites
Resources and recipes from this episode:
All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: Episodes
Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: BeatsEats – Persian Girl Desperately Addicted to Food!
Co-host Bita Arabian blog: Oven Hug – Healthy Persian Recipes | Modern Persian Recipes
Mast/Maast o Khiar recipe:
Bita’s recipe for Persian Cucumber Yogurt Dip | Mast o Khiar
Beata’s recipe for Persian Salads: Maast-o-Khiar with Shallot and Salad Shirazi
Tahdig:
Bita’s post on Persian Tahdig | Crispy Bottom of the Rice Pot
Beata’s post on Katte Persian Rice with Tahdig
Koo Koo Sabzi:
Bita’s recipe for Kookoo Sabzi | Quiche Muffins
Beata’s recipe for Persian Frittata Koo Koo Sabzi
Bita’s recipe for Naan Berenji Persian Rice Flour Cookies Recipe
Podcast production by Alvarez Audio
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