Food Status in Iran Culture
For Iranians the food is not just a meal but rather a culture; by which they express their identity, artistry and creativity.
In Iran eating is done in family style, with shared dishes as the major social activity beside the friends and families. Iranians take their meals very seriously and have many customs to go along with it; in preparing of which, they put a lot of effort and energy. Part of Iranian hospitality is to shower guests with abundance and so you’re often offered with more food than your capacity. To show respect, Iranian guests try a little from all the dishes served and finish their food on the plate; as It is considered rather impolite to leave food on your plate in an Iranian’s home.
Iranian Street Fast Foods
Despite all their rich history of cuisine and colorful foods, nowadays Iranian like many other advancing countries, are more and more attracted to Street Foods.Iranian street foods are getting more popular either in-home, as a fast meal or in the streets. Yet surely what you try, depends on your time of visit, as each season brings with it something new. Plus, other spots, you can go to 30 Tir Street near the National Museum of Iran and enjoy one of these fast foods.
Best Iranian Street Foods
Iranian street foods owe their origin to the distinctive culinary traditions prevailing in the nation; all of which, nutritious, healthy, and delicious. Simple, colorful, and tasty, these foods offer magnificent edibles to the food lovers; some of them are:
1. Falafel
This is a Middle Eastern deep-fried snack prepared in various kinds and by different ingredients: from mashing chickpeas to other lentils such as fava beans. While traditionally served as a filling forpita bread, it can also be consumed as a snack. Toasted with sesame seeds, these crunchy croquette-likes make a great munch.
2. Samosa
This yummy snack originally worked its way from the south of Iran to the other cities and on the Iranian street foods’ list; though, Samosa from Iran south is always spicier. Easily find in each street, Samosas have different kinds of fillings. One of the most common of which, is ground beef and onion, another one is sausages and some others are totally vegan and have fillings like mashed spicy potato and parsley. Iranian Samosa is wrapped like triangles with Lavash Bread and deep-fried.
3. Persian Pizza
While there is quite a massive difference between the classic Italian pizza and the Persian Pizza, the latter is one of the popular Iranian street foods. If you look at it closely, you will find it a complete pita, topped with various items; in accord with customers tastes.
4. Aash-e Gandom
In simple words, this is a Persian stew with a soup-like face. Colorful, healthy, and nutritious, this kind of Iranian Street Food comes with the goodness of meat, spinach, wheat, beans peas, as well as lentils. Flavored with black pepper, this makes a good warmer for the cold wintry days.
5. Ash reshte
A must-have during the frigid winter months, this healthy and hearty soup features noodles with various herbs and legumes, topped with a mixture of garlic and onions fried with dried mint. The make or break of âsh is kashk, a salty, fermented whey product, that is swirled on top. As you wind your way along Tehran streets, stop for a satisfying a bowl of this sort of Iranian street food, that for sure will fill you up and replenish your energy.
6. Halim
Also called Haleem, this is a soup sharing a robust resemblance with porridge. A homogenous rich soup, it is prepared with wheat and pounded meat: turkey, goose, or lamb. Flavored with cinnamon powder, it undeniably is eaten by sugar and is one of those unavoidable Iranian Street Foods. To most people this edible has the top priority in Iranian street foods list!
7. Shish Kebab
This is one of the most popular Iranian street food delights. Meat, along with fruits and vegetables, are marinated, skewered, and grilled to perfection. These, in general, are served with rice under the name of Chelo Kebab.
8. Shawarma
This one of Iranian street foods, can also be called as the Middle Eastern sandwich that’s artfully formed by: thinly sliced cuts of meat, like chicken, beef, goat, lamb, and sometimes turkey along with pickles, tomatoes, and lettuces rolled into a large piece of flatbread or pita, steamed or heated.
9. Laboo
For some, beets hold no allure, but this root vegetable is a beloved winter snack for Iranians. Scattered across Tehran are vendors selling peeled, steaming-hot, boiled beets, neatly stacked according to size. Choose your bowl size, and the beets will be diced up before your eyes. Find a comfy bench and enjoy these sweet snacks while they are hot.
10. Baghali
Pick up a bowl of baghali while you’re getting some beets, as these two are usually sold side-by-side. The boiled fava beans are topped with vinegar and seasoned with golpar, ground angelica seeds, which just requires a bit of skill to eat. Use your teeth to peel back the black line, squeeze the bottom to pop the soft center out, and discard the thick skin. On Fall and Winters, usually Iranian are seen huddled together sharing a big bowl; just to try this seasonal edible of Iranian street foods, while having a chat!
11. Jigar (Grilled liver kebab)
Jigar or liver kabab, the most cherished Iranian street food, consists of cuts of sheep or cow’s liver served at local joints called Jigaraki. Just say how many skewers you want, and the kebab will be grilled up and served within minutes, blanketed in fresh bread. For the more joy, kidney and heart kababs are also the other options at Jigaraki, but liver is the best delicate choice of all.
12. Balal (Roasted Corn)
Among Iranian street foods, roasted corn is a heaven edible bringing to mind the nice days of childhood; within which, Usually, next to every playgrounds and park someone was selling Balal, a desirable snack for kids!Roasted corn is a favorite Iranian street food, commonly found in Autumn and Winter. You can have it as a beach snack, roadside snack, or as mentioned near parks and playgrounds, and of course in the streets!It’s healthy; in eating of which, you can indulge with no feeling of guilt.
13. Yeralma Yumurta (Potatoes and eggs)
This Iranian street food, though emerged from Turkish part of Iran, nowadays is found every part of the country!
Containing mashed potato and diced boiled egg, with salt, pepper, and butter in Lavash bread, it is a kind of sandwich, so delicious, healthy, and inexpensive!
14. Bamie (Persian donuts)
And among our list of Iranian street foods the last but not the least is Bamie, which is like little donuts, deep-fried and soaked in a syrup made of sugar, saffron, and rosewater! Fresh Bamie is the best when is crispy and dry outwardly, but soft inwardly. It may remind you of churros but without any sugar topping.Anyway, while in Iran, you should try this nice edible beside a cup of Persian tea!