Iranian Food workshop!! By chef Hoda khaligi

Food is something which brings everyone under one roof. When if a cuisine is a typical new to any one who would like to taste it for the first time, i know the feeling of goosebumps. But, when all the food lovers who gather under one roof for a typical Iranian food trials, that's getting food mad better off late.

The management of LAMAKAAN, located in banjara hills has organized an event --The Iranian food tasting and lessons, By chef Hoda khaligi. An enthusiast chef who is studying an MBA from OU, Lamakaan has hosted her event with some of the famous Iranian dishes. This was advertised on their events page and got a good attention from food lovers across the city. 

The event was about the introduction and vast explanation of Iranian cuisine and its major differences with other cuisines as well. 

The event started with introducing few items which are displayed for trial and the chef herself explained the process of making each and every item. The step by step process makes you know the basic differences in cooking from home food to commercial purposes. 

The dishes were:

                                                                      Ghasem

                                                                      Ghieme

                                                                      Zereshk Pulao

                                        Mixed salad with Iranian herbs ( dried mint and thyme)

Ghasem, is a vegetarian dish which is made out of the egg plant and scrambled eggs which are ground to paste and mixed up with the herbs which give the dish an immense flavor which makes the ground paste to acquire the required flavor while cooking. The slow flame will give the flavors to squeeze in easily. The out put was good and the spice levels are normally less and flavors are good. But when had with the green lemon, i am able to enjoy the distinctive flavors. This dish can be had along with roti. 

Ghieme, is a dish which is close to dalcha with mutton cooked in it. The difference is the chana dal will be fried and cooked with the ingredients. One more important ingredient in this dish is the dried brown lemon, which will make the dish attain the bitter flavor from it. And the remaining dish is cooked the same way the dalcha is made. The final output is very different from the anticipation and leave you with more distinctive flavors, with the addition of Saffron rice to the noraml rice which is used to have the Ghieme. The perfectly cooked mutton will be butterly smooth along with the dal, will make you go droll over the dish. 

Zereshk pulao, is a chicken dish with the veg stock boiled along with the veggies and the stock is made well before with onion, carrot and cinnamon stick to remove the raw flavor of chicken.After removing the raw flavor of chicken, the remaining veggies along with chicken are cooked in veg stock and the roasted potatoes and the tangy sauce, with some of the fresh bell peppers. The flavor of chicken is very much flat and the taste is good. This is had with the rice and the flavored saffron rice and chips. 

Flavored saffron rice: The normal white rice is cooked in a paste which is developed with the zereshk berries ( Dried red barberries), which are red in color and the saffron soaked in water, which are mixed in a  pan with some water to dilute. After the thorough simmer, the paste then is set on low flame and then the required quantity of sugar is added for taste. The texture is simply amazing and the taste is just awesome, The saffron flavor will blow in your mouth when you have the first bite. The taste will develop when had with the Zereshk pollo, with the veg stock. Thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Along with the food, there was a salad and the potato chips were accompanied with the rice. The salad was made with cucumber, sprouts, corn, cucumber, tomato spring onion which are seasoned with lemon, dry mint leaves and thyme. These made the salad, very much appealing for presentation and the taste was excellent. This is one of those salads, which i had never though would be much appetizing with the dry mint. One of the must have. 

 The work shop lasted for one hour and the dishes which are made for the workshop were also made available for the lunch session for which they costed us item wise, from which they asked us to choose from the menu to order. The prices are as follows:

Rice+zereshk pulao--Rs.180/-

Rice+Ghieme--Rs.230/-

Rice+ Mirza Ghasem--Rs.90/-

Salad--Rs.20/-

The saffron rice was garnished on the top of the rice. 

Very soon the chef is also trying to arrange one more cooking and learning session for the enthusiasts.