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Gilan Local Foods

Gilan Popular Foods and Recipes


20 Iranian Foods and Recipes in Gilan


Gilan, a province located in the northern part of Iran, is renowned for its diverse and delicious cuisine, friendly locals, and beautiful natural scenery. In 2015, UNESCO designated Gilan as a creative and diverse culinary province, with over 220 types of local cuisine. The dishes are known for their vibrant colors, strong aromas, and bold flavors, featuring local ingredients such as eggplant, garlic, walnuts, pomegranate paste, and fresh vegetables. Some of the most popular dishes in Gilan include sour chicken, anarbij stew, baghalaghatogh, mirza ghasemi, and pickled olives. Tourists are often drawn to the region for its culinary offerings, and it is recommended to sample each city's unique dishes in their respective locations to fully experience the diversity of Gilan's cuisine. The people of Gilan creatively use a wide variety of local plants, chickens, and sea animals to create their dishes, resulting in a vast array of flavors and textures.

Persian Baghali ghatogh

Baghali ghatogh, a beloved traditional dish from Gilan, combines Lima beans, dill, garlic, and eggs to create a delicious and flavorful meal. It is considered one of the most famous and popular dishes in Gilani cuisine, and its name is well-known throughout Iran. To prepare Baqaliqatoq, Lima beans are combined with garlic, dried dill, butter, and turmeric. Eggs are then added to the mixture, and the dish is typically served with rice. Cinnamon and pepper are also commonly added to the dish to enhance its flavor. This dish is an essential part of Gilani cuisine and is a must-try for anyone visiting the region. The color and aroma of this stew make it one of the most memorable dishes you have ever eat.

Persian Aloo Mosama

Aloo Mosama is a popular local dish from Gilan, which typically consists of chicken or duck meat, black plums, raisins, sugar, eggplant, tomato, prune, tomato paste, and spices. The unique sweet and sour taste of the dish is derived from the combination of sugar and plums, making it a delightful treat for the taste buds. Finally, the dish is garnished with fried eggplant and tomatoes, which add an extra layer of flavor and visual appeal.

Persian Torsh Tareh

Torshi Tareh is one of the traditional Gilaki dishes made with herbs and eggs. It is like a stew, but it has egg instead of meat. You can even eliminate the egg to make it vegan. Garlic with special aromatic vegetables along with rice, turmeric, water, and eggs are ingredients for making Torsh Tareh. To do that, roasted garlic, boiled eggs, vegetables such as leek, parsley, coriander, spinach, mint, beet leaves, chives, and blue eryngo are mixed together, resulting in a unique and unforgettable flavor. The food fits together strangely in terms of smell, color, properties, and taste. To enhance the taste of this dish, sour orange juice can also be added.

Persian Anarbij

Anarbij is a beloved traditional dish from Gilan that consists of ground meat shaped into balls and fried in oil. The meatballs are then simmered in a flavorful mixture of pomegranate paste, sour grape juice, aromatic vegetables, and chopped walnuts. This sour and savory dish is reminiscent of Fesenjan and is a popular choice during Yalda night festivities, making it an integral part of the region's culinary heritage. Anarbij is a filling and delicious dish that is highly recommended for meatball enthusiasts and anyone seeking to explore the distinctive flavors of Gilan's cuisine.

Persian Torshvash Stew

Torshvash Stew is a popular local dish from Gilan that features chicken, eggplant, and a variety of herbs, including parsley, beetroot, mint, garlic, and chuchagh, as well as plum paste, pomegranate paste, and tomato. Traditionally, Torshvash Stew is cooked in special clay pots called "Ghamjeh," which helps to enhance the blending of flavors. To prepare Torshvash Stew, eggplants and chicken breast are fried before adding other ingredients. This dish is a must-try for those who enjoy sour foods and is a delicious representation of the unique flavors of Gilani cuisine.

Mirza Ghasemi

Mirza Ghasemi (smoked eggplants and tomatoes) is a famous local dish from Gilan that has become popular throughout Iran due to its simple yet delicious recipe. To make this dish, eggplants are grilled and then mixed with chopped tomatoes and roasted garlic. At last, some eggs are added to the mixture, which is then cooked until the eggs are scrambled. Mirza Ghasemi can be served as appetizer or main dish for lunch.

Persian Sir Ghalieh Stew

Sir Ghalieh Stew is a traditional dish from Gilan that is made with fresh garlic leaves, duck meat, whey, chickpeas, and scrambled eggs. The combination of these ingredients creates a unique and flavorful dish that is a staple of Gilani cuisine. Garlic is a common ingredient in Gilan due to the region's humid climate, and it is used in many dishes to add flavor and aroma. The vibrant green color of the garlic leaves gives Sir Ghalieh a distinctive appearance that is as appealing to the eye as it is to the palate. This dish is a must-try for anyone interested in exploring the unique and delicious flavors of Gilani cuisine.

Sour Kebab

Torsh Kebab is a mouthwatering Gilani dish that is sure to delight any kebab enthusiast. It features fresh meat, chopped walnuts, garlic, onion, pepper, pomegranate molasses, and special chopped vegetables, all cooked over an open flame to add a smoky flavor to the dish. Pomegranate juice is added to give the dish a tangy flavor. If you love kebabs, Torsh Kebab is a must-try dish that perfectly showcases the unique and delicious flavors of Gilani cuisine.

Naz Khatoon

Naz Khatoon is a popular dish in Gilani cuisine that combines eggplant with a variety of flavorful ingredients such as pomegranate juice, onion, tomato, parsley, mint, and walnut. When combined, these ingredients create a delicious and aromatic dish that is a favorite among locals and visitors alike. The dish has a unique blend of sweet and sour flavors, and the nuts add a satisfying crunch to every bite. If you're looking to explore the unique flavors of Gilani cuisine, Naz Khatoon is definitely a dish worth trying.

Persian Sour Chicken

Sour Chicken or "Khoresh-e Morgh-e Torsh" is a popular Gilani stew featuring chicken, onion, garlic, cob, orange juice, parsley, coriander, and mint. The combination of these ingredients creates a sour and flavorful stew that is unique to Gilani cuisine. To enhance the flavor and texture of the dish, scrambled eggs are added in the final stage of cooking. Once the stew has settled, it is served with cooked rice.

Persian Shesh Andaz

Khoresh-e Shesh Andaz is a popular dish in Gilani cuisine that is cooked with eggplants, pomegranate paste, fried onion, and chopped walnuts. This dish is usually served on special occasions, like 4shanbe Soori. This flavorful dish has many fans and is a must-try for anyone interested in experiencing the unique flavors of Gilani cuisine. One of the great things about Khoresh-e Shesh Andaz is that it is a vegetarian dish, making it a great option for those who follow a vegetarian diet. To make Shesh Andaz stew, fry eggplants on both sides on medium heat until they are cooked through. Sauté the chopped onions until they caramelize gently. Add the chopped walnut to the fried onion and sauté them a little until they get uniform. Then add the pomegranate paste to the pot and sauté it for a couple of minutes to change color. Then add salt, black pepper, and turmeric to the pot and sauté them for a minute to release their aroma and get mixed with the ingredients. Then add 3 cups of lukewarm water to the pot and let the stew simmer on low heat. Once most of the water evaporates, put the fried eggplants in the pot and let them simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to get infused with the flavor. Finally, serve the stew with rice or bread and fresh herbs.

Persian Ghooreh Mosama

Khoresh-e Ghooreh Mosama is a delicious dish in Gilani cuisine that is made by combining fried eggplant, fried chicken, onion, tomato, and Ghooreh (green sour grapes). This flavorful dish has a unique taste and is a favorite among locals and visitors alike.

Persian Anar Mosama

Pomegranate is indeed a staple ingredient in many Gilani dishes. Anar-e Mosama is a delicious and festive stew that is made with chicken, pomegranate seeds (Anardoon), onion, and pomegranate paste. This colorful dish has a sweet taste and an appetizing appearance, making it a popular choice for special occasions such as the night of Yalda. Some Gilanis also use eggplant in the preparation of Anar-e Mosama, adding a unique and flavorful twist to the dish.

Persian Shirin Tareh

Shirin Tareh is a popular local dish in Gilan that features spinach as its main ingredient. In addition to spinach, boiled eggs and garlic are also important components of this dish. Shirin Tareh has a slightly sweet taste and is typically served with white rice. This flavorful dish is a great option for anyone looking to explore the unique and delicious flavors of Gilani cuisine.

Qormeh Sabzi Gilani

Qormeh Sabzi Gilani is a flavorful dish that features meat, kidney beans, fried eggplant, and tomato as its main ingredients. This dish has a unique taste and distinct flavor when compared to the traditional Qormeh Sabzi found in other regions of Iran.

Persian Pamador Ghatogh

Pamador Ghatogh is a popular local dish in Gilan that is made with eggs, garlic, and pepper, along with a souring agent such as dried fenugreek leaves. Some variations of the dish may also include tomato.

Persian Dokhtar Loos

Khoresh-e Dokhtar Loos is a flavorful dish in Gilani cuisine that is made with eggplant, tomato, onion, garlic, dried mint, sour grapes, and marigold. The dish is given its unusual name because, unlike many other Gilani dishes that typically include local meat, chicken, or eggs, Khoresh-e Dokhtar Loos is a vegetarian dish that does not contain any meat, chicken, or eggs. The name "Dokhtar Loos" loosely translates to "lazy girl" in Persian, and it is used to describe the dish's simplicity and lack of meat or eggs.

Persian Kuyi Tareh

Khoresh-e Kuyi Torsh is a traditional dish in Gilan that is made with a combination of pomegranate paste, roasted and ground walnuts, tomato, garlic, pumpkin, marigold, and spices. This flavorful dish has a similar appearance to Mirza Ghasemi, but instead of eggplant, the main base of Khoresh-e Kuyi Torsh is pumpkin.

Kal Kebab

Kal Kebab is a delicious dish in Gilani cuisine that features simple ingredients such as garlic and eggplant. It is typically served as a side dish, appetizer, or flavor enhancer and has a unique and flavorful taste. To prepare Kal Kebab, grilled eggplants are mashed and combined with fresh vegetables, walnuts, and sour pomegranate juice. The dish is vegetarian-friendly as it does not contain any animal ingredients. After preparing the dish, it is recommended to refrigerate it for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld together.

Persian Ghamjeh Kebab

Ghamjeh Kebab is a popular dish in Gilan that is actually a type of stew, despite its name. This flavorful stew is cooked in clay pots called Ghamjeh and is made with lamb meat, walnuts, and pomegranate paste. The dish also features Chuchagh herbs, which are a fragrant herb used as a seasoning in many local dishes of Gilan, including pickled olives, dalar, and haftbijar sour soup. The combination of these ingredients creates a unique and delicious flavor that is a must-try for anyone interested in experiencing the diverse cuisine of Gilan.

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