Reading: In the following article, entitled “Cooking in the history of Iran” (آشپــــزی در تاریخ ایران), you will find a short sketch of the history of the Iranian cuisine and also the main cooking habits and dishes of the Iranians. After reading and discussing its contents with their teacher, the students will master the basic terms related to the Iranian cuisine and food culture. They will also acquire all the necessary skills for communicating with the native speakers on the topic in question.
Listening: Video 1: In this short video from BBC Persian, Houchang Chehabi, a professor from Boston University discusses the cultural and historical aspects of Iranian cuisine.
Video 2: A detailed tutorial on how to make authentic Iranian ghormeh sabzi by Maryam Amiri, an Iranian cook and food blogger.
Additional materials: If students are eager to explore how typical Iranian dinner parties and casual get-togethers look today, here are links to a couple of authentic bloggers who share their daily lives, including meal preparations when hosting guests: the blog of maman esmat and the blog of Narges Ghasemi.
Subject of Conversation: Modern food culture vs Traditional cuisine (غذاهای مدرن در برابر غذاهای سنتی).
Each student will be required to present his/her views on the topic of Modern and Traditional cuisines, paying attention to the various aspects of taste, health, tradition and culture. The discussion of the social aspect of the topic in question will also be welcomed. The teacher will also take part in the discussion, presenting to the students the modern food culture in the streets of the modern Iranian cities.
Homework:
- Please carefully read today’s text and study the vocabulary.
- Watch the second video for today (ghormeh sabzi recipe by Maryam Amiri), then choose a dish from Iranian cuisine and write step-by-step instructions on how to prepare it.
Vocabulary (Article and Video 1):
| Persian Word | Transcription | English Translation |
| آشپزی | āšpazi | cuisine, cooking |
| ظروف آشپزخانه | zoruf-e āšpazxāne | kitchenware |
| دیگ | dig | pot |
| تشریفات | tašrifāt | formalities, ceremony |
| زندگی مدرنیزه | zendegi-ye modernize | modern life |
| امر مهم | amr-e mohhem | important fact |
| به چشم خوردن | be čašm xordan | to be noticeable, to be apparent |
| جهاز | ǰahāz | dowry |
| دارای اهمیت بودن | dārā-ye ahamiyyat budan | to be a matter of importance; to be important |
| قدیم‌الایام | qaddim ol-ayyām | the olden days |
| مرارت | marārat | distress, pain |
| پذیرایی | pazirāyi | reception, entertainment |
| کیفیت غذا | keyfiyyat-e γazā | food quality |
| توقع داشتن | tavaqqo’ dāštan | to expect |
| طبخ کردن | tabx kardan | to cook |
| طعم / مزه | ta’am / mazze | taste |
| جنبه | jombe | aspect |
| فسنجان | fesenjān | stew flavored with pomegranate syrup or ground walnuts |
| رب انار | robb-e anār | pomegranate paste |
| ماده اولیه | māde-ye avvaliye | first (most important) component |
| محصول (جمع: محصولات) | mahsul (plur. mahsulāt) | product, a food item/component |
| محاسبات و تعالیم | mohāsebāt o ta’ālim | calculations and teachings |
| خاص و عام | xāss o ā’mm | noble and ordinary (people) |
| زبانزد … بودن | zabānzad-e … budan | to be actively discussed by …; to be a hot topic of discussion |
| عادی | ‘ādi | ordinary |
| سبزی‌پلو ماهی | sabzi-polo(v)-e māhi | rice with chopped herbs, usually served with fish |
| شب عید | šab-e e’id | Nowruz evening |
| ماه مبارك رمضان | māh-e mobārak-e ramazān | the holy month of Ramadan |
| سحر و افتار | sahar o eftār | the early morning and evening meals during the month of Ramadan |
| پلو | polo(w) | pilaf (rice) |
| پخت و پز | poxt o paz | cooking |
| مرغ و پلو | morγ o polou | pilaf with chicken |
| شاخدار پلو | šāxdār polow | rice with chicken, cumin, saffron, oil and salt |
| بره تنوری | barre tanuri | roasted lamb |
| پیتزا | pitza | pizza |
| همبرگر | hamberger | hamburger |
| به صورت مختصر | be surat-e moxtassar | briefly |
| سبزی | sabzi | vegetables |
| چلو كباب | čelo kebāb | kebab with rice |
| ماهی دودی | māhi dudi | smoked fish |
| وسایل نقلیه | vasāyel-e naqliye | transportation means |
| ناهار | nāhār | lunch |
| دیزی / آبگوشت | dizi/ābgušt | a stew of lamb shank, lamb rib, chickpeas, white beans, potato, onion, tomato and spices |
| كله پاچه | kalle-pāče | a soup made from sheep's head and hooves |
| نان سنگك | nān-e sangak | a plain, rectangular, or triangle-shaped leavened flatbread that is stone-baked |
| نان لواش | nān-e lavāš | Thin, flaky, and round or oval. It is the most common bread in Iran and the Caucasus |
| اشتها | eštehā | appetite |
| خرد کردن | xord kardan | to grind; to chop |
| لقمه | loqme | morsel |
| دارچین | dārčin | cinnamon |
| چانه زدن | čāne zadan | bargain |
| عنصر (جمع: عناصر) | ‘onsor (plur. ‘anāsor) | element |
| سلطنت‌طلب | saltanattalab | monarchist |
| منحصر بودن | monhaser budan | to be exclusive (to) |
| زندگی روزمره | zendegi-ye ruzmarre | daily life |
| طبقات (مفرد: طبقه) | tabaqāt (sing. tabaqe) | classes (social), layers |
| نواحی (مفرد: ناحیه) | navāhi (sing. nāhiye) | regions, areas |
| سیب‌زمینی | sibzamini | potato |
| گوجه فرنگی | goje farangi | tomato |
| متأخر | mota’axxer | late, recent |
| ویژگی | vižegi | characteristic, feature |
| برنج | berenj | rice |
| طباخ | tabbāx | a cook |
| سنتی | sonnati | traditional |
| تخصیص دادن | taxsis dādan | to allocate, to assign |
| مرسوم شدن | marsum šodan | to become popular, to become customary |
| مقیم | moqim | resident |
| نخبگان (مفرد: نخبه) | noxebgān (sing. noxbe) | elites |
| تبادل فرهنگی | tabādol-e farhangi | cultural exchange |
| اغذیه | aƴziye | food, nourishment |