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Having
its foundation in Zoroastrianism, Nowruz, Norooz, Norouz, Newroz,
Nevruz or Persian New Year is a thirteen day celebration held annually
by Iranians around the globe, marking the first day of spring (the
Vernal Equinox) and the beginning of the New Year."O
Majesty, on this feast of the Equinox, first day of the first month of
the year, seeing that thou hast freely chosen God and the Faith of the
Ancient ones; may Surush the Angel-messenger, grant thee wisdom and
insight and sagacity in thy affairs. Live long in praise, be happy and
fortunate upon thy golden throne, drink immortality from the Cup of
Jamshid; and keep in solemn trust the customs of our ancestors, their
noble aspirations, fair gestures and the exercise of justice and
righteousness." ---Omar Khayyam, Nowruznama
The Haft Sin, or the Seven S's. is an important Persian New Year
tradition. Families create a ceremonial table bearing specific items
that symbolically represent spiritual values.
• Sabzeh: Rebirth - A dish of sprouted wheat, barley or lentils
• Serkeh: Patience Gained with Age - Vinegar
• Samanu - Affluence - A sweet, wheat germ porridge or pudding
• Somaq - Sunrise - Sumac berries
• Senjed - Love - Fruit of the lotus tree, dried
• Sib - Beauty and Health - Apples
• Sir - Health - Garlic • Other elements may include a mirror (ayne), two candelabras (sha'am),
gold coins (sekeh), sweets (shirini), hyacinth (sonbol), flatbread
(sangak), goldfish (mahi), an incense made of wild rue (esfand),
decorated eggs (tokhme morgh), nuts (ajil), an heirloom embroidered
cloth, and Scriptures.
Persian New Year traditions include spring cleaning the house, paying
off debts, wearing new clothes, buying flowers like tulips and
hyacinths, visiting family, friends and neighbors and/or throwing large
parties, and enjoying outdoor picnics on the thirteen day. Customary
dishes are also served during this time, although they vary according to
region.
Norooz Foods
All kinds of sweets, pastries, nuts and sherbets are eaten in large
amounts during Norooz. Some of the more popular Norooz dishes include:
Sabzi Polo ba Mahi -- rice tinted vivid green with herbs and served with fried fish. Served on New Year's day;
Kookoo Sabzi -- an herbed omelet;
Reshteh Polo -- chunks of lamb with rice and noodles;
Dolmeh Barg -- grape leaves stuffed with a mixture of rice and ground lamb; and
Shekar Polo -- a sweet rice pilaf.
The final day of Norooz is a time for families to drive to the
countryside for day-long picnics. People revel in the fresh and warming
air. Because the next day, it's back to work.
Chaharshanbe
Suri, the Festival of Fire, is held on the night before the last
Wednesday of the year as a celebration of the triumph of light (good)
over darkness (evil). Celebrants go into the street and jump over fires,
and eat traditional pastries and nuts to give thanks for the previous
year's happiness and health. Other traditions may also be observed,
including a symbolic cleansing of misfortune by breaking earthenware
jars, or attempting to divine one's future by hiding and listening to
the conversations of passers-by (if the conversations are positive, it
means good fortune).
Hajji Firuz, a figure heralding Persian New Year by singing, dancing and playing tambourine and trumpet, has a black painted face and wears red
clothing. His presence is said to make families happy, thus ensuring
blessings and abundance in the coming year. He is the sidekick of Amoo
Norooz, a Santa Claus-like figure who gives gifts to children.
Themes of Persian New Year include fire, goldfish, a pot of sprouted
wheat, a Haft Sin table or groups of Haft Sin elements, tulips and
hyacinths, Hajji Firuz, beautifully decorated eggs, and the colors red,
green and white.
Persian Recipes for you to try
Traditional Norooz recipes
Kookoo Sabzi
(Persian herbed omelet)
A kookoo - also spelled kookoo-ye, kuku, or kou-kou - is a Persian-style egg dish that is similar to an Italian frittata or an open-faced omelet. Iranians make many, many different types with a variety of flavorings. The kookoo sabzi, flavored with a variety of herbs and tinted a deep green, is probably the most popular.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat the butter or oil in an ovenproof sauté pan or skillet over medium flame. Add the scallions, parsley, cilantro and dill and sauté until the herbs are cooked down somewhat, around 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. Add the eggs, turmeric, salt and pepper to a large bowl and beat until smooth. Stir in the cooled herbs. Pour the eggs back into the sauté pan and place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the eggs are fully set. Run a knife around the edges of the kookoo and invert onto a serving platter. Cut into wedges and serve hot or cold with a garnish of plain yogurt.
Variations
Substitute chopped lettuce leaves or spinach for some of the herbs. For a fancier kookoo sabzi, add 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1 tablespoon currants to the beaten eggs. Or simply garnish the finished kookoo with roasted whole walnuts. In Iran, barberries, which are similar to dried cranberries, are often added. The kookoo can also be finished on the stovetop. Just cook it over medium-low flame until the bottom is set, then carefully flip it to cook the other side.
Sabzi Polo
(Persian herbed rice)
Sabzi polo is a brilliant green version of the famous Persian "polo," or pilaf, rice dishes. The green comes from a variety of herbs that give an otherwise plain dish a sublime flavor. Pair sabzi polo with fried fish, and you have sabzi polo va mahi, the traditional Nowruz Persian New Year meal.
4 to 6 servings Ingredients
Basmati rice -- 3 cups Scallions, minced -- 2 bunches Dill weed, finely chopped -- 1 cup Parsley, finely chopped -- 1 cup Cilantro, finely chopped -- 1 cup Oil or melted butter -- 1/3 cup Stock or water -- 2 cups
Method
In a large bowl, wash and drain the rice in 2 or 3 changes of water. Add more water to cover and set the rice aside to soak for 1 to 2 hours. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drain the soaked rice and stir it into the boiling water. Return to a boil and cook the rice for 2 to 3 minutes. Then drain the rice, discarding the water. Mix the scallions, dill, parsley and cilantro together. Spread the oil or melted butter over the bottom of the pot you used to boil the rice. Spread one-third of the rice over the bottom of the pot. Next spread 1/2 of the mixed herbs in a second layer over the rice. Spread another 1/3 of the rice in a layer over the herbs and the rest of the herbs over this second layer of rice. Finally, top with the remaining rice and smooth out the surface. Pour the stock or water over the rice and stick 4-5 holes into the rice with the handle of a wooden spoon. Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil and then with a lid and set over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Then reduce heat to low and simmer slowly for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest another 15 minutes. Gently stir the rice and herbs together with a large fork. Mound in serving dish and serve the crusty bottom (called the tadig) in a dish on the side.
Variations
Sabzi Polo va Mahi: This is a traditional dish served on Nowruz, the Persian New Year. Simply serve sabzi polo with fried whole fish or fish fillets. Other herbs that can be used include fenugreek leaves and garlic chives. For an extra special dish, sprinkle a big pinch of saffron into the stock or water. *recipes provided from http://www.whats4eats.com/holidays/nowruz-recipes-traditions
*** Here is a blog that I found that has many interesting and varied repices ... go check it out! :-)
You wonder what "Reshteh" means in Farsi? It means thin flat Persian noodles.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
1/4 cup slivered orange peel, bitterness removed
5 dates
1/4 cup raisins
1 onion, fine diced
4oz of reshteh (you can substitute with capellini)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp saffron
1/8 tsp turmeric
Advieh
handful of slivered pistachios and almonds, toasted just prior to use
3-4 tbsp butter*
2 tbsp canola oil
Sauté onion until nice and golden.
In the mean time remove pit from dates. Cut them in quarters and dice them.
Sauté Reshteh in butter until golden. Stay close as they burn easily.
Prepare rice as you would for **Chelow (see below). However, add more salt than you would normally as the noodles and rice will be cooked together for this dish. As soon as your throw in the rice add the reshteh as well.
When the onion is nice and golden add 1 tbsp of butter.
Add turmeric and cinnamon. Give them all a nice stir.
Add dates and raisins. Give them a nice stir.
Add orange peel. Also season to taste with salt. Please don't skip on the salt. You can totally taste the difference when you don't add salt. I learned that lesson the first time!!!! Also if the mixture seems a bit too dry to you, add 1 more tablespoon of butter.
Once you have strained your rice, place 2 tbsp of canola oil with enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.
Add one layer of rice.
Sprinkle about 1/4 tsp of **advieh. (see below)
Place half of the date, raisin, orange peel, and onion mixture on top. Repeat with one more layer of rice and the remainder of the mixture. End the layers with rice.
With the back of the spatula make 5 holes around the rice.
Cook covered on high for 10 minutes.
Ground the saffron. Dissolve ground saffron in 1/4 cup of hot water. Add 1 tbsp of melted butter and mix well. Pour all over rice.
Cover the lid with a towel. Steam rice on low for one hour.
Once the polow is done place the rice in a dish and sprinkle the almonds and pistachios on top.
*Recipe courtesy of http://mypersiankitchen.com/new-years-eve-day-menu-suggestions/
Sabzi polo va mahi
White fish with herbs and rice
Serves 6-7
3 cups basmati rice
½ cup Chinese (garlic) chives
2 cups dill
A bunch of wild garlic (leaves)
2½ cups flat-leaf parsley
2 cups chopped coriander
¾ cup ghee or butter
1tsp ground saffron dissolved
in 4 tbsps of hot water
For the fish
1 large white fish (around 2½ lbs), cleaned and scaled
6 tbsps butter
1½ tsps salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp turmeric
Rinse the rice several times in warm water then soak it. Bring a large pan of salty water to the boil. Drain the rice, add to the pan and boil it - stirring occasionally to stop it sticking - for 5-10 minutes so the kernels are still firm. Drain the rice and mix one cup of it with the saffron water. Finely chop the herbs. Sprinkle the fish with salt, pepper and turmeric then brown it on both sides in the butter on a skillet.
In a big pot with a tightly fitting lid put a spoon of ghee. Then add a layer of plain rice and a layer of herbs and repeat until you have four layers of each, finishing with the saffron rice and the remaining ghee. Cover and steam on a very low flame for 10 minutes. For the last few minutes lay the fish on the rice to warm it up. The rice on the bottom will become deliciously crispy.
Baklava
Makes 20 -24 squares
1 packet filo pastry (about 16 sheets)
200g unsalted butter, melted
4 cups blanched, ground almonds
3 cups icing sugar
2 tsp ground cardamom (plus 2 pinches)
1 cup sugar dissolved in 1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
Preheat the oven to 350F. Melt the butter and use a brush to grease the bottom of a two or three inch deep baking tin. Put a layer of filo pastry over the bottom and brush this with butter. Repeat until there are four layers of buttered pastry. Mix the almonds, cardamom and icing sugar and spread the mixture over the pastry, pressing it down with the back of a spoon. Add another four sheets of buttered pastry. Cut into squares or diamonds. Pour the remaining butter over the pastry. Bake for 25-30 minutes before increasing the temperature to 450F for 10-15 minutes until the top crust is golden brown. Mix the pinches of cardamom with the sugar syrup and let it cool. Remove from the oven and pour the syrup over the top of the baklava. Sprinkle with the pistachio nuts and allow to cool.
*Recipes courtesy of http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/mar/18/recipes-baklava-iran-new-year
Greeting Card Universe offers one-of-a-kind Nowruz cards in beautiful
traditional and contemporary designs. Staying in touch with your family
and friends is central to the celebration of Persian New Year. Wish your
loved ones a prosperous and blessed New Year with a greeting card, and
send them your love no matter where they are.
When is Persian New Year?
2012 - Wednesday, March 20
2013 - Wednesday, March 20
2014 - Thursday, March 20
2015 - Friday, March 20
2016 - Sunday, March 20
2017 - Monday, March 20
2018 - Tuesday, March 20
2019 - Wednesday, March 20
2020 - Friday, March 20
2021 - Saturday, March 20
"May sadness go and happiness come,
May suffering go and blessing come,
Ay, night before Wednesday,
Ay, Key with four teeth,
Grant me my desires!
My yellow to you,
Your red to me."
Some information provided from GCU Greetings Card Universe http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/holidays/persiannewyear.asp
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