Introduction to Nowruz
Nowruz (pronounced no-rooz) is a combination of two Persian words. The first word “now” means new and the second word “ruz” means day; together they mean “New Day.” Nowruz is the name for the celebrations that observe the New Year for many Persian and Central Asian communities. The exact beginning of the New Year occurs when the season changes from winter to spring on the vernal equinox, which usually happens on 20 or 21 March each year. The spelling of Nowruz in English can take many forms, including Noroz, Norouz, Nowruz, and Norooz. For this resource, we have used the spelling Nowruz. The festivities of Nowruz reflect the renewal of the Earth that occurs with the coming of spring. Activities that celebrate the arrival of Nowruz share many similarities with other spring festivals such as Easter, celebrated by Christians, and the Egyptian holiday called Sham Al-Naseem, which dates back to the time of the Pharaohs.

Historical Beginnings
Nowruz is a festival that has been celebrated for thousands of years. It is a secular holiday that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths and as such can take on additional interpretations through the lens of religion. Nowruz is partly rooted in the religious tradition of Zoroastrianism (bolded words are defined on pg. 7). Among other ideas, Zoroastrianism emphasizes broad concepts such as the corresponding work of good and evil in the world and the connection of humans to nature. Zoroastrian practices were dominant for much of the history of ancient Persia (centered in what is now Iran). Today there are a few Zoroastrian communities throughout the world, and the largest is in southern Iran and India.

Persian Cultural Roots
People all over the world celebrate Nowruz, but it originated in the geographical area called Persia in the Middle East and Central Asia. The distinct culture based on the language, food, music and leisure activities that developed among the many people and ethnic groups who lived in this area is known as Persian. Nowruz became a popular celebration among the communities that grew from these Persian influenced cultural areas. While the physical region called Persia no longer exists, the traditions of Nowruz are strong among people in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Canada, and the United States. Nowruz is a holiday that is celebrated by people from diverse ethnic communities and religious backgrounds. For the Parsi community, however, Nowruz is very special and is known as their spiritual New Year.

‘That’s something inbred, it’s a part of me. I will always walk around like a Persian popinjay.’
Freddie Mercury | Queen | Farokh Bulsara

Is it Persia, or Iran?
Often the words “Persia” and “Iran” are used interchangeably, but they mean different things. The word Persia comes from the Greek word Pars, which was used to describe the lands that stretched from the Indus Valley in present-day India and Pakistan to the Nile River in today’s Egypt. The Ancient Greeks called the people who lived in these areas ”Persians”. The word ”Iran” comes from Aryan, which was an ethnic label given to ancient peoples who migrated from the Indus Valley area towards Central Asia. In 1935, the state of Persia officially changed its name to Iran. Therefore, Iran is used to describing the contemporary country and its people, while Persia refers to the broader culture, many ethnic groups and an ancient history that some say goes back 3000 years. Persian is also the name for the language spoken by Iranians.

Rituals and Traditions
Nowruz is a time for family and friends to gather and celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of the next. Children have a fourteen-day vacation from school, and most adults do not work during the Nowruz festivities. Throughout the holiday period friends and family gather at each other’s houses for meals and conversation. Preparing for Nowruz starts a few weeks prior to the New Year with a traditional spring cleaning of the home. At this time it is also customary to purchase new clothing for the family and new furniture for the home.

Chahar Shanbe Suri: The Fire Jumping Traditions
On the night of the last Wednesday of the old year Chahar Shanbe Suri, in Persian, is celebrated. During the night of Chahar Shanbe Suri people traditionally gather and light small bonfires in the streets and jump over the flames shouting: “Zardie man az to, sorkhie to az man” in Persian, which means, “May my sickly pallor be yours and your red glow be mine.” With this phrase, the flames symbolically take away all of the unpleasant things that happened in the past year. Because jumping over a fire is dangerous, many people today simply light the bonfire and shout the special phrase without getting too close to the flames.

Tahvil: The Exact Moment of the New Year
Families return home after the events of Chahar Shanbe Suri and wait together for the exact moment when the vernal equinox occurs, in Persian called Tahvil. Today people know the moment of Tahvil through searching on the Internet or looking in the newspaper. However, before these sources of information were available, families knew that the New Year was close when a special person called Haji Firooz came to the neighborhood to sing, dance and spread the news of Nowruz. Haji Firooz is usually dressed in a red satin outfit with his/her face painted as a disguise. When the New Year is just minutes away families and friends gather together and wait for Tahvil to occur. Right after the moment of Nowruz, the family exchanges well wishes such as “Happy New Year” or “Sal-e No Mobarak!” in Persian. Next, the eldest in the family distributes special sweets and candies to everyone, and young children are given coins as presents. It is also traditional for families and neighbors to visit each other and exchange special gifts.

Haft-Seen Table: The Table of Seven S’s
The most important activity in the celebration of Nowruz is making the haft-seen table. Haft is the Persian word for the number seven and seen is the Persian word for the letter S. Literally, the haft-seen table means a “table of seven things that start with the letter S’. Creating the haft-seen table is a family activity that begins by spreading a special family cloth on the table. Next, the table is set with the seven S items.

Here are some of the items and what they symbolize:
Sumac (crushed spice of berries): For the sunrise and the spice of life
Senjed (sweet dry fruit of the lotus tree): For love and affection
Serkeh (vinegar): For patients and age
Seeb (apples): For health and beauty
Sir (garlic): For good health
Samanu (wheat pudding): For fertility and the sweetness of life
Sabzeh (sprouted wheat grass): For rebirth and renewal of nature

In addition to these S items, there are other symbolic items that go on the haft-seen table, depending on the tradition of each family. It is customary to place a mirror on the table to symbolize reflection on the past year, an orange in a bowl of water to symbolize the Earth, a bowl of real goldfish to symbolize new life, colored eggs to represent fertility, coins for prosperity in the New Year, special flowers called hyacinths to symbolize spring and candles to radiate light and happiness. Each family places other items on the table that are special, for example, the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, or the Shahnameh, an epic Persian story of colorful kings and princes written around the year 1000 CE.

 

Another important item to place on the haft-seen table is a book of poetry by the famous poet Shams ud-Din Hafez. Hafez lived in Persian lands during the 14th Century CE and wrote many volumes of poetry and prose narratives. Many Persians consider Hafez to be their national poet, and his historical status is similar to the importance of Shakespeare in the English-speaking world.

Special Foods of Nowruz
Just like other cultural celebrations, many special foods are prepared during Nowruz, depending on the country of origin. One of these dishes, ash-e resteh or noodle soup, is typically served on the first day of Nowruz. This soup is special because the knots of noodles symbolize the many possibilities in one’s life, and it is thought that untangling the noodles will bring good fortune. Another Nowruz dish is called sabzi pollo mahi (fish served with special rice mixed with green herbs). The rice is made with many green herbs and spices, which represent the greenness of nature at spring. Special sweets are also served during Nowruz. Traditional items include naan berenji (cookies made from rice flour); baqlava (flaky pastry sweetened with rosewater); samanu (sprouted wheat pudding); and noghl (sugar-coated almonds).

The Final Day of Nowruz: Sizdeh Bedar
The haft-seen table remains in the family home for thirteen days after the beginning of Nowruz. The thirteenth day is called Sizdeh Bedar, which literally means in Persian “getting rid of the thirteenth.” The celebrations that take place on Sizdeh Bedar are just as festive as those on the first day of Nowruz. On this day, families pack a special picnic and go to the park to enjoy food, singing and dancing with other families. It is customary to bring new sprouts, or sabzeh, grown especially for this occasion. At the park, the green blades of the sabzeh are thrown on the ground or in a nearby river or lake to symbolize the return of the plant to nature. Sizdeh Bedar marks the end of the Nowruz celebrations, and the next day children return to school and adults return to their jobs.

Definitions
Germination: The process whereby seeds or spores sprout and begin to grow.
Parsi: A member of a contemporary Zoroastrian religious group. Parsis live mainly in southern Iran, India and Pakistan, and there are communities in Canada and the United States.
Shahnameh: Written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi around the year 1000 CE. Literally the “Book of Kings”, it is a long narrative that tells the story of the history of Persia from its earliest beginnings to the seventh century CE.
Shams ud-Din Hafez: Popular and widely revered poet who lived from 1320 to 1390 CE. His book of poetry, called the Divan of Hafez, is an important part of many Nowruz activities.
Qur’an: The sacred book of Islam, believed to be a compilation of the words of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
Vernal Equinox: The time when the sun crosses the plane of the earth’s equator, making night and day of approximately equal length all over the earth and occurring about 21 March (vernal equinox or spring equinox) and 22 September (autumnal equinox) each year.
Zoroastrianism: The religious system founded by Zoroaster, believed to be a prophet living in Persian lands in the sixth century BCE. It is recorded in the Avesta, or ancient scriptures, which teach the worship of a deity called Ahura Mazda. One of the main principles of religion is the universal struggle between the forces of light and darkness, or good and evil.

International Nowruz Day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/64/253 of 2010, at the initiative of several countries that share this holiday (Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan.

Inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a cultural tradition observed by numerous peoples, Nowruz is an ancestral festivity marking the first day of spring and the renewal of nature. It promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighborliness, thus contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities.

Artwork by RASTA ABEDI ( 7 YEARS OLD)

Perhaps one of the most notable components of the New Year’s Day festival is a spread of colorful items named the Saft Seen. The seven (haft) core items whose names start with the sound “s” (seen in Farsi), plus other symbolic objects, are displayed on a decorative fabric (sofreh), either on the floor or on a table. The precise origin of the Haft Seen is unclear. There are colloquial discussions about other historical iterations of the spread, such as Haft Sheen (the Farsi letter sheen); Haft Mim (the Farsi letter mim); and or Haft Sini (seven trays).

 

Many cultures celebrate Nowruz around the world, but not all of them practice this particular ritual. Those who do, create a personalized, modern rendition of Haft Seen by using a selection of seven or more symbolic items from the following list:

  • Sabzeh – a small bed of greenery, created from sprouts of legumes, wheat, or barley (renewal and rebirth)
  • Samanoo also known as Samanak, Sümelek, Sumanak; Sumalak – a sweet pudding made from germinated wheat (affluence)
  • Seeb – apples (health and beauty)
  • Seer – garlic (medicine)
  • Sekkeh – coins (wealth)
  • Senjed – the dried jujube fruit (love)
  • Sepand (espand) – seeds of wild rue (evil eye)
  • Serkeh – vinegar (age and patience)
  • Somaq – sumac (sunrise)
  • Sonbol – hyacinths (wholeness)

These additional items are often found on many Iranians’ Haft Seen:

  • Ayeneh va sham’doon – mirror and lit candles to bring light into the room;
  • The Quran – to honor religious convictions;
  • A book of poetry by Hafiz, Ferdowsi, or Sa’adi – to recite poetry during gatherings;
  • A goldfish in a bowl – as it is believed that the goldfish changes its swimming direction at the time of Equinox;
  • Colored eggs – to symbolize fertility, adopted from the pagan European traditions.

For the New Year’s Day festivities, Afghan families prepare a sweet and crunchy medley called Haft Mewa (seven fruits). The preparation of this dish involves a careful ritual of washing, rinsing, and soaking of the ingredients. Dried fruit and nuts including raisin, jujube

, pistachio, hazelnut, apricots, apples, and prunes are some of the components that are used to make this Afghan delicacy.

Finally, an assortment of fresh fruits, sweets, and pastries are placed on the sofreh to serve to guests who visit over the Nowruz holidays. An elegant Haft Seen setting is highly prized and creates a festive backdrop for family photographs.

The “tree planting” campaign

With the current looming environmental catastrophe, climate change, and global warming, it is imperative to question customs and traditions and seek sustainable alternatives. The ecological conservation movement is intensifying in Iran and around the globe, and numerous NGOs are working hard to restore nature. Inevitably, various elements of the Haft Seen have been targeted and scrutinized, with regards to sustainability and ethics.

The sabzeh, is a home-grown bed of greenery of sprouted legumes such as lentils, wheat or barley. It is then composted, or put back into the woods, on the 13th day of Nowruz celebrations (sizdeh bedar), to turn into organic fertilizer.

It has been suggested by environmentalists in recent years that growing sabzeh, be replaced by planting seeds of local fruit trees. Once the seeds grow into saplings, this group recommends, they should be transplanted into a designated protected area. These efforts are the result of environmentally conscious young Iranians who feel the need to improve their rapidly urbanized landscapes and move together in cooperation to rectify deforestation in various parts of the country.

The “no live goldfish” movement

In 2016, the Iranian president posted a celebratory photograph with no fish present on the table. In place of a goldfish, a Seville orange (narenj) was put in an ornamental bowl. This move, which came in response to concerns raised by animal rights activists for the welfare of the 5 million goldfish sold annually in Iran, was welcomed by fans and critics alike. The call to abandon this tradition has been gaining momentum as the harmful practices of industrial farming, and the environmental realities of this practice have become more widely recognized.

Every year millions of goldfish have their lives cut short when placed in a tiny decorative fishbowl. Often crammed in there with other fish, and no access to any source of food, their situation does not allow for optimal physical nourishment and growth. Without proper care and sufficient living space, these fish live only to a fraction of their natural lifespan which can be as long as 25 years.

If the fish survives beyond the 13 days of Nowruz celebrations, oftentimes it is released into a river, pond, or a lake, with disastrous consequences. Researchers from Murdoch University, Australia, have investigated the invasive effects of releasing pet goldfish into the wild, as they travel great distances and compete with local fish for resources. According to this research, the goldfish which originates in East Asia is considered highly invasive in other environments and “can potentially impact water quality, introduce disease, disturb habitat and compete with native species putting them under serious pressure”. Therefore, it is not advisable to release goldfish, or any other pet for that matter, into a non-native setting.

But we don’t have to leave our beautiful Haft Seen without this symbol of life. A Seville orange (narenj), leaf of a pomegranate, and a branch of boxwood tree (shemshad), have traditionally been used in some households in place of a living animal. For those with a creative side, tutorials for creating origami fish using colorful paper, are widely available and can be a perfect family activity with the children. Moreover, it can be a great learning opportunity for children about the importance of treating animals with respect and dignity.

 

On the eve of the last Wednesday of the Persian solar year, known as Chaharshanbe Suri or the Persian Festival of Fire, special customs and rituals take place in which everyone particularly children eagerly participate. The term Chaharshanbe Suri چهارشنبه‌ سوری is made of two words meaning Wednesday and celebrations/red respectively, where young and old gather around and jump over fires that stay burning all night. These bonfires symbolize kindness, friendship, and light.

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The Festival of Fire is a remnant of the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism, where fire represents God‘s light or wisdom. Zoroastrianism was the official religion of Persia (now Iran) from 600 BCE to 650 CE. Around 2000 years ago followers of this doctrine built firehouses and temples where a fire was kept ever burning. The ruins of these sacred sanctuaries are now considered important archaeological sites in Iran, Iraq, and India. The festival of Chaharshanbeh Suri has its roots in the Zoroastrian celebrations of the battles of fire against evil. Granted, this time-honored religion does not put a lot of emphasis on rituals, but rather the ethical practices of ‘Good Words, Good Thoughts, and Good Deeds’.

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Fire, not only in historic Persia, has long been held as sacred among Indians, Europeans, and many other cultures. According to ancient Iranian beliefs, Azar (Fire) was the son of Ahura Mazda. Ancient Persians believed in the purity and purifying power of fire. The belief was so strong that, to prove one’s innocence, people had to cross through the fire, as Siavash did in Ferdowsi’s epic poem, the Shahnameh. Chaharshanbe Suri (Chaharshanbe Soori) is the festival of fire. Chaharshanbeh means Wednesday and Suri has the meanings of red, party or festival.

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انگار که آیین هایی که هزاران سال سینه به سینه نقل شدن و به ما رسیدن پیام مهمی رو از دنیای باستان با خودشون حمل میکنن . . پیام عشق و شادی، پیام صلح… Our old tradition has a message from ancient time, Love and happiness. Shanti Shanti Shanti @ashkan__yn @soheilsalehi68 #آتش، #چارشنبه_سوری، #چهارشنبه‌سوری، #چهارشنبه_سوری، #عشق، #شادی، #باستانی، #آیین، #بهار، #چهارشنبه_آخر_سال، #آتش_افروزی، #پاک، #سفر، #جشن_تور، #طبیعت، #سماع_پروانه، #ایران، #دوستی، #صلح، #هماهنگی #fire, #chaharshanbesuri, #traditional, #tradition, #ancients, #iranian_festival, #nature, #shanti, #peace, #harmony

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People would also put food, sweets, flowers, and wine on the roof of their houses and pray for their dead to appease them. This is the origin of the fire festival in Persia before the arrival of Islam and was held in the last five days of the year. But where does Chaharshanbe Suri originate from?

Undoubtedly Chaharshanbeh Suri is one of the most popular ways to welcome Nowruz. A specially made mixtures of nuts and dried fruit, called ajil, is a commonly nibbled on throughout the evening. This tasty treat, believed to make one kinder and compassionate, is prepared using salted hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, prunes, apricots, and raisins. Most notably, during this night Iranians build numerous public bonfires in the streets and jump over them. A few days before the celebrations, communities in rural areas gather tinders and twigs, and in cities many purchase firewood and firecrackers. Celebrations start early in the evening and continue all night. As participants jump over the fires they chant “zardi-e man az to, sorkhi-e to az man”

“زردی من از تو، سرخی تو از من “

meaning “give me your red color and take back my sickly pallor”. This tune is sung to dispose of sickness and difficulties and to replace that with health, wealth, and happiness for the year to come.

Other rituals of the Chaharshanbeh Suri celebrations include traditions of qashoq zani (banging spoons) and kuze shekani (smashing the pot). In the course of qashoq zani  قاشق زنی  youth cover themselves with textiles and chador, bang on pots and pans with spoons, and go door to door in their neighborhoods. They keep on hitting on their vessels tirelessly until somebody comes to the door.  Girls and boys alike use this as an opportunity to visit their favorite neighbor in disguise and potentially establish a connection with a beloved in the hopes that he or she opens the door.  Upon hearing the pots and pans, the homeowners greet the young visitors and place candy, nuts, and other treats in their bowls. This is a similar tradition to trick-or-treating at Halloween.

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To round up the festivities, smashing the pot کوزه شکنی takes place after jumping over the bonfire. This custom symbolizes transferring one’s misfortunes to the pot itself and breaking the pot so that bad luck is dissipated. This tradition is celebrated with small variations in different regions of Iran. In some provinces, some choose an unusable, old pot instead of a new one. Tehranis would place some coins into a jug and drop it from the roof onto the street. In Arak, the pot is stuffed with grains of barley. Throughout Khorasan, a piece of charcoal signifying bad fortune, salt to ward off the evil eye, and some coins for charitable donation are placed into the pot prior to smashing it.

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Keeping with the theme of annual cleanse and a fresh start, the Festival of Fire symbolizes finishing the year off with a purification ritual and dissipation of misfortunes. The joyous chants of the youth fill the air and the smell of wood lingers as fireworks light up the skies. Everyone snacks on ajil and gets in a cheerful spirit to fittingly welcome the Persian New Year.

 

If you’re not familiar with Persian cuisine, the very basics are that if you’re invited to an Iranian home for dinner you’ll likely be served some combination of grilled or braised meats and rich stews, flavored by deeply aromatic spices (though not many of them pack much heat) and accompanied by piles upon piles of steamed rice. (Persian rice is the best rice, and I will hear no arguments to the contrary.)

On the actual day of Nowruz, though, you can expect to see a couple of dishes that are specific to the holiday, often centering on greens and herbs to represent its themes of — say it with me now — freshness and renewal.

The centerpiece of most Nowruz meals will be sabzi polow ba mahi, an herbed rice served with some kind of whitefish. Then you might have a kuku sabzi, which bakes eggs with a whole mess of herbs like dill, cilantro, parsley, fenugreek, tarragon, and more. (My mother helpfully describes kuku sabzi as “an ancient relative of the frittata.”)

No matter what, though, Iranians will always make you more food than you know what to do with — and at the end of the meal, you’ll still wish you could still eat more.

Take a look at Iran’s place on the map and it’s easy to understand why the scope of native foods is so wide. Once the center of the Persian Empire, Iran neighbors the former Soviet Union countries, as well as Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Arab states and Turkey. Although Iran is part of the Middle East, it has close ties to Europe, the Far East, and Africa, owing to its central place on the Silk Road trade route.

A core curriculum of classic Persian favorites can be found on most Persian-Canadian restaurant menus. Here are 10 to try. Noosh-e jan! (Yes, that’s Farsi for “bon appétit.”)

1. Fesenjan (Pomegranate Walnut Stew)

This iconic stew, an essential part of every Persian wedding menu, pairs tart pomegranate with chicken or duck. Ground walnuts, pomegranate paste and onions are slowly simmered to make a thick sauce. Sometimes saffron and cinnamon are added, and maybe a pinch of sugar to balance the acid. Fesenjan has a long pedigree. At the ruins of Persepolis, the ancient ritual capital of the Persian Empire, archaeologists found inscribed stone tablets from as far back as 515 B.C., which listed pantry staples of the early Iranians. They included walnuts, poultry and pomegranate preserves, the key ingredients in fesenjan.

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2. Khoresht-e Bademjan (Eggplant And Tomato Stew)
This stew has the shimmering red-gold color of tomatoes cooked with turmeric, with a sheen of oil on top, a prized characteristic in Persian cooking that shows a stew has been cooked long enough for the oils to rise up. Slightly tart, with the tang of tomatoes, lemon juice, and sometimes the juice of unripe grapes, its tanginess is kept in check by the eggplant, which is first fried on its own until golden-brown, then cooked with onions, lamb and the tomatoes and seasoning. Like all Persian stews, khoresht-e bademjan is thick and meant to be eaten over rice with a fork.

3. Baghali Polo (Rice With Dill And Fava Beans)
In Iranian cooking, rice can be prepared simply with butter and saffron, known as chelo. But just as often, it’s cooked with other ingredients and called polo. Polo can be made with herbs, vegetables, beans, nuts, dried fruit, meat and even noodles, and acts as the centerpiece of the meal. This polo is particularly good in the spring, when fava beans are young and tender and dill is in season. The dish is flecked with green dill and favas, and is often cooked with very tender chunks of lamb. Alternately, it may be served alongside lamb on the bone. The rice should have a mild saffron flavor, with the saffron mixed into the rice just before serving.

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4. Zereshk Polo (Barberry Rice)
Iranians love sour flavors. Like cranberries, barberries have a vibrant red color, but they’re even more sour. This classic rice dish is studded with the red berries, which are dried and then rehydrated before cooking. The rice is cooked with plenty of butter, which helps to soften the intensity of the berries. Quince, rhubarb, green plums, sour oranges, lemons, limes, dried limes, sour cherries, tamarind, sumac and pomegranate are all used in Persian cooking to make food more tart.

 

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5. Gormeh Sabzi (Green Herb Stew)
Made from herbs, kidney beans and lamb, deep green gormeh sabzi satisfies two Persian flavor obsessions: it’s sour and full of herbs. The stew is seasoned with dried limes, limoo omani in Farsi. These limes are extra intense and sour, with a bittersweet taste that gives the stew a unique flavor. The other constant in gormeh sabzi is fenugreek leaves, a taste unfamiliar to most westerners. Other herbs include parsley, coriander and scallions.

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6. Ash e Reshteh (Noodle and Bean Soup)
A richly textured soup full of noodles, beans, herbs and leafy greens like spinach and beet leaves. It’s topped with mint oil, crunchy fried onions and sour kashk, a fermented whey product eaten in the Middle East that tastes akin to sour yogurt. The noodles, which made their way to Iran from China, are thought to represent the many paths of life, and this soup is traditionally served when someone sets off on a long journey. Because of its auspicious ingredients, it’s also part of the menu for Norooz, the Persian new year, which occurs at the spring equinox in March.

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7. Tahdig (Crunchy Fried Rice)
Tahdig is the soul food of Persian cooking. It’s the crisp, golden layer of fried rice at the bottom of the rice pot, and it tastes like a combination of popcorn and potato chips, but with the delicate flavor of basmati rice. (Tahdig is usually not printed on the menu, so you may have to ask for it.) At Iranian family gatherings, there are always plenty of leftovers, but the one dish that disappears completely is tahdig. It’s eaten as a side dish, and it’s forgivable to pick it up and eat it with your fingers.

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8. Jeweled Rice (Rice with Nuts and Dried Fruit)
Dotted with brightly colored dried fruit and nuts, like little jewels, this is a sweet-and-savory dish that shows off some of the native ingredients of Iran, including pistachios, almonds, candied orange peel, barberries, carrots and saffron. It’s cooked with a little sugar to balance the sourness of the barberries. Jeweled rice is served for special occasions, particularly at weddings, because the sweet elements symbolize a sweet life. It’s traditionally served with chicken, which contrasts nicely with the sweetness.

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9. Kebab (Lamb, Chicken, Lamb Liver, Ground Meat)
Kebabs have more variety than you might think. First, there’s koobideh, ground meat seasoned with minced onion, salt and pepper. It sounds simple, but the taste is sublime. There is kebab-e barg, thinly sliced lamb or beef, flavored with lemon juice and onion and basted with saffron and butter. Chicken kebab, known as joojeh, is traditionally made from a whole chicken, bones and all, for more flavor (although in American restaurants it’s often made from skinless chicken breast), marinated in lemon and onion, and basted with saffron and butter. If you’re lucky, you’ll find jigar, lamb liver kebab, garnished with fresh basil leaves and a wedge of lemon.

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10. Sabzi Khordan (Herb and Cheese Plate)
No Persian meal is complete without a dish of sabzi khordan, or edible herbs. The plate can include mint, tarragon, basil and cilantro, alongside scallions, radishes, walnuts, feta cheese and Iranian nan (flatbread). Simply tear off a piece of flatbread, tuck a bit of the herbs and cheese and other garnishes inside, and fold it up like a rustic sandwich. The plate stays on the table throughout the meal, and the herbs are a crunchy palate cleanser between bites of stew and rice. Fresh and dried green herbs are eaten daily in Iran. The Zoroastrian new year Norooz celebrates rebirth and renewal, and the Norooz menu includes several dishes made with green herbs representing new life, including rice with herbs, an herb omelet and the herb platter.

 

11. Abgoosht (Lamb Chickpea Soup)
Abgoosht is one of the most traditional Iranian foods. It is also called Dizi, which refers to the traditional stone crock pots it is served in. Hundreds of years ago Abgoosht was made with lamb and chickpeas. However, later on, when new foods such as potatoes and tomatoes were introduced to Iranian Cuisine, the recipe had some changes. Serving Abgoosht has a special custom. First, the broth is poured in a bowl and served with small pieces of bread soaked in it. Then the remaining ingredients such as potatoes, beans, chickpeas, and lamb are mashed up to a mashed-potato type consistency and served separately alongside with the broth.

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12. Kashk-e Bademjan (Eggplant Dip)
If you are an eggplant lover, Persian cuisine can be a paradise for you. There are plenty of eggplant dishes and side dishes in Persian cuisine, and among them one of the most popular dish is Kashke Bademjan. The main ingredients of this dish are eggplants and Kashk which is a type of yogurt whey. In the process of making cheese, the remaining liquid after milk has been strained is called whey. Kashke Bademjan is often served with a special Persian bread called Lavash, but you can serve it with pita bread or crackers too.

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#کشک_بادمجان معمولا کشک بادمجون به روشها و سلیقه های مختلف درست میشه من اینجوری درست میکنم… بادمجان ها رو به تکه های نسبتا ریز خورد میکنم و کمی نمک و آب روش میریزم تا تلخیش گرفته بشه بعد شسته و کنار می ذارم تا آبش کشیده بشه و سپس چند ق روغن زیتون توی یک تابه درب دار میریزم و همه بادمجون ها رو یکجا توی تابه میریزم و در ظرف رو میبندم و حرارت رو ملایم میکنم تا به آرامی سرخ و نرم بشه درآمد حین سرخ شدن چند بار هم میزنم و با پشت قاشق کمی له میکنم بعد از پختن و سرخ شدن بادمجونا اونها رو میکوبیم و دو عدد پیاز درشت رو خلال و سرخ میکنم مقداری از پیاز رو برای تزیین نگه میدارم و مابقی رو با چند حبه سیر ریز خورد شده و یک ق نعنا و کمی زرد چوبه و در صورت تمایل کمی فلفل قرمز تفت میدم و بادمجان ها رو اضافه میکنم و کشک رو با آب رقیق میکنم و به مواد اضافه میکنم و یک ربع بهش زمان میدم تا با حرارت ملایم جا بیفته و بعد با پیاز داغ و نعنا داغ و کشک و گردو خورد شده فراوون تزیین و سرو میکنم #کشک_بادمجون #بادمجان #کشک_بادمجان #کشکبادمجان #کشکبادمجون #کشک_بادمجان_مجلسی #کشک_بادنجان #خوشمزه_جات #بهبه #ناهار #شام #خوشمزه #خونگی #خودمپز #آشپزی #آشپزی_خاص #اشپزی_ایرانی #فیدیلیو #ایران #غذا #delicious #persian #food #yummy #foodie #ashpazone #ashpazi #کشک_بادمجان_خوشمزه_جات @foruzan_azizi @khoshmazehjat97

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13. Tahchin (Layered Saffron Rice & Chicken)
Tahchin is a popular Iranian rice dish of saffron-infused rice layered with a kind of meat (or vegetable), yogurt and eggs.  There are different kinds of Tahchins based on the ingredient which is layered with rice. The most popular Tahchin among Iranians is made with shredded chicken, and the other kinds such as beef, spinach or eggplant Tahchin are not widely known. The word Tahchin literally means “placed at the bottom” and refers to the rice layer placed at the bottom of the dish, which results in a crunchy outer crust.

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14. Haleem (Wheat and Meat Porridge)
Haleem or Halim is a thick, delicious and high-calorie porridge popular in the middle east and central Asia for centuries. It is also known for some other names such as Harees/Hareesa, Keshkek, Kichara or Daleem. The origin of Haleem is not definite. But, it is a star of Arabian, Turkish, Persian, Pakistani, Bengali and Indian cuisine. Even though the recipe slightly changes from one region to another, it always includes wheat and meat. People use different forms of meat (lamb, beef, turkey or chicken breast) to cook it. This recipe that I am sharing here is the Persian Haleem, that is typically served for breakfast or during Ramadan month. This dish is slow cooked for some hours which results in a paste-like consistency.

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Nowruz is the Persian, or Iranian, spring celebration of the New Year. It’s the most important festival of the year in Iran, and it’s a public holiday there and in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Albania and other countries in South and Central Asia. It’s a happy occasion, and there may be as many as 13 days’ holidays from school!

The Persian New Year and The Spring Equinox

Nowruz marks the first day of spring and begins at the exact day, hour and minute of the spring equinox when night and day are of equal length. This is usually on 21 March. It’s the day when winter changes into spring, and it feels like a new beginning.

Spring cleaning

People prepare for Nowruz by cleaning the whole house, and everyone in the family helps out. Carpets, windows, and curtains are cleaned. Anything broken is repaired or replaced. Silverware is polished. The house is decorated with flowers. By doing this spring cleaning, people wash away the bad things from the previous year and prepare for better things to come in the new year. They also put on brand new clothes to symbolize a fresh start.

Fire jumping

In the evening of the last Wednesday before Nowruz, bonfires are lit and people jump over the flames. The flames burn away sickness and bad luck.

Nowruz and the seven Ss [Haftseen]

It’s important to start the year well: clean, smart, relaxed, happy and surrounded by loved ones. So, just before Nowruz, the whole family comes together. They celebrate around a special table in their house. It’s called the haftseen, which means ‘seven Ss’. On it, there are seven special objects, all of which begin with the ‘s’ sound in the Farsi language and which symbolize something. There are actually more than seven, but here are some of the most common.

Mythical and Historical Origins of Nowruz

Nowruz is the Persian name of the Iranian new year or Persian new year consisting of two words; Now or no meaning new and ruz or rooz meaning day, which when put together means new day . This celebration and its associated events have been celebrated for thousands of years by the people of Iran and the people of Central Asian countries, former parts of ancient Persian empires. Nowruz emerged as people of these areas of the world left the nomadic life and established settlements which started a new phase in human civilization. Today, it is the world’s only event which is celebrated at the exact same moment throughout the world. The celebration is not connected to religion and is based on astronomical celestial events even though Nowruz is deeply rooted in Zoroastrianism, the ancient Persian religion.

In 1725 BC, the world’s first philosopher and prophet of the Zoroastrian religion named Zarathushtra, improved the ancient Indo-Iranian calendar. The Zoroastrian year starts with this date. Zarathushtra established an observatory in the modern day province of Sistan in southeastern Iran and with his knowledge in astronomy he was able to establish a solar calendar consisting of 365 days, 5 hours and 48 minutes.

During the 6th century BC, the magush who were the priests of the Zoroastrian fire temples, acted both as fire keepers and astronomers. These priests calculated the spring equinox of the northern hemisphere to occur on March 20 or 21 and this date marked the first day of the Persian solar calendar. The priests were closely associated with the events at the city of Parsa, also known as Persepolis. This city, founded by the Persian king Darius the Great in 515 BC, was the ceremonial capital city of the Achaemenid Persian empire and the spring residence of the kings. The kings invited noblemen from all of the provinces of the empire to Persepolis, regardless of ethnicity and religious beliefs, to celebrate Nowruz. During the morning hours, priests prayed and performed rituals which were followed by feasts and entertainments in the evenings and nights. Even to this day, one can see the ruins of the royal palaces with reliefs depicting governors and ambassadors bringing precious gifts to the King of Kings and paying homage to him.

During the reign of the Sassanid kings between 224 – 651 AD, preparations began 25 days before Nowruz. Craftsmen and builders of the royal court constructed twelve mud-brick columns and various seeds were sown on top of each column. Each column was symbolic and represented a month. By the time it was Nowruz, the seeds had grown into majestic decorative plants. The king held a public speech in front of a noble audience followed by greetings from the highest priest of the empire. Government officials also greeted the king. Every invited person gave a gift to the king until the sixth day of Nowruz, when members of the royal family visited the royal court. During Nowruz, an official amnesty was put in order for convicts of minor crimes. People throughout the empire celebrated this event for thirteen days.

Even though Nowruz is a celebration of a celestial event, it is deeply rooted in the mythology of the Persians. Nowruz focuses on the philosophical aspects of light conquering darkness, good conquering evil, the warmth of spring conquering the cold winter. According to ancient mythical stories written in the Persian epic Shahnameh, Nowruz was introduced during the reign of the mythical king named Jamshid. Jamshid defeated the evil demons and made them his servants as he captured their treasures and jewels. He then became the ruler of everything on earth except the heavens, while the world was devastated after the war between him and the demons. The trees were dead and had lost all their leaves. Earth had turned into a dark and lifeless place. For reaching the heavens, Jamshid ordered the demons to build him a throne made out of the jewels he had captured. When the throne was finished, he sat on it and commanded the demons to lift him high up into the sky. As he was sitting on his throne, sun rays hit the jewels of his throne and the sky was illuminated with all the world’s colors. The rays beaming from Jamshid revived all trees and plants and turned them green and full of leaves. Life on earth began to thrive as Jamshid rose like the sun. People were amazed by the sight of Jamshid and overwhelmed him with even more treasures and jewels. This day of celebration was named Nowruz and it marked the first day of the year. Jamshid later rescued his people from a harsh winter that would have killed all creatures on earth. Mythological survival stories with Jamshid as the main character is considered to be mythical symbols regarding the historical events of when Indo-Iranian Aryans abandoned their neolithic lifestyles as hunter-gatherers and became settlers on the Iranian mainland. Settlements were profoundly dependent on their crops and in turn dependent on the outcome of the seasons. The spring equinox, therefore, marked an important event in the lives of ancient Iranians.

Celebrating the New Year on the Silk Roads

Nowruz is a rite dating back to at least the 6th century BCE, marking the new year and ushering in spring. Variously known as Novruz, Nowrouz, Nooruz, Navruz, Nauroz or Nevruz, this historic rite is observed on 21 March in many countries along the Silk Roads, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

International Nowruz day is celebrated by peoples of many different religions and cultures represented in the united nations general assembly. Some of the festival’s earliest origins lie in Zoroastrianism, marking one of the holiest days in the ancient Zoroastrian calendar. The return of the spring was seen to have great spiritual significance, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil and joy over sorrow. In particular, the Spirit of Noon, known as Rapithwina, who was considered to be driven underground by the Spirit of Winter during the cold months, was welcomed back with celebrations at noon on the day of Nowruz according to Zoroastrian tradition.

Nowruz is also associated with a great variety of local traditions, including the legend of Jamshid, a king in Persian mythology. To this day in Iran, Nowruz celebrations are sometimes known as Nowruze Jamshidi. According to the myth, Jamshid was carried through the air in a chariot, a feat that so amazed his subjects that they established a festival on that day. Similar mythological narratives exist in Indian and Turkish traditions, while the legend of Amoo Nowrouz is popular in the countries of Central Asia.

Over the last millennium, Nowruz has developed and expanded, incorporating new social, religious and cultural influences as it spread along the Silk Roads. Its date, originally calculated according to ancient astronomical practices, was revised and recalculated on numerous occasions in the 11th and 12th centuries as Nowruz continued to be a celebration of great social significance under various rulers and regimes. Renowned Muslim scholars, such as Abu Rayhan al-Bīrūnī (973-1048), Mahmud Kashgari (1005-1102), and Omar Khayyam (1048-1131) are among the many intellectuals who studied the date of Nowruz.

Although The traditions and customs that accompany the celebration of Nowruz vary from country to country, there are many unifying features. In most regions, symbolic preparations fire and water take place before the festival, and ritual dances involving leaping over fires and streams are performed. In Iran, these dances take place on the last Wednesday before Nowruz, known as Chārshanbeh Sūrī or Chārshanbeh-e Ātash, while in Azerbaijan, this practice is carried out over the four Wednesdays preceding the celebrations. In many places, households fill up their supplies of water on the last Wednesday of the year, and in Kyrgyzstan, all vessels in the house are to be filled on Nowruz Eve, in the hope that this will bring abundance in the new year and keep away misfortune. It is also customary across most regions to visit cemeteries before the Nowruz celebrations begin, with visitors bringing candles and offerings to remember the dead. Two candles are commonly placed at the door to the house on Nowruz Eve in Kazakhstan. In Azerbaijan, the dead are commemorated on the second day of Nowruz, known as the “Day of Fathers”.

On the day of Nowruz, there is much feasting, visiting family members and friends, and exchanging gifts. A wide range of cultural performances and traditions also take place. Children are often given small toys, and traditionally play with colourfully painted eggs. Families and within communities share a symbolic meal, often consisting of cooked rice and vegetables combined with many local ingredients. In Kyrgyzstan, this meal is a public ceremony, with designated areas set aside in towns for the preparation of Nooruz Kedje or Chon Kedje , a type of soup made from bull’s meat.

One widespread tradition which dates back to 3,000 years ago is the preparation of a Nowruz table “haft sin table”, on which a number of symbolic objects are placed. While these tables differ slightly from region to region, the most common features are: water, candles, dishes of green sprouts (or Sabzeh), a traditional dish made out of crushed wheat sprouts, mirrors, eggs, and various fruits. These objects symbolise purity, brightness, abundance, happiness and fertility for the new year. In Iran, the table is referred to as the “Sofreh-ye Haft Sin”, and displays seven objects, each starting with the letter ‘S’. A similar table is set in areas of India.