Norooz ‘a Palooza

Norooz goldfish, cigar box, color pencils | Scenes from Iranian New Year 2012This post written earlier and scheduled to publish while I’m off on my excellent adventure to Iran.

Hi everyone! A bunch of us Persian food bloggers (there’s a whole host of us out there apparently) gathered together under the tutelage of our fearless leader My Persian Kitchen to offer you a Norooz linkup roundup bonanza. The links to all these amazing Persian food bloggers and cookbook writers is below. (We may each spell Norooz differently, but ultimately we’re paying homage to the “New Day” Iranian New Year, born at the birth of spring, and replete with myriad pretty traditions.)

I’m packing and preparing for my trip as I write this post. Since time is of the essence, I hope you’ll accept and enjoy this pictorial roundup offering of some Norooz-themed vignettes, DIY, traditions and of course food! Infused with the colors, optimism and the beautiful promise of that most charming of seasons: spring!

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“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” Rainer Maria Rilke

Well, it’s not spring yet but it will be soon. Soon! Let’s plant seeds!

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If you are celebrating Norooz or Easter, don’t forget to grow some sabzeh – sprout some lentil and wheat grass. It’s easy, here’s a DIY guide to growing sabzeh. Just make sure you do a better job than I did with that dude to the right. Poor chap, that is quite a scraggly head of hair. He needs some grass plugs!

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Speaking of scraggly hairdos, here’s a sabzeh that is definitely ready for 13 bedar and its journey down a stream!

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Do you want to color eggs for Norooz or Easter? It’s a symbol of fertility, birth and renewal and it’s fun. You totally should!

Here’s a step by step DIY guide to coloring eggs with natural homemade dye made following the instructions of the doyenne of good and laborious taste: my beloved Martha Stewart. (If you’re going to try just one homemade dye, cabbage offers the prettiest family palette of hues. I love the cabbage dye for eggs. Love it! Try it!)

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Whether you are of Iranian persuasion or not, let’s face it, it’s always a good time for fessenjoon – the yummy Persian pomegranate and walnut stew. Fessenjoon: akh joon!

And while you are at it, you may want to take a Persian rice from plain to Pawabunga and make a rice dish that is a pretty spectacle fit for any festive feast.

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Why not mix ground almonds, cardamom, confectioners sugar and rosewater formed into the shape of a mulberry (or even a Rubenesque pear like the divinely talented El Oso Con Batos did) bathed in a bed of granulated sugar and crowned with a pistachio stem? This marvel is tut and it is a confection that is tout delicious and cute. Pop pop pop into your mouth it goes. Recipe here!

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And if you’re still wondering what’s up with haft seen and what do those seven S’s mean, do check out this illustrated Guide to what’s in Haft Seen and the symbolism behind this tableau vivant.

There is an Iranian custom that a traveler must bring back a present for each and every member of family and extended relatives. That present is called a soghati. I definitely hope to bring soghati for all of you. Sharing some of the highlights of my journey to Iran.  Meanwhile, let’s feast our eyes upon a token of the promise of spring’s beautiful soghati – arriving soon at our doorsteps.

Now let’s go and check out these awesome Persian food bloggers and taste the wonderful Norooz palooza treats they have in store for you.



Ahu Eats: Norouz 2014 Recipe: Toot – Persian Mulberry Marzipan Candy 

Café Leilee:  Northern-Iranian Style Herb Stuffed Fish

Fae’s Twist & Tango: Naw-Rúz, A New Year Recipe Round-up!

Family Spice:  Norouz Twist on Kookoo Sabzi (Persian Herb Quiche with Chard and Kale)

Lucid Food:  Persian Raisin and Saffron Cookies for Norooz

My Persian Kitchen:  Naan Gerdooee ~ Persian Walnut Cookie 

Simi’s Kitchen: New Blog for Nowruz!

Spice Spoon: Noon Berenj – Thumbprint Rice Flour Cookies with Saffron & Rosewater for Persian Nowruz

The Pomegranate Diaries:  Nowruz Inspired Pistachio, Rosewater and Cardamom Shortbread Cookies 

Turmeric & Saffron:  Loze Nargil – Persian Coconut Sweets with Rosewater and Pistachios for Nowruz

West of Persia: Happy Nowruz, Recipe Roundup, and a Classic: Kuku Sabzi on TV

Zozo Baking: Nane Nokhodchi for Nowruz

To those of us celebrating the Persian new year: Norooz ‘etoon Pirooz!

To all of us on the planet (save for our down-under friends): Happy Spring!

And to our Oz and Kiwi friends: Happy Autumn! (A most poetic season.)

Basically: Happy, happy, happy!