The New Persian Kitchen

Shafia follows up Lucid Food with a culinary exploration of her Persian roots. Trying to blend “the foreign and the familiar,” Shafia illuminates the “global treasure” that is Persian food, while using primarily “fresh, unprocessed foods and healthful, inventive cooking.” Employing classical Persian ingredients such as saffron and tamarind, Shafia gives readers a solid basis in the art of cooking classical Persian dishes. From the very simple (tomato and cucumber salad) to the complex (saffron frozen yogurt and cardamom pizzelle sandwiches), she offers a large and complex flavor palate. The book includes the names of recipes and ingredients in Farsi, as well as little snippets tying the food to Persian holidays and traditions. Being of a “mixed home” (with an Iranian father and an Ashkenazi-Jewish American mother), Shafia also is concerned with accommodating those who observe dietary restrictions for reasons of religion or health (such as Kosher and vegan/vegetarian). With an appendix full of different menus built on the recipes provided in the book, this introduction to Persian cooking is sure to please its users, with multiple meals full of highlights of color and taste. (Apr.)