National cuisine of Iran for gourmets. Authentic recipes, delicacies and specialties

Iran’s cuisine is relatively simple. However, this doesn’t mean that it is deprived of interesting and unique dishes. Meat with some garnish is the basic dish in Iran. As a rule, rice is the most popular garnish choice. Homemade food is usually simple and doesn’t have fancy serving. In local restaurants, national cuisine is represented by a number of delicious and interesting dishes. As a rule, tourists visit them to try something authentic and unusual. In Iran, tourists can order Chelow kebab, one of the most prominent local dishes. This is a meat cutlet with spices and rice.

Local chefs traditionally use beef, mutton, and poultry for Kebab. Due to religious limitations, it is hard to find dishes with pork in Iran because local people don’t eat this meat type. Chelow Morgh is one more popular Iranian dish that is often present in the menus of local restaurants. This is chicken with rice cooked in a peculiar way.

Main course dishes traditionally come with plenty of greens, onion, baked tomatoes, bread, and yogurt. Tourists also enjoy ordering such national Iranian dishes as Dizi, thick and hearty soup with chickpeas that visitors crush themselves, and Khoresh, an incredibly delicious combination of meat and vegetables. These dishes are also served with rice. They taste so phenomenally that many tourists, who try them for the first time, are speechless. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Vegetarian and vegan tourists will find it quite complicated to find suitable food in Iran. Of course, it is possible to find vegetable platters and salads in some restaurants and cafes. Some dining establishments also offer Falafel, a rare Iranian dish that doesn’t have any meat. However, it will not be easy to find a place to eat such food. Contrary to a popular opinion, Iranian cuisine is generally not spicy, so tourists used to typical international food will have no problems here. If Iranian cuisine doesn’t look appealing, then this is not a problem as well. There are many fast food chains in the country. Virtually every restaurant has a European menu for foreign guests.

Iranian restaurants deserve a separate mention. Without a doubt, there are many traditional restaurants that the majority of us are used to. That being said, tourists should pay their attention to local Caravanserai restaurants. These unusual venues are a wonderful choice for everyone who wants to know more about the atmosphere of the country. Caravanserais feature the traditional style that was developed for centuries. Generally speaking, these are venues with the pleasant dim light and the refreshing cool temperature that is in a striking contrast with the scorching heat outside. Many establishments of this type have a small fountain and a garden.

In Caravanserais, people eat while sitting on an ottoman with numerous decorative pillows. Only authentic dishes are present in the menu; people eat slowly, enjoying different dishes, tea, and shisha. For unprepared tourists, it may be uncomfortable to sit on an ottoman while eating, so many might decide to visit a more usual restaurant with tables and chairs. Don’t hurry to refuse to visit a Caravanserai. It is actually quite comfortable to eat this way. Moreover, this is a rare opportunity to feel the authentic atmosphere of Iran.

Sweets have a special place in the cuisine of the region. Oriental sweets have become internationally famous. Baklava and dried fruit are just a small part of the sweets that tourists will find in Iran. The choice is so broad that even a long vacation is not enough to try everything. Oriental sweets are a wonderful choice as a souvenir, gift to friends and family or simply a reminder about a pleasant vacation in Iran.

When traveling in Iran, it is possible to see numerous tents installed right on the streets. In these tents, visitors can buy internationally famous Iranian sweets, ice cream, and various fruit and vegetable juices. If you like a couple of shots to make a vacation more pleasant, you may face certain problems in Iran. Alcohol is not sold freely in the country because Islam prohibits any consumption of alcoholic drinks. It is possible to find some alcoholic drinks in local Christian communities, but that would require much time and effort.