Nasim Alikhani Recipes

PERSIAN COD WITH HERBS AND TAMARIND

Steps:

• In a 12-inch skillet (choose one with a lid), heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Stir in parsley, cilantro, scallions and fresh fenugreek or mint and cook until they start to stick to the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in dry fenugreek or mint, and black pepper, and sauté 1 to 2 more minutes, until starting to brown. Turn off heat and cover pan so that the steam releases any darker pieces that may have stuck to the bottom, about 5 minutes.
• While herbs cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until dark golden brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and sauté for 2 minutes longer, then stir in turmeric and drizzle with a little more oil (this prevents the turmeric from burning); cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add red-pepper flakes and stir well. Stir in 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a simmer, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 1 minute. Pour onion mixture into skillet with herb mixture.
• Return the heat under the skillet of herbs to medium and stir in tamarind paste, lemon juice and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding sugar, more tamarind or both if necessary. You are looking for a balance of sweet and tart.
• Drizzle herbs with 6 tablespoons oil, bring to a simmer, cover and continue to simmer very gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the oil separates and floats on top, about 1 hour. Taste again and adjust seasoning using more salt, sugar, tamarind or a combination.
• Wipe out the 10-inch skillet and heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Season fish with salt and pepper to taste, then place skin-side down (if there's skin) and cook until browned and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Do this in batches if necessary.
• Use a spatula to transfer fish to the herb sauce, nestling it in so the crisp, browned side is facing up. Continue to simmer sauce and fish together until fish is flaky and cooked through, another 4 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the fish and sauce to serving plates, drizzle everything generously with oil, and serve with basmati rice on the side.

SAFFRON BASMATI RICE WITH CANDIED BARBERRIES

Steps:

• Wash the rice with cool water in a large bowl. Strain it using a large colander and rinse it in cold water.
• Add 14 cups of water and the salt to a 7.5-quart nonstick pot over high heat and to bring to boil. Taste the water; it should be very salty (like pasta water). Add the washed rice and mix so it doesn't stick. Cook uncovered on medium heat until it is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Drain the rice in a large colander and rinse quickly with cold water. Shake the colander to remove the excess water.
• Pour 1/2 cup of the oil in the same pot and heat it until hot but not smoky. Add the turmeric and swirl. Put about 1/5 of the rice back in the pot and press gently until it forms a crust at the bottom. Pour the rest of the rice back in the pot without pressing so it is fluffy. Try to pour it in the center of the pot so as it settles down it creates a hilltop in the middle. Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke 6 to 8 holes into the rice to allow for steaming.
• Cover the pot and cook on medium-low heat until the rice starts steaming, 5 to 8 minutes. Open the lid, cover the pot with a clean kitchen towel to catch the moisture, then place the lid back on and cook on low heat for 45 to 50 minutes.
• Add the remaining 1/3 cup oil and the drained barberries to a small skillet and saute on medium heat, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and keep mixing for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat.
• Take 1 cup of cooked rice out of the pot and mix it with the saffron water; set it aside.
• Pour the butter all over the remaining rice still in the pot. Place a 12-inch or larger serving platter upside down on top of the pot, hold the pot handles and the platter on both sides and with one motion flip over the pot. All the rice should fall on the platter like a cake with the crispy side on top.
• Garnish with the barberries and the reserved saffron rice.
• Add the saffron to 1/4 cup of room temperature water in a water glass or coffee mug, mix well. Leave it aside for 2 hours.

PERSIAN HERB FRITTATA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, soak the barberries in cold water for 20 minutes. Using a sharp knife, finely chop the parsley, cilantro, scallions and romaine lettuce; combine in a large mixing bowl.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, salt and pepper. Whisk just until frothy. Drain the barberries, making sure to discard any small stones.
• Place an 11-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and heat until shimmering. Add the beaten eggs, barberries and walnuts to the chopped greens. Mix well, and pour into skillet, spreading it evenly. Cover the pan, and cook until set, about 10 minutes.
• Uncover skillet and divide the frittata into four wedges, separating them from one another slightly so that the liquid from the frittata can evaporate. Reduce the heat to low, and cook uncovered until the underside is browned, about 40 minutes.
• Turn the frittata over, one wedge at a time. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil inside the edge of the skillet and between each wedge. Continue to cook uncovered until the underside is browned and the frittata is compact and crisp on both sides, an additional 40 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature, with yogurt on the side, if desired.