Upland Kabob

Persian cuisine is famous for the accompaniments served with each dish. This might include a plate of fresh herbs, a variety of flatbreads, mixed pickles (Torshi), and fresh white cheese.

Did you know that tea is the most frequent drink to accompany a meal in Persian cuisine? While a number of tea varieties exist, coffee is also considered a common Persian beverage.

What are the two most popular meats used to create kebabs in Persian cuisine? Lamb and chicken. However, kebabs can be made with almost any combination of meat, vegetable and fruit ingredients paired with a wide variety of spices and herbs.

Known as "The Jewel of Winter," pomegranate is a popular component of Persian dishes, harvested in the Northern Hemisphere from September to February. There are more than 750 species of pomegranate.

As rice was traditionally a Persian staple, it often was reserved for the rich, while bread was the staple for the remainder of the country. Basmati rice, adopted from India, is common in Persian dishes.

Like many of the finest cuisines of the world, Persian food takes time. In traditional cuisine, spices are ground by hand and stews are allowed to simmer on the stove for hours on end.

One type of bread which is a mainstay in Persian cuisine is taftan flatbread. This circular bread has a delicious soft texture, and it is often flavored with saffron and cardamom powder; traditional taftan bread is baked in a clay oven.

While a stew may be considered an inelegant meal in Western cuisines, stews known as khoresh are an integral part of Persian cuisine. A primary difference is that khoresh is often served with a golden-crusted basmati rice.

Stews are common in Persian cuisine. Some popular items include Aash-e Aab Leemoo - made of rice, herbs, meat, lime juice and sugar - and Aash-e Sholeh Ghalamkar, which is richer but also is made of meat, herbs and rice.

One notable characteristic of Persian cuisine is using ingredients with contrasting flavors to create a dish that includes a combination of tastes and textures. For example, bitter and sweet or mild and spicy flavors paired with chewy and smooth textures.

So what exactly is Tah-chin? This is a savory saffron rice cake that's filled with marinated chicken fillets and is often served alongside kabobs and other dishes.

A very popular Persian dish that's beloved in the U.S. today is Jujeh Kabob. This is a chicken kabob first marinated in a lemon juice, onion, and saffron sauce, and then grilled over a fire.

While fruit is a favorite treat among Persians, exotic desserts prevail as well. These can include a number of concoctions, some incorporating nuts and dates. These desserts typically are reserved for special occasions. And, of course, you will find these delights at tea time.