Iran

Chelo kabab

Saffron rice with grilled minced or fillet kabab, an egg yolk and grilled tomato.

Ghormeh sabzi

Herb stew darkened by fenugreek with dried lime and kidney beans, the national dish.

Fesenjan

Duck or chicken in a sweet-sour sauce of ground walnut and pomegranate molasses.

Tahchin

Saffron rice and yoghurt baked into a golden cake, cut in wedges over chicken.

Zereshk polo

Rice studded with sour barberries and saffron, served with braised chicken.

Baghali polo

Dill and broad bean rice, steamed layered and served with lamb shank.

Abgoosht

Lamb and chickpea stew whose broth is drunk first, the solids pounded and eaten after.

Ash-e reshteh

Thick noodle and herb soup with kashk and fried mint, made for Nowruz.

Kashk-e bademjan

Fried aubergine mashed with whey, mint and walnut, eaten warm with bread.

Mirza ghasemi

Smoked aubergine with garlic, tomato and egg, from the Caspian north.

Kuku sabzi

A herb frittata, dense and green, cut in wedges and eaten cold or hot.

Halim

Wheat and lamb pounded into a smooth porridge, eaten sweetened at breakfast.

Tahdig

The crisp crust at the bottom of the rice pot, fought over at every table.

Sangak

Whole-wheat flatbread baked on hot pebbles, carried home still pitted and warm.

Doogh

Salted yoghurt drink with mint, still or carbonated, served cold with kabab.

Sholeh zard

Saffron rice pudding decorated with cinnamon and almond, given away as a vow.

Faloodeh

Frozen rice vermicelli in rose and lime syrup, from Shiraz, eaten with a spoon.

Bastani

Saffron and rosewater ice cream with frozen cream chunks and pistachio.

Gaz

Isfahan nougat of pistachio and manna, packed in round tins as a gift.

Chai

Black tea from a samovar, drunk through a sugar cube held in the teeth.