February 13, 2008

POMEGRANATE SOUP, LAVASH AND ELEPHANT EARS!!




Happy Valentine's day to all of you. Spread the love!








A surprise Valentine's day snowfall overnight for us today in NC!! A very beautiful white day to start the Valentine's day!:)


"Pomegranate Soup":

I read "Pomegranate Soup" by Marsha Mehran last month which tells the story of three Iranian sisters and their survival in Ireland with a secret from the past which haunts them wherever they move. Book also comes with few popular Persian recipes with their fond memories of them. I decided to make some of the recipes for you which of course enjoyed very much at home by us.

Three young Aminpour sisters flee Iran during the revolutionary era to England. Just when they are settling down in the new country, one of the sister is threatened by her past secret and they flee to Ireland to escape. While there, they start a restaurant cooking Persian delicacies but face hostility,resentment and prejudice by the locals. Just when they are getting comfortable there, their past (Well..you will have to read the book to know what that is!) catches up again. As the time passes, finally they are accepted into the Irish society, youngest sister finds love and all is well in the end!!:)

Iranian/Persian Menu:
Pomegranate soup (Aash-e Anar),
Lavash (Nan-e Lavash),
Elephant Ears( Goosh-e Feel).





I am sending this wholesome Pomegranate soup to Meeta from "what's for lunch honey?" for her Monthly Mingle event with the theme of "One-dish dinners" this month. Enjoy all in one dinner Meeta!:)




One pot dishes are a great solution to our busy lives. They are also healthy and less labor intensive, saves lot of time without needing to use more than one pot to wash up later. You have a choice of making soups, stews, Casseroles and Risottos in one pot and if you make a large batch,they are easily freezable for the next time too!!

Pomegranate soup goes to sra from "when soup came alive" to her "AFAM" event as well. She has chosen "Pomegranate" this month to cook and blog about. Thanks sra!:)

The pomegranate fruit is originated from Persia, has been cultivated and widely used in Asia and the Mediterranean region.They are rich in antioxidants.More info is here.

In India and Iran, Pomegranates are called Anar. The most famous and memorable Hindi movie made in India in 1953 is "Anarkali", which means "pomegranate blossom" bestowed for the beauty of a dancing girl in the Mughal court! It's a love story with a tragic ending of a Mughal Prince Jahangir who falls in love with a young beautiful courtesan, which is forbidden by his father Emperor Akbar. On Emperor Akbar's order, she was buried alive as her punishment for falling in love with the prince!!

Pomegranate-Beet soup (Aash-e Anar):

Pomegranate soup is simple and deliciously tangy, all in one meal with very subtle spices. Just adding Pom juice will not give you the bright red color, I added a slice of Beet (not traditional) , chopped finely to the soup which gives that vibrant color. You can use any kind of meat balls or add veg Koftas but lamb koftas are traditionally added to this soup in Iran.


1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil or butter, saute 2 small onions chopped, 2 garlic chopped, until golden. Add washed and drained 1/3 cup Moong dal (yellow split peas), 1/2 cup rice, saute for a minute in oil. Add a slice of Beet, finely chopped to the soup.(You can skip this if you don't have the Beet on hand but soup looks yellowish!)
2. Add 4-5 cups of water or stock, salt, pepper, 1/4 tsp turmeric. Bring it to Boil and then turn down the heat to simmer, cover and cook until rice and dal are half way cooked ie for 30 mins. Add 3 tbsp Parsley, 3 tbsp Cilantro, 2 tbsp mint leaves, 1/4 cup green onions to the pot, mix,cover and simmer again for 15 mins.

3. Meanwhile, mix Lamb or any ground meat with any spices you like or just with little salt, make medium sized round meat balls and drop them into the soup.
4. Add 1 1/2 cups Pomegranate juice, 1/2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp Angelica Powder, (I didn't have this pd) simmer until cooked soft. Adjust the salt and pepper.
5. Garnish with garlic chives and serve with or without Lavash on the side.

Note: Although this recipe doesn't have these, you could add 1 tsp cumin seeds powder, few chili flakes for more taste.




Nan-e Lavash
goes to "Flat breads" event hosted by Petra from "Chili and Ciabatta" blog this month, a "bread baking day #7" event started by Zorra from "kochtopf". Thanks for hosting, enjoy the beautiful bread!:)





Lavash, also called Naan-e Lavash in Persia, is a popular bread. You can have this with soups or serve with Kababs. Easy to make, it tastes great right out of the oven. Usually, it is rolled out to a very large rectangle and thin, almost crispy bread. Since I don't have that much of counter space, I made it as big as I can and about 1/4" thick. You can use stand mixer with dough hook to make the dough too to make it easy on you. Enjoy.

Lavash (Nan-e Lavash):
(Cut this recipe into half (ie use 2 cups flour etc) if you want less lavash for your family or you can divide 4 cups flour dough into half and freeze for future use too!)

1. Warm 1/2 cup water until 110F to 115F, add 1 tbsp of quick rising Yeast, 1 tsp sugar,let it foam.
2. In a wide pan, add yeast water, 1/4 cup Olive oil, 1 cup warm milk, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar, 2tbsp Sesame seeds, mix.
3. Add in 4 cups plain flour gradually, 1 cup at a time and mix with liquid until you can knead it to a dough. Divide into 4-6 balls, cover and let it rise for 30 mins.
4. Preheat the oven for to 500F. Roll out a ball of dough as thin as you can and into a rough rectangle shape. Place it on a buttered or sprayed baking sheet, brush some water on top, sprinkle some Poppy seeds and bake for 5 mins. As soon as you see the red spots on top, take it out, do not let it burn. Fold and cover it with a fooi to reheat or serve immediately. Repeat with other dough pieces. Your yummy Lavash is ready!!

Elephant ears (Goosh-e Feel):
Here is a fun dessert for the young and the old called Elephant Ears, which refers to the shape of the crisp sweet which looks like Elephant ears! Again, very easy to make and sprinkled with sweet Cinnamon (not Dalchini) and sugar, it's delcious. (Skip egg, use half the recipe to make a few Gooshe Feel, like I did. This following recipe makes quite a large batch!) Here is the recipe as it is given in the book.

Make the sprinkle first:
Mix 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tbsp Cinnamon powder well and keep aside.

1. Beat 1 egg in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup Rose water and 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder. Mix well.
2. Slowly, add in 3 1/2 cups plain flour, knead.Make balls, roll out thin, cut into 5" circle. With your index finger and thumb, pinch the middle of the circle until they touch.
3. Heat oil, fry these until golden. Drain on paper, sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top generously before they cold.
4. Store in an air tight container when cooled.


Cheesy Lavash!!
My kids love Cheese bread! So, as soon as the Lavash came out of the oven, I added Jack cheese on top, sprinkled some steak spices and folded it into half. The heat in the hot Lavash melts the cheese and it's delicious to eat soon after the cheese melts!


****************************************************************************************************************************
I managed to read just one book this week, didn't have much time to spare. Husband and my son were both sick from the dreaded cold Virus going around everywhere these days. Both are okay now, "old girl" and the young girl took care of them well! :D

"Fried Butter" by Abe Opinkar, about his certain memories attached particular food. He says when mom was pregnant with him, she became sensitive to light, so she would draw all the curtains in the house in Summer and start making fried eggs to soothe herself and she tells him the whole house smelled like fried butter when she was carrying him.

He also writes few beautiful paragraphs about Indian Basil and why it's worshiped and how it is used in daily lives of Indians! He once drove 45mins in the storm just to buy the 3 plants of rare Indian Basil (Tulsi Basil as he calls them) from a herb nursery!!:)

He talks about why French do not like to bathe often, the history and the reason behind it, talks about his high school days in Japan and his experiences in Latin America and Israel too. A very enjoyable read.

Movie I watched:

"Immortal Beloved", a movie about the life of composer Ludwig Van Beethoven with his beautiful music. Immortal beloved was a name he had given to a woman he loved and mentioned in his letters he had left behind after he dies but nobody knew who she was but they try to investigate to find her identity! All these geniuses are so eccentric,aren't they?! ;p

Have a wonderful day today and a great weekend!:)

115 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh My God....Asha akka you are the best cook...:)

sra said...

Asha, I can only imagine the taste, it sounds so exotic. You have me wanting to read the book now. And the elephant ears are perfect - remind me of baby elephants, for some reason!

ChrisB said...

Hi Asha
Those soups look very interesting. I have recently read an article on the health benefits of beet! I love the look of the Elephant Ears. Also I must look out for that book I think it's one I would enjoy.

FH said...

Supriya, thanks.

sra, glad you liked it, tastes great too, tangy and not too many spices!:)

Chris, that book has a beautiful description of Ireland, do read and recommend it to Beccy as well!:)

Petra aka Cascabel said...

Hello Asha,
I got your mail for bbd #7. Thank you very much for your flatbread which looks really delicious!

Kalai said...

Ashakka, I love the color of that soup! You are so creative, it's ridiculous! (I mean that in a good way.) I love anything tangy, so this is my kind of dish. Lavash and elephant ears look great, too. Thanks!

Finla said...

Wow you do make some unusual cuisine. I have never had this soup.
It sounds really good.
Elephant ears sounds funny. It looks really cute.
I can see that you have kept your promise. You indeed are reading books like you said.

Sia said...

what a exotic spread 'old girl' :)
u seems to be reading a lot of books these days and that too something related to food :) good for u. i get free feedbacks on books and i'll buy depending on ur feedbacks;)
all the dishes look excellent but two stands out. pom soup and elephant ears. love that elephant ears and they look like baby elephant's ears for me;)
get well soon wishes arvind and tushar. i know both u old and young girls are taking gd care of them:)
hugs to u:)

FH said...

You are welcome Petra, glad you liked it!:)

Kalai, F and Sia(HaHa!;D), thanks, enjoy.
I am not very good at reviewing the books but will give you a little insight, so can you read the rest!:)

Sia, I read Parineeta last week, no food at all there! Bummer!:D

TBC said...

This is my first glimpse into Persian cuisine.:-)

KonkaniBlogger said...

Enjoyed reading your post as usual Asha. I had borrowed the book' POmegranate Soup', from the lib, but never even read it. Just flipped thru the pages and it was time to return it:(..I will bring it again now :)..Love the elephant ears and the soup..Enjoy the rest of the week..

Uma said...

All the dishes look lovely. I liked the Pomegranate soup and the Elephant Ears. Yum!

sandhya said...

asha, those elephant ears looks very cute.Last week i tried your swiss rosti and we liked it.

Margie said...

That book "Promegrante Soup" sounds like a good one, Asha!
I'm an avid reader and I'll put it on my "to read list"

As always, your post is wonderful!
I know I would love the soup...yummy!
Elephant Ears...Yummy too!

Wishing you a lovely Valentine's day and a wonderful weekend!
Is your son getting better?
Hope so!

Take care, dear!

Margie

Shilpa said...

Liked that cheesy naan(Lavash) Asha.. Looks like stuffed crusted pizza without toppings..I dint know about any of these dishes....Good one

bee said...

will you adopt me? i'll iron clothes.

TheCooker said...

Old girl did good.
The colour of the soup is simply beautiful.

Mishmash ! said...

You made elephant ears at home??? Oh Myyy!!! they re my favs :)) but the ones we get here in our local fairs is a big round one.....i never miss such fairs :D

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

The beet pomegranate soup have a glorious colour. It sounds delicious. Beets are one of my favourites so I will have to give it a try :D

Sreelu said...

Asha, now I have got to get my hands on the book. seems very intersting just like the soup.

Rajesh &Shankari said...

what an awesome awesome spread. I like the looks of the soup

FH said...

Thanks to all of girls, hope you try!:))

Bee, I will seriously consider it. I HATE ironing!:D

Margie, they both have recovered and back to routine now. Thanks friend!:))

Unknown said...

Hey asha..lovely spread..i loved the fun looking elephant ears..:)Excellent entry for AFAM..i am trying hard to participate..but couldn't...till last week , mom was there and didn't know where my en was:)..now it's like the whole house is on my shoulders..trying hard not lose my mind..:))

About the eccentric geniuses,"Beetthovan" yet another example for "THERE IS A WOMAN BEHIND EVERY MAN'S SUCCESS"

Anonymous said...

hi Asha,
these recipes are new to me.the bright red colour of the soup looks inviting.

shalini

Richa said...

everything sounds so exotic, Asha! soup has a lovely color, must taste yum with the anar, slurrrp :) the sweet sounds so good, may i ask what brand rose water do u use?
thanks

Manasi said...

WOW!! Looks wonderful!
Elephant ears!! tee hee!!

Happy V day!!

Ashwini said...

I wish I stayed somewhere near! Those elephant ears would make such a nice coffee snack.
I have to get my hands on the books. Thanks for telling me about both.
My recommendation - The In-between World of Vikram Lall by M Vassanji.

Mansi said...

man, you always come up with dishes that have interesting names Asha! elephant ears!! hahaa...the soup sounds delicious too:)

Wish you a Happy Valentine's Day gal!

indosungod said...

Pomegranate Soup - the color looks fantastic and on top you added beet as well. Have a great time.

FH said...

Mahesh, mom left to India now! Bummer! I can understand how you must be feeling. Hugs to you.
Don't worry about events, take your time and come back only when you feel comfortable!:)

Richa, I buy Rose water from Amazon, Blessac brand and costs about $10. I use it sparingly since it's small bottle and expensive!:)

indosungod said...

Pomegranate soup looks fantastic, lovely color and with beets - no way. Elephant Ears they do look cute. Have a great time Asha.

Namratha said...

Woww Asha dear, this took us on a lovely trip to Persia. I had no idea there was a book called Pomegranate Soup with such an intense story behind it. The elephant ears look cute as ever! :)

Richa said...

thanks A! will chk it out, a good quality one will impart great flavor!

Anonymous said...

Hi, Asha!
I've been enjoying your blog, but am sorry to say it's been a long time since my last comment.
I have to tell you I read that book last summer, and tried only one recipe: the migraine headache remedy found at the beginning of Chapter 11. I was curious to see how it compared to my prescription. The dried spices are difficult to swallow, and leave a scratchy feeling in your throat, but the remedy works! I was truly amazed/surprised. :O I think I'll stick with what my doctor prescribed, though.
Your dishes look gorgeous, as usual - must try those Elephant Ears and the Lavash. Oh, yes! -Carol

FH said...

WOW!! Carol did you really try that remedy? She says in the book that it works immediately and then fades out after few mins.You are brave to try though.
Yeah,better stick to the medicine, always ask the doctor first before taking anything with herbs, might react adversely. Many herbs and roots do work like in Indian Ayurveda medicine but take a long time to work. Hope you migraine gets better!:)

Siri said...

Dear Ashaji, the soup, the bread and the elephant ears ( love the name..;) ).. all look so yummy ashaji..:D Grea entries..

Happy Valentine's day 'Big Girl'..;)

- Siri

FH said...

Thanks Siri. I am "big" and "old" too! Hahaha!!!
Happy V day!:)

DK said...

For a sec I really thought U wud have included smthing elephanty in your elepant ears dish! hehehehe :) good info on the persian cooking..the snap esp with the cheese filling luks delish!

On a personal note : My last comment was a compliment asha on how ur cooking will force me to make my hubby come to your place..We are actually not planning to .. :-) That was m,y way of expressing what an (obviously) great cook u r :)

USHA said...

Hi Ashaji,

Fine and hope so the same.Its been long time,so being wednesday today thought lets visit Ashaji's kitchen today.

Will mail you detaily in short..Wow!!!!variety of recipes...i don't which to look....all lovely recipes.

Congrats for new vehicle....

Unknown said...

The lavash and the soup are looking really great..I have already decided to try your lavash recipe tonight for dinner..The elephants ears look interesting..

Red Chillies said...

Ooh la la "Dragon lady". You live up to your reputation of being inspirationsl. Now you are inspiring me to try some persian cooking. It seems so much like our cooking. Loved the elephant ears and the POM soup.

Shionge said...

Of late the Pomegranate Juice is very popular here so I was totally caught by surprise by this wonderful post about Pomegranate Soup!!! So delightful and definitely another comfort food Asha.

Thank you for sharing and for visiting my blog too :D

So So Simple said...

Asha

That cheesy lavash. Yum.

Glad you are enjoying your reading and movies. Such a nice way to spend the day.
Shall take the book out from the library. Looks like Libraries all over the world will be busy checking out the book!!!Cheers

Vanamala Hebbar said...

soup looks fantastic nice color..

All the other dishes are so beautiful...iam sure looks tasty...

Meera said...

Wow! Your whole spread looks fantastic. pomegranate soup sounds so exotic!! I never baked lavash at home. got it from whole foods once. Elephant ears look so cute - reminds me of my daughter's stuffed toy - dumbo! I finally got the book from the library.
Very happy Valentine's day!

Linda said...

Happy Valentine's to you and your family Asha! As usual I loved reading your post -- "Pomegranate Soup" the book and the dish alike sound very appealing! That cin. sprinkle must be universal -- my mom always kept a little shaker of this combination when we were kids -- it's great on hot buttered toast :) Have a great relaxing rest-of-the-week and hope everyone's keeping healthy now!

amna said...

pom soup! thats nice. and i love the look of that cheesy nan :D yummy!

Neelam said...

Wow Asha...what an exotic menu! Everything looks delicious.

Manju said...

i dindt know elephant ears were Iranian /Persian!! will store that piece of knowledge in my brain :D n i think i shud defenitely read the pomegranate soup..

Srivalli said...

Lovely spread as usual Asha..both arvind and tushar are better now...just a doubt..does all the book that you read talk about their life and in between give recipes?...I have never read a book based on food and their memories..should try out one..I have mostly read only cookbooks..which just gives the recipe straight!..let me know...will appreciate the details..

Sig said...

I LOVE the pom soup recipe Asha... meatballs in a pomegranate gravy... that sounds exotic!!! Happy Valentine's day to you and Arvind!

Jayashree said...

That soup looks like something I'd love to make....and eat:-))

Cyberkitty said...

Happy Valentines Day!! I heard that Anarkali is supposed to have escaped through a tunnel from the palace after her death was staged by the Emperor Akbar.

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha, your comment on another blog that you went to Iran, had me wondering "did she really?".. now I see what you meant. Nice colorful platter. And I learnt something too...that I have a namesake herb/plant/spice? angelica..
Take care, good to see you are reading. I love it too, but here no concept of libraries and books are expens. to buy so I usually do on travels. Have marked a few from your list.. bye ANGELA

Seena said...

That elephant ears are real fun for kids! Only name will tempt kids to eat it..:D
thanks for giving information about the book, you brought back childhood memories that I had much sympathy towards to Anarkkali that time..:D

FH said...

Thank you girls, I appreciate all your wishes and comments!:)

Sri, they are called "food memoirs" and they talk about how certain dishes make them remember some of the incidents, good or bad happened in their life. Like here, making Pom soup in Ireland reminds the sisters of their late mother in Iran in the good, carefree times they used to have etc.
One Chinese author writes that her American husband buying Sweet potatoes in US makes her upset and angry because it reminds her how poor she was in China, Yams are the only dessert they could eat, made it so often!!
These books are very interesting to read.Some come with recipes as they tell the story and some like "Fried Butter" do not have any recipes but just great memories. Hope you read the "Mango Season" and Monsoon Dairies", they are good!:))

FH said...

Cyber Kitty, I hope she escaped!! What a cruel thing to do. In the movie, they show "Alvida" and that's it. They say it's true story too!!

DK, I am sloooowwwww!;D

Purnima said...

Asha..OMG OMG ...anaar soup, elephant ears n lavash look truly outlandish!! It seems like my body will surely get few ounces of blood with that lovely soup!!! Tks for sharing!EE are outstandingly cute!

EC said...

A nice snowfall snap...looks like a picture postcard and such lovely food in ur blog as usual

Seema said...

Asha.. Lovely dishes! My Fav the elephant ears.. they r so cute.. You got the perfect shape & they r adorable. Pomogranet soup - something very new to me - liked the rich dark redish pink colour!

Meeta K. Wolff said...

As always you blow me away with such menus. I love the sound of the soup - it has some interesting flavors. A must try and thanks for the entry!

Daily Meals said...

All the dishes sound new to me. Look delicious. Happy Valentine's Day Asha!

Bharathy said...

What a fantastic spread asha!Love all!! :)

Mythreyee said...

Lovely post Asha. Pomegranates are so proud of presenting themselves in a creamy soup. Looks so tempting.

The cheesy lavash is so tempting.

Good that somehow you managed to finish a book. I like reading robin cook books. The best I liked was chromosome 6. I saw a movie sideways. A well taken movie. enjoyed!

Nanditha Prabhu said...

hats off to you ...one serious doubt? why are you not my neighbour?

Swaroopa said...

looks gr8! thanx 4 sharing...

Finla said...

Beautiful pic asha. Just like one see on posters.
Here too it is cole but not snowing. When i went out today morning shopping, i tht my ears will fall off :-)) as they were frozen, really.
If it had you could have mingled it up with your elephant ears.
Just that my ears don't look so cute :-)))) as the elephant ears

musical said...

Ashakka, love the Persian platter! I totally am mesmerized by the soup! And am glad that you are enjoying books and some snow :). Keep warm and have some soup on my behalf too!

You totally rock!

hugs,
musical.

AnuSriram said...

Looks lovely... Pomegranate soup is a must try for me... Elephant ears?? - was little scared when i read this name... But its a flat bread... hehe he..

Cham said...

The soup is eye-catching. You are tempting a lot.... Happy V-Day!

Keshi said...

Happy Vals Day Luv!

Pomegranate soup? Never knew that! WOW!


That snow pic is gorgeous!


HUGGGGGGGGZ!
Keshi.

Dhivya said...

hi asha..soup looks yuumy and delicious.Happy V day to u

Purnima said...

Asha, Happy Valentine's Day to you! Loved the early morning snow -lovely shot! I hv put something on my blog, remembered you as you had told me 'wish the cookies were heart shaped' (i don't yet own a heart-shaped cookie cutter, but a cake tin came handy!)

Pravs said...

I am tempted to try elephant ears. It looks so cute :) you always have very interesting dishes, very interesting soup.

SMN said...

Ashakka, happy Valentine day.. lovely dishes.. pomogranate soup is a new and innovative concept. thank you for sharing.

Raaga said...

Ashakka... too much! I wish I could cook up a storm like you do... lovely lovely stuff... :-)

Beccy said...

I must make the pomegranate soup for Dillon as that's his favourite fruit. We had strawberry soup once when he was three and he still talks about how delicious it was!

FH said...

Beccy, I am sure he will love this soup. It is also a substantial meal with rice and lentil, good for us too! Enjoy!:)

Pragyan said...

That was awesome! Books review, movie review and recipes..what else does one need? You got me on the book...I am eager to read it right now! :) Thank you.

Suganya said...

Hi Asha..
Pomegranate soup is looking so colourful....never tasted it before...Lavash looks so good...

Prema Sundar said...

Interesting pomegranate soup recipe... and look at the elephant ears ..they look very cute and perfect. As usual nice spread Asha.

Susan from Food Blogga said...

Now I see what you mean about elephant ears! :) Love them!

AnuZi said...

Geez look at all those comments! Loved your blog for a while now..thought I would finally leave a lil note. Novice cook and trying my hand at the foodie blogging world. May I blog roll you pweeze. Hope you had a good v-day and a great weekend coming up :o)

Meera said...

THANKS! You know why? I read the monsoon diary. i enjoyed it. Thanks for the suggesting it. loved the recipes too. was going to send you email but for some reason, my yahoo is not working. so am leaving comment here. hope it's ok.

Mona said...

That is a very Interesting recipe! I make meat ball curry, but soup with lentils and meatballs sounds deliciously interesting!

The elephant ears are mouth watering too!

Have a nice weekend Asha! :))

Deepa said...

Fantastic Ashaji!!..I am searching for words ..Very different recipe ..You rock as usual!!!

Menu Today said...

Hi Asha,
All the names are very new to me.
Elephant ears look very cute.
Take care .
Thanks for sharing.

FH said...

AnuZi, you welcome to blogroll me, I will do the same if you have a blog too. Always good to see a new blogger, enjoy!:)

Meera, glad you loved the bok. I don't often check my e mails, so it's quite okay to leave a comment here!:)

Susan, Mona, Deepa, MT, thanks girls, enjoy your weekend!:)

Viji said...

The soup, the bread are rocking Asha. Very nice. Have a good day and take care. Viji

FH said...

Thanks Viji, good to see you here. Have a great weekend!:))

Roopa said...

wow Asha, as ever a fabulous dishes loved the pom soup and elephant ears .loved the writup as ever too. have a great weekend and belated happy v day too. :)

Anonymous said...

Like i have always been saying, you cook a lot! If only my house was nearer to yours..
The picture of the Valentine's Day morning looks beautiful :-)
And i love to try breads, this Naan looks awesome. Thnx for sharing..

www.zaiqa.net

Shalini said...

Hello Ashaji,
I came here from vcuisine and boy.. what have I discovered!!Your blog simply rocks!!Have bookmarked many of your recipes to try :) The Iranian spread looks yum.Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
Shalini

Lisa Johnson said...

Hey Asha! Belated Happy Valentine's Day! I love the music here! It's always such a treat. Everything in this post looks amazing and the book sounds really interesting too. Have a wonderful weekend! ; )

Jaya M said...

That anar soup looks so royal ...
wow! elephant Ears LOl..
great reading post always ...
hugs and smiles
jaya

Anonymous said...

you made lavash bread at home???! wow i am going to try your recipe over here:)
paati

FH said...

Easiest bread recipe I have ever made at home Paati. Just make it a little thicker than what the recipe says,easy to scoop the gravy than a very crisp cracker like Lavash!:))

Saju said...

Hi Asha,
I hope all is well for you, lovely spread as usual, I am now hunting down that book to read, thanks

FH said...

Saju, I just came from your blog to check my comments here, good to see you!
I am doing great. Enjoy that book, really interesting to read about other cultures!:)

Anamika:The Sugarcrafter said...

Hi asha
loved the story and the recipes, especially of pomegranate soup. It must taste nice. Was caught up with work but when ever i get time, i try to catch up. Thanks.

Kalpana said...

Wonderful snap of Valentine's Day! Lovely..... Did not hear about this soup early..... When I wish to do, I'll definitely c ur blog.........Thanks......

Susan said...

Lovely meal, Asha. I didn't know you could get powdered angelica. Candied angelica is so hard to come by that I've considered planting it myself to have a summer supply of it; I've had to order the sweet imported from Italy. Hope you are well.

FH said...

I am doing great Susan, thank you!:)

Angelica powder is available at Amazon. Since I don't use it at all i n my cooking, I didn't buy it. Sounds like a healthy root pd to have though, must try once.

Kajal@aapplemint said...

ooh the elephant ears look adorable !!! absolutely love the cheese lavash ! i tried baking some zatar bread today abt 2 hrs ago ... was supposed to remove them after 20 mins but got busy n forgot all about them. An hr later , i removed zatar toast frm the oven !!!!!

FH said...

Aw!!! Kajal, so sorry. If it's any consolation to you, I burnt the cheese on the Burgers under the grill trying to melt it but they came out charred!:P
Fortunately, I could pick out the cheese layer, and grill again with new cheese!:)

Padmaja said...

Sweetest Asha!! You always amaze me with your wonderful recipes!!Iranian menu eh!!! Looks so wonderful and feel like finding an iranian restaurant now to try their cuisine!!

Cakespy said...

Wow, it all looks so good--I think the love will keep on coming all year with dishes like this!

starry said...

Happy BelaTED valentine's day to you Asha. Had never heard of pommergranite soup before, the Lavash with the jack cheese looks so delicious.I have to read the book, thanks for the excellant review.

Mandira said...

Love the pomegranate soup asha, I am going to try it soon. Gorgeous photos too!

Reeta Skeeter said...

Except the Lavash, of which I am aware, I never knew of the existence of the others. Thanks for sharing :D

FH said...

Skeeter, that book takes you to 3 countries, specially to Iran. They are all wonderfully tasty dishes, very different from our spice filled dishes!:))

Rachna said...

wow pom soup, that sounds awsome!!!

FH said...

Hope you try Rachna, when you get some time that is. Sweet and tangy soup!:)

Amanda said...

Wow--that soup looks wonderful, and nutritious to boot! And I had to force myself not to lick my computer screen when I saw that cheesy lavash...

FH said...

lol! Thanks Mrs,W,hope you try the soup and Lavash too. If you like tangy taste in soup, you will love it!:))