Armed with little more than a notebook and a bottle of pomegranate molasses, and fueled by memories of her family’s farm in the lush seaside province of Gilan, British-Iranian cook Yasmin Khan traversed Iran in search of the most delicious recipes for this Persian cookbook.
Her quest took her from the snowy mountains of Tabriz to the cosmopolitan cafés of Tehran and the pomegranate orchards of Isfahan, where she was welcomed into the homes of artists, farmers, electricians, and teachers. Through her travels, she gained a unique insight into the culinary secrets of the Persian kitchen, and the lives of ordinary Iranians today.
In The Saffron Tales, Yasmin weaves together a tapestry of stories from Iranian home kitchens with exclusive photography and fragrant, modern recipes that are rooted in the rich tradition of Persian cooking. All fully accessible for the home cook, Yasmin’s recipes range from the inimitable fesenjoon (chicken with walnuts and pomegranates) to kofte berenji (lamb meatballs stuffed with prunes and barberries) and ghalyieh maygoo (shrimp, coriander, and tamarind stew). She also offers a wealth of vegetarian dishes, including tahcheen (baked saffron and eggplant rice) and domaj (mixed herb, flatbread, and feta salad), as well as sumptuous desserts such as rose and almond cake, and sour cherry and dark chocolate cookies.
With stunning photography from all corners of Iran and gorgeous recipe images, this lavish cookbook rejoices in the land, life, flavors, and food of an enigmatic and beautiful country.
“Saffron, potato and barberry kuku & Pomegranate soup”
“Lime and saffron chicken kebabs”
“Not only is it a great cookbook, Persian cuisine celebrates saffron, barberries, fresh herbs, dried limes, date molasses and much more. Her recipes are delicious and easy to cook. I recommend this beautifully made recipe book to all lovers of saffron who want to cook more than just saffron risotto.” Urs Wyss
Winner of the M.F.K Fisher Award for Excellence in Culinary Writing from Les Dames d’Escoffier
New York Times Best Cookbooks of the Year
Wall Street Journal Best Cookbooks of the Year
BBC Food Programme Best Cookbooks of the Year
Sari Safran saffron is grown and hand harvested in Armenia, directly sourced and fully traceable. Between 170 and 190 threads per 0.5g. Deep red, potent, and consistent across every batch — the kind of saffron these recipes deserve.
Bring Persian flavours home
