Happy Norouz! The 25th of March was the Persian New Year and thanks to our very dear friend, Don Chelo, we were able to experience this beautiful holiday in Amsterdam! Thank you!
According to Zoroastrian tradition, at the beginning of Norouz, each family sets a table with several items symbolizing health (garlic), wealth (coins), rebirth (sprouts), love (dried fruit), beauty (apple), affluence (wheat germ), sunrise (sumac), age and wisdom (vinegar), and life within life (fish in water).
This table remains set for the whole holiday, which lasts for 13 days.
On the first day of the New Year, fish is prepared with a special rice dish made with vegetables, herbs, and saffron.
Ingredients for 4 people:
2 cups dry basmati rice
1 tsp saffron
1 leek
10 sprigs of fresh parsley
5 sprigs of both dill and corriander
1-2 gloves of garlic
2 Tbsp frying oil (sunflower or corn)
2 tsp butter (for the final touch)
Cook basmati rice until water has been 1/2 absorbed. Finely chop all the herbs, garlic and the leek. Add these and the oil to the rice. Stir so that everything is well blended. Place lid on pot and let the rice mixture cook until soft. Before serving, add the saffron and the butter and stir well but slowly so that rice does not fall apart.
To complete Sabzipolo, white fish is baked or fried to accompany the rice dish. A quick and nice way to prepare the fish is to wash 2 white fish filets (we used Pangasius fish). Place in a baking dish and season generously with lemon pepper (or pepper and 1/2 lemon) and herbs of your choice (parsley or herbes de provence) and add 2 chopped carrots, 1 leek or some celery to your liking. Sprinkle with olive oil or buter and turn filets so that they are well coated. Bake in oven for 35 minutes or until the fish well done.
Serve with a nice glass of Shiraz wine!
According to Zoroastrian tradition, at the beginning of Norouz, each family sets a table with several items symbolizing health (garlic), wealth (coins), rebirth (sprouts), love (dried fruit), beauty (apple), affluence (wheat germ), sunrise (sumac), age and wisdom (vinegar), and life within life (fish in water). This table remains set for the whole holiday, which lasts for 13 days.
On the first day of the New Year, fish is prepared with a special rice dish made with vegetables, herbs, and saffron.
Ingredients for 4 people:
2 cups dry basmati rice
1 tsp saffron
1 leek
10 sprigs of fresh parsley
5 sprigs of both dill and corriander
1-2 gloves of garlic
2 Tbsp frying oil (sunflower or corn)
2 tsp butter (for the final touch)
Cook basmati rice until water has been 1/2 absorbed. Finely chop all the herbs, garlic and the leek. Add these and the oil to the rice. Stir so that everything is well blended. Place lid on pot and let the rice mixture cook until soft. Before serving, add the saffron and the butter and stir well but slowly so that rice does not fall apart.
To complete Sabzipolo, white fish is baked or fried to accompany the rice dish. A quick and nice way to prepare the fish is to wash 2 white fish filets (we used Pangasius fish). Place in a baking dish and season generously with lemon pepper (or pepper and 1/2 lemon) and herbs of your choice (parsley or herbes de provence) and add 2 chopped carrots, 1 leek or some celery to your liking. Sprinkle with olive oil or buter and turn filets so that they are well coated. Bake in oven for 35 minutes or until the fish well done.
Serve with a nice glass of Shiraz wine!
Noush-e-jan!
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