Caspian cuisine

Mazandaran Province lies to the east of the Iranian province of Gilan. The southern coast of the Caspian Sea is sometimes referred to as the "fertile Caspian provinces".{{Cite book|title=Lonely Planet Iran|last=Burke|first=Andrew|last2=Maxwell|first2=Virginia|publisher=Lonely Planet|year=2012|isbn=978-1743213209}} Citrus fruit, specifically orange crops are grown in this region and influence the cuisine.{{Cite book|title=A Treasury of Persian Cuisine|last=Simmons|first=Shirin|publisher=Stamford House Publishing|year=2007|isbn=978-1904985563}} Historically in Iran, rice is a common food only in the Mazandaran and Gilan Provinces,{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XseXnb98h90C&dq|title=Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery, 1990: Feasting and Fasting : Proceedings|last=Walker|first=Harlan|publisher=Oxford Symposium|year=1991|isbn=0907325467|pages=196}} which is prepared in this region in a kateh cooking style, unlike the typical polos/chelo found in other parts of Iran. Rice crops are grown in the sloping regions of the Alborz mountain range, part of which is in the Mazandaran Province.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j894miuOqc4C&dq|title=World and Its Peoples|publisher=Marshall Cavendish Corporation|year=2007|isbn=978-0761475712|pages=533}} Seafood is a strong component for coastal Mazandarani cuisine and present in many meals.{{Cite web|url=http://www.payvand.com/news/11/nov/1287.html|title=A Paradise: Gilan, North of Iran|last=Mirrazavi|first=Firouzeh|date=2011-11-28|website=www.payvand.com|publisher=Iran Review|access-date=2018-03-02|archive-date=2023-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122014452/http://www.payvand.com/news/11/nov/1287.html|url-status=dead}} Persian caviar (ḵāvīar) is incorporated in dishes and often served with egg dishes (some of which are similar to a frittata or omelette). Between 1400 until 1870, the Mazandaran Province was the only place cultivating sugarcane, and it was sometimes eaten with bread and rice.{{Cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/sugar-cultivation|title=SUGAR: CULTIVATION, MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING|website=Encyclopaedia Iranica|language=en|access-date=2018-03-02}}

Some local, wild herbs used in Mazandarani cuisine include zolang, anarijeh, ouji, sersem.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cafeleilee.com/2016/03/mazandarani-style-nettle-soup.html|title=Mazandarani Style Nettle Soup آش گزنه مازندرانی|date=2016-03-17|website=Cafe Leilee Food Journal|access-date=2018-03-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.cafeleilee.com/2014/03/northern-iranian-style-herb-stuffed-fish.html|title=Northern-Iranian Style Herb Stuffed Fish ماهی شکم پر به روش شمالی|date=2014-03-13|website=Cafe Leilee Food Journal|access-date=2018-03-02|quote=Herbs (such as ouji, zolang, anarije, sorsom) indigenous to northern Iran, since these herbs are not even common in the rest of Iran, I wasn't able to find a correct translation of their English name.}} Outside of the Mazandaran Province, these local herbs are not known to many people. It's thought by some that certain local dishes and herbs could be used as health remedies for an illness and as a result, various scholars come yearly to Mazandaran province to research these wild, indigenous herbs and regional dishes.{{Cite journal|date=2016-06-01|title=Ethnic and traditional Iranian rice-based foods|journal=Journal of Ethnic Foods|language=en|volume=3|issue=2|pages=124–134|doi=10.1016/j.jef.2016.05.002|issn=2352-6181|last1=Karizaki|first1=Vahid Mohammadpour|doi-access=free}} Stinging nettles are found throughout the province during springtime and a Mazandarani nettle soup is made from them, the nettles are said to have medicinal properties as a blood tonic and to improve hay fever.{{Cite book|title=The New Persian Kitchen|last=Shafia|first=Louisa|publisher=Ten Speed Press|year=2013|isbn=978-1607743583|location=Berkeley, California|pages=52}}

This is a list of northern Iranian regional dishes, primarily found in the Mazandaran, Gilan, Alborz, and Golestan provinces.{{Cite book |last=Batmanglij |first=Najmieh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3IV5EAAAQBAJ |title=Cooking in Iran: Regional Recipes & Kitchen Secrets |date=2022-07-06 |publisher=Mage Publishers, Inc. |isbn=978-1-949445-35-0 |pages=71 |language=en}} Due to the landscape, seasons and native plants, these regions have similar traditional dishes but have a distinct culinary history from the other provinces in Iran.

• Aghouze-Messeama
• Dewpetti
• Ispina-Saek
• Khali Aush (Keahi-Esh, soup/stew)
• Naz Khatun (Naz-Xatune)
• Ispinej-Mearji
• Keahi-Heali
• Mirza Ghasemi
• Baghali ghatogh (bean stew) – typically made in Iran with a bean called "pacheh baghali" (Rashti fava beans), but outside of Iran this is made with either lima beans, kidney beans or fava beans.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bottomofthepot.com/2013/05/a-spring-fava-bean-dill-and-egg-stew.html|title=A Spring Fava Bean, Dill and Egg Stew - Baghali Ghatogh|date=May 5, 2013|website=BottomOfThePot.com|access-date=2018-03-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180302164317/http://www.bottomofthepot.com/2013/05/a-spring-fava-bean-dill-and-egg-stew.html|archive-date=March 2, 2018|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://cookingandcooking.com/recipe.php?recname=Baghali-Ghatogh-(Kidney-Bean-Stew)|title=Baghali Ghatogh (Kidney Bean Stew) Recipe, Persian Stew Recipes|date=2012-04-13|website=Cooking and Cooking|access-date=2018-03-02}} This dish can be found in all northern regions of Iran, but associated with Mazandaran and Gilan provinces.{{Cite news|url=https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Baghali-Ghatogh|title=Lima Beans with Eggs and Dill (Baghali Ghatogh)|work=SAVEUR|access-date=2018-03-02|language=en}}
• Kateh (rice cooked in water) – this is typical of Northern Iran (Mazandaran, Gilan and Golestan provinces), this rice is made with more water, butter and salt, in a specific cooking technique.{{Cite web|url=http://enjoyvisit.com/en/2015/09/21/history-of-iranian-food-cuisine/|title=» History of Iranian Food & Cuisine|website=enjoyvisit.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-03-08}}
• Keshmesh polo (raisins in rice) – found all over Iran now, but originated in northern Iran.
• Khoresh-e gol dar chaman (broad bean stew) – a stew made of garlic, dill, lamb and broad beans.{{Cite book |last=Shaida |first=Margaret |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JMWIDwAAQBAJ |title=The Legendary Cuisine of Persia |date=2018-04-10 |publisher=Grub Street Publishers |isbn=978-1-911621-59-1 |pages=120 |language=en}} An alternative to using broad beans in this recipe are fava beans.{{Cite book |last=Batmanglij |first=Najmieh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SgcbEAAAQBAJ |title=Food of Life: Ancient Persian And Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies |date=2021-02-09 |publisher=Mage Publishers |isbn=978-1-949445-27-5 |pages=313, 317 |language=en |author-link=Najmieh Batmanglij}}
• Khoresh-e torsh tareh (stew of herbs, garlic, eggs).
• Kuku eshpel (a kuku egg dish made of fish roe or caviar).
• Morgh-e torsh (sour chicken).
• Sirabij (scrambled eggs with chopped and fried garlic leaves) found in Mazandaran and Gilan provinces.
• Sir Anar (translates to "garlic pomegranate") – a stew or sauce used for proteins.

• Aghouzenoon
• Peshtizik
• Pisgendela
• Nesseri
• Kunak
• Tunsernun
• Red sugar (Serkh seker)
• Reshteh Khoshkar

Mazanderani and Gilani traditional wines have historically been made from wild, local grapes.{{Cite book|title=Travels Through Northern Persia: 1770-1774|last=Gottlieb Gmelin|first=Samuel|last2=Floor|first2=Willem M.|publisher=University of Michigan|year=2007|isbn=978-1933823157|pages=255}}

Mazanderani people use to drink a traditional wine drink after hard labor, particularly during summer and Merdal month of Tabarian Calendar which is known as Narenj Vehar.{{Citation needed|date=March 2018}} It is a cold drink which is believed to replenish the drinkers' energy reserves.{{Citation needed|date=March 2018}}

• Mazandarani people
• Iranian cuisine
• Kateh

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{{Middle Eastern cuisine}}

Category:Mazandaran province

Category:Iranian cuisine