Episode 63: Yalda

In this heartfelt episode, co-hosts Bita and Bita share 3 ways to celebrate the Persian Winter Festival this year, Shabe Yalda, including 1. How to set it up (the sofreh or special table setting), 2. What to do (traditions and our modern takes), and of course, 3. what to eat (traditionally and what they plan to eat)!

Before jumping into the 3 ways to celebrate ShabeYalda, what exactly is it and when is it celebrated?

What is Yalda?: A winter solstice festival, falling on the longest/darkest night of the year, the turning of the seasons from fall to winter

When is it?: Typically falls on either Dec 20th and 21st – this year the winter solstice is the morning of the 21st where we are in western hemisphere

Ok, now let’s get into how to celebrate this very historical and symbolic occasion, the Persian winter solstice festival!

How does one celebrate Yalda?: A family gathering to set a spread or special table setting, to gather with family, eat a delicious meal, drink (mostly tea!), read and recite poetry, and stay up late! Stay up ward off evil and to welcome light and love in the days following and leading up to the next season, spring!

A song!  Leila Fourohar, famous Iranian pop and classical singer. The title of the song is: Madar Bozorgh (which means Grandmother) 

In the song Leila sings about Yalda….spend time with elders, stay up late telling stories, learning life lessons ….

The set up:

• The Yalda setup includes a sofreh or special table setting – red, candles (some slight cross over with Christmas in terms of color and light); winter fruits (pomegranate, apples, persimmons, and watermelon), and nuts/Persian ajeel, a book of poetry (often Hafez or Rumi)
• Some possible symbolic meanings behind the sofreh – ward off evil of the longest darkest night, bring in love and light
• Side notes about the book of Hafez and “fall eh hafez”…a sort of fortune telling, interpreting the opening of the book specific poem and interpreting the meaning as a prediction of the future
• Ideas of sharing Ajeel, Persian trail mix as holiday gifts
• Watermelon crafts and cookies as a modern theme to shabeh Yalda

What to do:

• Gather with family, listen to music, read poetry

What to eat:

• Traditional dishes include aash, mahi polo, and bademjan/bademjoon, also fesenjoon!
• Modern ideas of what to cook on this night include Persian meatball Koofteh, quick and easy fesenjoon meatballs
• Drinking tea!

Poetry readings: 

• Bita reads a Persian poem by Hafez
• Recording of Beata’s dad reciting a poem called the The Symbols of Love by Salak (Mojtaba Kashani)
• Beata translats parts of the poem her father read

References to the following two previous MPF podcast episodes include the following:

Episode 62 Persian Christmas Traditions

Yalda Winter Flavors episode reference

Episode 16: Khoresh Fesenjoon | Persian Pomegranate and Walnut Stew

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

Bita’s post Ajeel Persian Trail Mix

Bita’s recipe for Fesenjan Persian Pomegranate Chicken

Beata’s recipe for Walnut and Pomegranate Stew – Khoreshteh Fessenjoon

Podcast production by Alvarez Audio