To me, there’s something magical about serving Persian food on Purim, especially recipes that have been passed down from mother to daughter!
This year I am so excited to finally be making a Persian-themed Purim seuda! To me, there’s something magical about serving Persian food on Purim, especially recipes that have been passed down from mother to daughter. I love Sephardi food in general, and Persian food in particular, it’s just that I’ve never made Persian food in my life. Luckily, I have some Persian friends who kindly shared tried and true family recipes with me.
I am dressing up as Queen Esther and I got my husband a Sephardi style hat and vest, so we are all set on the look! Got the Persian song playlist on Spotify too 😊. I’m going food shopping Monday and then – let the preparations begin!
For the first course I will be making Ghondi, which is a sort of chicken soup with chickpea flour meatballs. I will attempt to make the Persian rice with the fried potatoes on the bottom – an all time favorite that my cleaning lady, Sara, used to make for us all the time, which I’ve been trying to replicate for the last ten years. Wish me luck!
I am dressing up as Queen Esther and I got my husband a Sephardi style hat and vest, so we are all set on the look! Got the Persian song playlist on Spotify!
For the mains I have lemon chicken Joojeh kabobs and Khoresh Zabzi, a fresh herbs and meat stew. For the salad, a big bowl of pomegranate seeds. I’m thinking it’s going to lend even more of a Persian feel to the table, because I noticed that a lot of Persian dishes use pomegranates.
Finally, I will also be making a family favorite: meatballs with bulgur in a tomato and green beans sauce. It’s not Persian but it is Sephardi and it’s a winner! I am sharing it with you in case you want a Sephardi style dish at your Purim table. Of course, it’s always great if you want something a little different for Shabbos as well.
Meatballs with Bulgur in a Tomato-Green Bean Sauce
Ingredients for the sauce:
Oil for sautéing
1 large onion, chopped
6 tomatoes, grated or 1 large can of chopped tomatoes
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp paprika
1 TBS brown sugar
Salt & pepper to taste
3 cups water
Ingredients for the meatballs:
500 grams ground meat
1 cup bulgur
1 large onion, finely chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
1 bag of frozen green beans
Directions:
Prepare the sauce by heating some oil in a large pot and sauteing the onion until golden. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower the flame and cook for five minutes. Add all the spices and bring to a boil.
Prepare the meatballs by placing all ingredients in a bowl, mixing well. Make 1 inch meatballs and place in the pot with the sauce.
Add the green beans, bring to a boil, and lower the flame. Add more water if needed. Cover the pot and cook on a low flame for 45 minutes. Serve on a bed of rice.
Wishing you a happy Purim and a wonderful and delicious seuda, all filled with lots and lots of heartfelt prayers.
