Saffron Flower
Those three red strands are called stigma and that is what we use in our cooking. Saffron is the most expensive herb sold (by weight) around the world and you can see why! When you purchase saffron, it looks like this:
Saffron Strands
Of course, we Iranians/Persians take a further step by turning this into a powder form - and store it in a dark, cool and dry place - before using. I have been told that you get more aroma and color out of it that way. And if that's not enough, we also try to dissolve the powder in hot water for certain dishes. The best way to turn the saffron into a powder is using a spice or coffee grinder that you will ONLY use for this purpose (and perhaps other spices). You just need to make sure that you clean the inside of the grinder very well to get all that pricey powder out. Also, you may not want your spices to adopt other spice aromas.
I hope by now, you know how important saffron is in Persian cooking. So you may want to stock up on this ingredient. Other ingredients which are commonly used in Persian cooking (I promise, I won't make long stories about each one) are the following:
- Turmeric
- Cardamom
- Sumac
- Dried mint
- Dried Dill
- and All FRESH HERBS - which don't go in your pantry (mint, dill, cilantro, parsley, basil, chive, etc.)
- Pomegranate Molasses
- Rose Water
Once again, I decided to make something not so involved and light. The recipe that I'm about to share with you, is so tasty and happens to be one of my favorites. If you like eggplants, get ready and start cooking. The original recipe requires peeling, slicing and sautéing which can take so much time. I don't have time to babysit the eggplants on the frying pan - I already have 2 toddlers! If you are like me, you will soon realize that oven is your best friend, time and life saver. Although I call this "dip", it can easily be a meal with a wrap or a pita bread.
Oven-Roasted Eggplant Dip
Ingredients:
3 medium eggplants (about 3 lbs)
1 large onion peeled and diced
1/4 cup olive oil + tablespoon
1 teaspoon sea salt + 1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
3 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
pinch of saffron powder
2 tablespoon of sour cream
For Garnish:
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon dried mint
1 teaspoon sour cream
Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil. Wash the eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise, then place them skin side down on the sheet pan. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper. Mix well and then apply over the eggplants with a brush. Place them in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until they are soft and slightly golden. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile in a medium pot, combine the onion and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the onion on a low heat until it's caramelized. You may want to save a spoonful of the sautéed onion for the garnish later. Add the turmeric and mix well. This might make the mixture a little starchy - you may add a teaspoon of water and mix together. This will be a base for your dip.
Spoon out the eggplant meat, separating it from its skin and add to the pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, lemon juice and saffron and mix well. With the lid on, simmer on a very low heat for about an hour. Pour the dip in a bowl then add 2 tablespoon of sour cream.
For garnish, in a very small sauté pan, heat the olive oil and add the mint. Sauté the mint no more than 2 minutes (until it starts looking shiny, but not darker). Immediately, add on top the dip with the leftover caramelized onion and the teaspoon of sour cream.
Oven roasted Eggplant Dip
Note: The traditional dish is called Kashk Bademjan. Bademjan is eggplant. Kashk however is a thick whitish liquid similar to sour cream used in traditional Persian/Iranian cooking. It is available in a liquid or in a dried form which needs to be soaked and softened before it can be used in cooking. For the purpose of my blog, I replaced Kashk with sour cream since it is much easier to find. That is after all what I am trying to do - make Persian cooking less intimidating and more accessible!
