Episode 56: Quince

In Episode #56, co-hosts Bita and Beata un-cover quince is an exotic, unique ingredient used in Persian jams and stews. Quince is a fall and winter fruit. It looks like a pear-apple but a blown up version…bigger, harder than pears and apples, mostly used in a cooked version. The most interesting aspect is that it transforms from a pale color to a bright vibrant color. Has a strong aroma or fragrance.

Cooking technique to prepare Quince jam, moraba yeh beh

Use a damkoni – simmer and hold the steam in, helps with color transformation
Chop into slices
Add sugar and optional cardamom and cook down

Beh in Persian cuisine

Khoresh beh | quince stew – sweet and sour made with quince, tart plum, tomato sauce, cinnamon or saffron, sometimes meat
Jam
Quince seeds (beh dooneh in Farsi) – make a tonic to aid with a cough, home remedy
Sharbat – a syrupy drink or soda

Ask the Beats

Bita asks Beata, name the last two Persian dishes you cooked or partially cooked and how did it go?
- Beata recently made kookoo and mast-o-khiar and it went well – likes to snack on mast-o-khiar as a dip for potato chips!
- Bita made khoresh ghemeh and it was fine but not as good as Maman’s! Also fesenjoon meatballs using pre-made pre-cooked meatballs and a homemade easy fesenjoon sauce.

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

Recipes:

Persian Quince Jam – Morabah Beh

Walnut and Pomegranate Stew – Khoreshteh Fessenjoon

Khoresh Fesenjan

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio