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   Cusine of Gorgân Region 

Bread      Desserts   Iranian breakfast   Salads& appetizers   Vegetarian   What to drink

Rich and diverse, Persian cuisine, coupled with the celebrated hospitality of the people is the crowning glory of the opulent Persian culture. Simply  irresistible and sumptuous, Persian dishes are any gourmet's delight. It is an art that has passed on from one generation to another, from the mother to daughter, just by word of mouth. Various permutations and combinations of various ingredients and the innumerable aromatic vegetables and spices create magical, mouth watering variety of the same dish, which may be very  often different in taste, colour, texture and also appearance, taking into  account the regional variations. The skilllies in the subtle blending of a variety of vegetables to enhance rather than overwhelm the basic flavor of a particular dish. In many ways Persian cusine is much like the Medetranians. Salads and appetizers have a traditional importance in Iranian meals.

Average cuisines in Gorgân region revolve around the simple, gourmet's of all kinds. But there is a predominance of soups and fried foods like the  tasty pancake.
There is a whole range of beef, mutton or chicken stews. The sauces have rich and unexpected aromas. Chicken is prepared with all sorts of dressings: grapes, olives, lemon. The prudent tourist usually sticks  to the predominant national dishes: Kabâb and is never disappointed.



Iranian bread
Just a word about Iranian bread (nân): It is delicious. Made with hard wheat, well cooked without yeast, it has the appearance of a long strip or around pancake. Unfortunately, large hotels do not serve it spontaneously, you always have to ask for it if you want some.

The famous "Celow  kabâb"
Mutton, veal, chicken cut into small pieces, as well as  fish   can  be  given   kabâb treatment, i.e. grilled on a charcoal   fire. But  the real kabâb is called Celow kabâ b and is  made with thin slices of lamb. These are placed on a large cushion of long-grained white rice witout dressing and which remains dry after steaming. The dressing  is served separately. It is usually simple: thin  slices os raw onions,  a bouquet of herbs, two or three radishes, a piece  of very fresh  butter.
Rice can also be seasoned with astonishing sauces made with plums, spinach, mushrooms, curry, celery, peach, orange etc.

Desserts
More than different sweet and stodgy pastries you can even try, in season,  the magnificent fruit from carefully-tended Iranian orchards: grapes, peaches,  pomegranates, which you press with your thumbs and palms so as to extract  their juice before opening them, apples, pears, oranges, sweet and juicy water melons. Iranians are very fond of fruit. When fruits are in season they will eat them on any possible occasion.


Vegetarian
There are a number of vegetarian meals in Gorgân region.        
Kuku (a Casserole dish or pancake) is a type of dish usually made of vegetables and eggs. Eggs are the bases for these casserole dishes, because of serving as the binding agent. Kuku is a very popular dish with most Iranian families. It can be served cold as well as warm, and also it can be prepared in advance of the meal time. Kuku dishes make a very easy and attractive main course.
  • Fried foods: Different kind of  Kuku (pancake), for example kuku sabzi (vegetable  pancake), kuku sib zamini (potato pancake),  kukuye Bademjan (eggplant casserole) etc. These pancakes/casserole dish are  normaly served with white bread.
  • Omelettes, different kinds
  • Bâqâlâ qâtoq (broad bean, egg and vegetable)
  • Šâmiye sib zamini (potato burger)
  • Havij Polow, Rice with Carrots
Borâni: Done on Spenat or eggplants, with fried garlic and onion, mint, peppar mixed in yogurt.


Soups
  Iranians are fond of having soup before their hors-dáeuvre. There are a number of soups in Gorgân region.
  • Supe Sabzi (vegetable soup)
  • še Jow (barley soup)
  • še Mâst (yogurt soup)
  • Supe Sâk (spinach, meat and pea soup)

Salads, appetizers and Fruits
Salads and appetizers have a traditional importance in Iranian meals.In  small popular restaurants, they consist in a plate with a few slices of rather  salty fresh cheese (panir)and an abundant supply of cucumber (xiyâr). This assortment is sometimes accompanied by fresh  and unctuous yogurt  (mâst) into which you dip the lettuce leaves or bread rolls.
Try some sâlâde mive (fruit sallad), or "Nân & Panir & sabzi"  (fresh vegetable wih cheese and bread).
Fruits are served almost at all kinds of ceremonies and occasions. Second to tea, seasonal fruits are another integral part of hospitality.

Tea, mineral water etc
Tea (Cây) served in see-through glasses (never with milk) is an   integral part of hospitality in Iran. Tea; fragrant Caspian tea  served  very hot and generously comes first. Iranian are not great coffee  (qahve) drinkers. Ask for "Iranian coffee", which is like Turkish-coffee, or Nescafe if you want some coffee.
Soft drinks are sold in bottles. The most popular mineral water is Ábe Ali , which sparkles  naturally and has a slight ferruginous taste; it is also used for making fruit cordials; mixed with yogurt, it becames a very nice and popular referesher  called "dough".Coca Cola, Pepsi Cola and Fanta are available everywhere.


Iranian breakfast
Iranian breakfast (sobâne) is very copious. It usually  includes tea, some vegetables, boiled eggs, butter, salted cheese, jam or  honey, sometimes creamy yogurt and delicious bread without yeast.

Links:
Iranian Food & Drinks
Traditional Persian Cuisine
Persian Cuisine
Iranian/Persian Recipes
Iranian Recipes