Friday, September 30, 2022

Kermanshah, a paradise for gastronomists

IRAN DAILY

Kermanshah, a paradise for gastronomists
itto.org
Dandeh Kabab

Persian cuisine is like a large buffet, each part of which has a delightful flavor, color, and memorable taste. Each region has unique herbs which give a different flavor to foods.

Kermanshah, the capital of the western province of Kermanshah, is a city with a long history and exquisite food. Here, you can have different types of local foods, in both urban and rural areas, and among the tribes. If you are keen to know more about Kermanshah’s cuisine, we will take you through some of the most popular dishes, tasteiran.net wrote.

Kermanshah, historic city among lush mountains

Kermanshah is a historic city in western Iran where numerous attractions such as the Bisotoun Inscription, Taq-e Bostan, and the Anahita Temple are located. Kermanshah is well known for its magnificent diversity in terms of ethnicity, religion, and nature. Kurds are the predominant ethnic group in this region and followers of various religious sects, such as Shia and Sunni Muslims as well as Christians live peacefully together.

Located among the fertile valleys of Zagros Mountains, and due to its mountainous moderate climate, various agricultural products like wheat, barley, beans, oilseeds, and fruit are cultivated in Kermanshah. Many wildflowers and aromatic herbs grow on the green slopes of the surrounding mountains that are used for cooking.


Creative City of Gastronomy

UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) is a project launched to identify cities that use creativity as a means of sustainable urban development.

Believing that food and gastronomy perfectly mirror the creativity of local cultures, Kermanshah was registered as the 37th Creative City of Gastronomy in 2021.

Having about 80 types of food, 11 kinds of bread, 20 types of sweets, and various kinds of snacks, it is not wrong to say that Kermanshah is the paradise of food lovers. Over a hundred types of food, bread, sweets, and snacks are baked in the province. A good reason for this wide range of food choices is that Kermanshah is located on a transit road from south to north and east to west. Therefore, you can find obvious traces of different cultures in the cuisine of Kermanshah. Here is a list of nine dishes and pastries you can try in Kermanshah:


Dandeh Kabab

Kabab is a very popular food that has a wide range of variety in Iran. Dandeh kabab — lamb spare ribs kebab — is one of the original and most delicious kebabs in Kermanshah Province. What makes dandeh kabab special is the exceptional sauce made with tomato paste, seasoned with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and of course a generous portion of saffron. The meat is soaked with this sauce during the preparation and cooking process. This delectable kabab is served either with flat bread or rice.


Khoresh-e khalal

Khoresh-e khalal is a special dish served in various ceremonies and celebrations held in Kermanshah Province. This tasty stew has the magical power to satisfy every taste. It is made with chopped lamb meat, almond slivers, saffron, and barberry. You can enjoy this toothsome khoresh with rice.


Sib polo

Persian cuisine has a large variety of polo, rice mixed with herbs, beans, and vegetables. Sib polo is a simple but appetizing dish made with a great amount of potato, rice, lamb or poultry meat, saffron, raisin, and date.


Valak polo

Valak polo is another delicious dish made with a local herb, valak, which grows during the spring in the green mountains around Kermanshah. Valak polo is cooked with a good amount of this herb, served with rice, chicken, mutton, or fish.


Kuku paghazeh

Paghazeh is another popular herb. This aromatic herb can be used for curing stomach-related illnesses. Paghazeh is used in a special dish named kuku. This egg-based Persian vegetarian dish is a nice healthy choice for vegetarians.


Aash-e Abbas Ali

Kermanshah is very cold during the winter, that’s why Kermanshahi people cook various kinds of aash, or rich soups, in chilly winter days. Aash-e Abbas Ali is one of the most popular winter dishes of Kermanshah, with a story behind its name. It is said that in ancient times, religious rituals were prohibited by the government, and at that critical time, a man named Abbas Ali prepared this kind of aash in a mosque and distributed it to poor people.


Dolmeh

A delicious filling of rice, yellow split peas, herbs and meat make a delicate dish called dolmeh. The word dolmeh refers to any stuffed vegetable such as bell peppers and eggplants, but dolmeh barg-e mo is the most popular type of this delicious dish that means stuffed grape leaves. Kurdish cooks and mothers are experts in preparing dolmeh, so don’t miss trying the dish in Kermanshah.


Kalaneh

Kalaneh is a kind of stuffed flatbread and is officially a full meal in the Kurdish region in Iran. In Kermanshah, kalaneh is filled with a wild springtime plant, and in other seasons, traditionally this flatbread is filled with scallions and baked over a saj, a large, convex griddle over an open fire. Kalaneh is served accompanied by fresh doogh, Persian yoghurt drink.


Pastries

Kermanshah is famous for three main sweets: Kaknan khormaei, and nan berenji. These tasty and authentic pastries are pleasant to all tastes, so you can buy them as edible souvenirs for friends and family. Everyone appreciates these gifts for their tempting aroma and unique taste.

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