Foreign and Cultural

Food Study
Investigating how culture, geography and traditions influence food
choices.
 COUNTRY

Iran
Iran is located in the Middle East, in southwestern Asia. It is
bordered by the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf
of Oman.
Iran is the second largest country in the Middle East and is
one of the world's oldest civilizations.
Map of Iran

Province of Gilan
Major Crops and
Livestock
The major crops grown in the country are wheat,
rice and barley.

Gilan is located in the northern part of the country

along the Caspian coast, where rice is mainly
cultivated. 52% of farmlands in this province are
paddy fields, perfect for growing semi aquatic crops.
Gilan doesn’t prominently raise livestock because
fish, kaviar and other crops are mainly grown in
their region. However, cattle are the most populated
livestocks in the regions surrounding.
Traditional Foods
Mirza
Ghasemi
This dish consists of eggplant
combined with tomatoes, garlic
and turmeric.

Oftentimes it is seen as an
appetizer but it can be
accompanied with persian
flatbread or with a side of rice.
Kebab Torsh
Kebabs can be flavoured differently based on the
regions in Iran but it's one of the most common
foods in the country.

Originated in Gilan, kabab torsh (sour) is usually

made with beef/lamb that's then marinated in
pomegranate molasses, walnuts, garlic, parsley,
and olive oil, giving it a slightly sour taste. The
whole dish is served with grilled vegetables and
rice often with saffron.
 What
influences this
ingredient?
Many traditional dishes are served by rice as it is the most
cultivated crop in Gilan and has become a staple to the Iranian
population as a whole . In the 1970s this region was mostly
villagers. Their daily diets consisted of 40-65% rice. Today,
breads have been incorporated into their diets as they have cut
down on rice, to become accustomed to their less active
lifestyles.
 HERBS

Mint Coriander Parsley Basil

The listed herbs help with general health and digestion. They can
often be incorporated into many traditional meals for their aromatic
properties.
 Spices

Turmeric Saffron Ground black/chilli pepper

Potential to prevent heart disease,
has anti inflammatory and
antioxidant properties.
Known as “red gold” to Iranians.
It’s a highly praised ingredient for
its aromatic properties and addition
to colour once incorporated into
traditional dishes.
Due to high humidity in this region,
chilli peppers promote perspiration
in the body to cool down.

Daily menu
Lunch is around 12-2pm and is the
main meal during the day. It usually
consists of lots of rice and meats.
Breakfast often consists of
Tea, lavash bread, feta
cheese, jam or honey and an
egg

The last meal of the day is always

kept very light. Dinner is from
7:00 pm onwards. The hardened
rice from earlier in the day is kept
for this time.
Special Occasions
Special Occasion:
Nowruz
An important celebration for Iranians is
the new year which is celebrated on
March 21. This day also marks the first
day of spring. To celebrate, they prepare
foods with many herbs and green on this Dish: Bagali Polo
day. The colour signifies the renewal and
rebirth of spring.
cooked rice, fava beans and dill.
Usually accompanied by fish or
a roasted leg of lamb.
Special Occasion: Wedding
When celebrating an event, a variety of traditional foods are
served to all guests. As rice is the staple of all iranian dishes, it is
always cooked and served in many different ways.

Dish: Tah Chin

Tah chin is a rice cake that

consists of mainly rice, yogurt,
saffron and eggs. It is made in a
larger pot and is flipped upside
down once the rice at the bottom
has hardened. It can be cut as
served in the desired size.
INGREDIENTS
TACHIN
Rice: 2 cups
Onion: 1 large
Chicken or meat: 600 g
Greek Yogurt: 250 g
Egg yolks: 3
Barberries: As much as you want
Saffron threads: ½ teaspoon
Salt and pepper: 1 tablespoon
Oil or butter: 50 gr
 Chop the onion and stir it with
chicken or meat in a pot for 6
minutes, then add the spices and dried
berries.

Boil the soaked rice for a few minutes

until seeing rice seeds floating on the

Steps water, then drain it.

Combine the rice with yoghurt, eggs
and saffron in a bowl and stir them
well.
Pick a pot, put some oil in it and put a
layer of rice on the bottom of it. Then
you need a layer of the meat that you
prepared on it. Continue this process
until you are out of ingredients.
Pick a pot, put some oil in it and put a
layer of rice on the bottom of it. Then
you need a layer of the meat that you
prepared on it. Continue this process
until you are out of ingredients.
 Why I chose this dish
Tah chin consists of many ingredients that are native to Iran such as
saffron, rice and barberries. These ingredients are vary important
and play a huge role to Persian gastronome, combining all
ingredients into one dish.