Customer Reviews

A Taste of Persia: An Introduction to Persian Cooking

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Having been in love with Persia, since I lived there as a young man, I was delighted to find Najmieh Batmanglij's latest book to be such an uncompromised gateway back to this amazing land. She has created yet another masterpeice. This time more afforable and easier for us non-chefs to understand. Thank You Najmieh for your beautiful recepies and book!

As a Persian who's trying to learn to cook persian food, this is the best Persian cookbook I have. It lists the most popular foods, the receipes are easy to follow and turn out great! Almost as good as my own mom cooks them... I would definitley recommend this book!

I love Persian food but thought the recipes were too complicated for a someone like me who has no idea what I'm doing in the kitchen. This book changed that for me! It is very simple and clear. One great thing about the book is that if she says it takes 15 mins to make something, it really does!!!

After reading the (mostly) glowing reviews of this book, I was somewhat disappointed. I do not mind the complexity of the recipes--that they require many ingredients, some of which are obscure for your average American, didn't bother me at all. Probably because I'm lucky, in that the Lebanese market less than 5 miles from my house carries dried roses, unripe grape powder, and almost everything else I needed. And for not very much money. What I did mind was the inaccurate cooking instructions that rendered my beautiful pistachio-stuffed lamb shank overdone (even though I cooked to the internal temperature specified in the book--I knew lamb shouldn't cook to an internal temp of 165F!), and the mismatch between the ingredient lists and directions.

What also annoyed me was the wildly excessive portion size the author calculated. I made two dishes to serve together: the eggplant khoresh (without the additional lamb) and the pistachio-stuffed lamb. According to the recipe, the khoresh should serve 4 people. I prepared it according to instructions and it produced enough to serve 8 people, and leftovers the next day--so many that I ultimately had to throw out the last bit because I couldn't eat them fast enough. She calls for a 5.5 lb leg of lamb to serve 12--I got a bone-in 4 lb. leg instead, which was a wise choice. What was really startling was the quantity of stuffing remaining: it was overwhelming. I ran out of lamb long before I ran out of stuffing. If I were to make either of these dishes again, I would cut the quantities of everything by at least 1/3, and maybe more.

Aside from the lamb being overcooked, I did think both dishes were tasty and flavorful (even after using far less fat than the recipes called for). However, I've used other Persian recipes that I found for free on the internet, and have enjoyed those more. So I would save my money and just go to persianrecipes.net

I've tried many of the recipes in this book and I loved them. However, when it comes to the listed ingredients you'll find that some of the recipes are either missing ingredients (a recipe calls for an ingredient that's not listed and then you are not quite sure what to do) or the quantities listed are wrong.

An example:

For the noodle soup (page 40), the recipe calls for "10 cups washed and chopped fresh spinach (about 6 pounds unchopped)."

Now just try and visualize one of those large bags/tubs of spinach some supermarkets and warehouses sell, they weigh 1 lb. One pound of fresh spinach yields 10-12 cups of chopped leaves.

BTW, the noodle soup is exquisite so go ahead and give it a try, you'll love it. Just remember to use only a pound or so of fresh spinach.

I have used many of the recipes, modified them, cooked them with friends and family. I have given my first copy away to my mom and then had to search bookstores to replace it. I even took it on the plane when I visited my family to make a special dinner for my dad's birthday with the whole family there. Grandma even loved it! I especially like to make the crusted saffron, yogurt rice for others. The presentation is great, but best made with a friend to share in the prep. As the author says, nushjan!

I love this book because I lived (30 years ago) in Iran and enjoyed the food very much. This is the first Iranian cookbook I found, with excellent recipes, very easy for me to duplicate...and enjoy!

This book was very easy to follow and the recipies all turn out delicious. I highly recommend cooking the kebabs over a b-b-q it is unforgetable and fool proof.

I'm Persian and my mother is an incredible cook with vast repertoire. So, I didn't start cooking until I went off to med school. I needed a beginners cookbook & this is one that leads to consistently delicious and authentic meals. The basics done well, with plenty of helpful tips. The glossary in back is also helpful. Would HIGHLY recommend to those learning to cook Persian/Iranian food. If you're looking for more avant garde Perisan foods, I'd try her other book From Persia to Napa: Wine at the Persian Table.

Unfortunately I think the authoress makes this book a bit "too" exotic. yes Irani cooking is really awesome, ancient and beautiful but most Iranian recipies are actually quite simple and use a minimal of spices and other things...she just adds far to much to everything. I think she is trying to make Persian cooking more exotic than it really is.

For example the way I make tas kabob is NOT like how she says it is, it had no fruit in it!? Since when does tas kabob ever have fruit in it? uh, never... It has lamb, potato and tomato and some advieh and salt...um, thats it.
There are many other examples I could share but wont.

I prefer Margaret Shaida's Legendary Cusine of Persia. She gives the REAL recipies and ways of cooking dishes that Iranians actually use. Infact I have a in Farsi cookbook I got in tehran during my last trip over to see Family...the Venus cookbook and the majority of the recipies are the same or very very similar.

Anyway, I wish this women would put out a REAL Iranian cookbook not a overly exoticized, hyped up version...