Episode 60: Persian Thanksgiving Leftovers

What are you going to do with all your Thanksgiving leftovers? Looking for inspiration? Seek no further – the Beats have 3 great ideas for fast and easy Persian recipes utilizing Thanksgiving feast leftovers; haleem, tahchin, and salad olivier!

Haleem

Ingredients in simplified recipe: old fashioned oats or barley, leftover turkey, broth, butter, sugar, and cinnamon
Easy, shortcut preparation steps: cook oatmeal in turkey stock (chicken or vegetable broth may also be used), add shredded turkey, blend using a hand immersion blender, top with butter, sugar, and cinnamon
Modern way of enjoying haleem and leftovers – try it with a side of cranberry sauce!

Tahchin

Ingredients in simplified tahchin recipe using pre-cooked leftovers: cooked turkey meat cut into pieces, cooked plain rice or zereshk polo, combined with yogurt, eggs, and spices (turmeric, salt and pepper, saffron)
Steps: marinate the turkey meat pieces in yogurt, egg, spice mixture time permitting, combine with cooked rice, oil a glass pyrex casserole dish, and pat down the chicken and rice mixture into the pan, bake until a golden brown edge forms on all of the sides of the glass dish – invert to serve or keep it simple and serve straight from the pan casserole style
Muffin tin option – bake in muffin tins following the same steps but adjusting the time (less time); invert and top with zereshk (dried barberries), rose petals, nuts (optional)

Salad Olivier

Ingredients in simplified versions: cooked turkey, cooked potatoes, hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise, cooked peas and carrots
Enjoy has a side dish or in a pita for an easy sandwich

Note: Refer back to episode #59 for Persian Thanksgiving dish ideas and inspiration

Ask the Beats

Jordan in Chicago wants to know, “what’s the deal with chai nabat?”

Chai nabat is Persian tea and Persian rock candy consumed in combination
Cultural meaning and symbolism behind offering chai nabat for ailments –
- Medicinal, healing, homeopathic qualities of tea and of the rock candy…put the two together and Persians of old custom believe it can cure almost anything (somewhat of old wives tale)

Resources and recipes from this episode:

Episode #59 for Persian Thanksgiving

Epsiode #30 for Tahchin

Bita’s recipe links:

Persian Crispy Rice Cups | Tahchin Bites

Tah-cheen Baked Persian Chicken and Rice Casserole

Salad Olivier | Persian Potato Salad

Beata’s recipe link;

Persian Jeweled Tahchin

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