Vegetarians, An English word. when you hear this word, may you think there is some problem between this word and middle east countries. I’ll tell you right.

Because every one has heard about famous foods in this area. Kabab, Kale Pache, Dizi and etc.

But now, I should tell you that Iran has had many types of veggies.

Persian culture has several unique types of vegetarian foods with special taste. it’s really really delicious and so popular in Iran.

When you ask about vegetarian foods or restaurants in Iran, maybe you don’t receive any answer, but these foods are really easy to find so you can find them in all Iranian restaurants.

In this post, I want to introduce some Iranian veggiess that you can find in any city of Iran. So let’s go.

1. Ash Reshte

This is a famous vegetarian food of Iran. Ash Reshte or Ashe Reshte is a traditional food in soup type (this isn’t a soup, soup is not a food. but my mom doesn’t believe that!) and has been eaten in Iran and Azerbaijan.

The ingredients used are reshteh (thin noodles), kashk (a whey-like dairy product), herbs such as parsley, spinach, dill, spring onion and sometimes coriander, chick peas, black eye beans, lentils, onions, flour, dried mint, garlic, oil, salt and pepper.

This food is used as a main dish, specially in winter and Ramadan.

2. Kashke Bademjan

Kashke Bademjan is one of the most popular Persian appetizers. Bademjan is eggplant in Farsi, and kashk is a yogurt product that is traditionally made through a long process from very firm strained yogurt.

The final product is either formed into balls, or pressed through a large sieve into strips, and dried. When dried kashk is used in a recipe it has to be soaked in small amounts of warm water and dissolved gradually to produce a light tan-colored, thick creamy liquid. Kash is also available in most Middle Eastern markets in liquid form.

Kashke Bademjan has found its way to almost every Persian restaurant in the U.S. This appetizer can be eaten warm or at room temperature with toasted pita wedges, flat bread, or baguettes. Just like most recipes there are many different versions of Kashke Bademjan.

3. Mirza Ghassemi

Mirza Ghassemi is a famous vegetarian food in my mother land, Guilan in north of Iran. but it’s available all around Iran in different tastes.

Mirza Ghassemi is a Northern Iranian appetizer or main based on tandoori or kabobed aubergine, distinct to the Caspian Sea region. The dish consists of aubergines seasoned (eggplant) with garlic, tomato, turmeric, oil or butter, salt and pepper bound together with eggs. It can be prepared as a casserole dish, and is usually served with bread or rice.

The variant made with zucchini instead of aubergine is called Kadoo Ghassemi.

4. Kuku

Kuku also spelled as Kookoo is an egg based Persian and Azeri dish. It is frequently a vegetarian dish, made with whipped eggs which then are folded in with various ingredients. It is similar to the Italian dish frittata or an open-faced omelette. Kuku typically has less eggs than a frittata, and it cooks for a shorter amount of time, over a low heat, before turned over or grilled briefly to set the top layer.

For the typical Kuku Sabzi recipe (as pictured), the eggs and herbs are mixed and seasoned with salt, black pepper, walnuts, sometimes flour, sometime barberries, sometimes baking powder and ground turmeric or spice mixture. The mixture is then poured into a preheated oiled pan, covered and cooked over low heat until set, sometimes flipped or finished in a hot oven. Some cooks saute the herbs briefly before adding the eggs. The amount of herb ingredients usually greatly exceeds the amount of eggs, which merely serve to hold the kuku together, making the predominant flavor that of the herbs rather than that of a typical “egg omelette.” Walnuts and zereshk (barberries) are a favorite garnish for the top. It is often sliced and served hot or cold with bread or rice, yogurt, sabzi khordan (platter of fresh herbs) and torshi (pickled vegetables). Kuku can be a main dish or an appetizer

You can also find several vegetarian foods in Iran such as Baghla Ghatogh. also Persians have several breads that can be used as a food.