The art of Persian cooking with Samira

Samira Rostamabadi is a San Diego based artist with a deep love for the rich culinary traditions of her heritage.

Samira has a Masters of Fine Art and is President of Samira Art Academy. Alongside her visual art, she shares her knowledge of Persian cooking in her classes.

Her recipes … many passed down through generations … offer more than just great meals; they’re a vibrant taste of Persian culture

Yalda Fruit Dish
Persian fruit dishes aren’t just fruit—they’re a celebration of Yalda, which is the longest night of the year. Think juicy pomegranate seeds, crisp apples, fragrant melon, and fresh mint. The mix of sweet, tangy, and refreshing bites is like a mini festival for your taste buds. Perfect as a fresh, healthy treat any time.

Eggplant
Eggplant is Persian royalty—smoky, silky, and versatile. Roasted, fried, or stewed, it soaks up saffron, turmeric, and cinnamon for a rich, earthy flavor. Whether in a tomato sauce or pureed as a dip, eggplant adds luxurious depth and a smooth texture to any meal.

Eggplants
Persian kitchens don’t settle for one eggplant dish—they make many. Grilled, slow-cooked, or stuffed, eggplants bring smoky, tender goodness with layers of herbs and spices. They melt into stews or stand alone with fluffy saffron rice, offering endless delicious options.

Tahchin with Meatballs
Tahchin is a saffron rice cake with a crispy golden crust, buttery inside, and now, juicy meatballs added. The contrast of textures and warm spices like cinnamon and turmeric make each bite a perfect balance of crispy, tender, and flavorful. Serve it with yogurt or salad for a complete meal.

Quinoa Salad
Persian quinoa salad turns healthy quinoa into a glamorous dish. Barberries, fresh herbs, and crunchy nuts mix with a lemon-saffron dressing for a light, bright, and colorful salad. It’s refreshing and packed with flavors that feel both familiar and exotic.

Persian Olivieh Salad
A creamy potato and chicken salad mixed with pickles, eggs, and peas, bound together with mayo. Savory, and smooth, can be topped with barberries, sliced pistachios, and parsley ... it’s a picnic favorite that’s perfect on bread or with crackers.

Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmeh Barge Mo)
Tender grape leaves wrapped around a sweet or savory mix of rice, herbs, and meat, flavored with cinnamon and turmeric. A splash of barberries, molasses adds tangy sweetness, creating a harmonious bite that’s earthy, herby, and just a little sweet.

Chicken Eggplant Sushi
A Persian twist on sushi, where seaweed  is wrapped around juicy spiced chicken, vegetables like carrots, celerity, and saffron rice. The smoky eggplant and tender chicken make this bite soft, rich, and refreshingly unique. Topped with barberries, sliced pistachios, orange peels, and sesame seeds.

Shrimp Kebab (Meygoo Kabab)
Juicy shrimp marinated in saffron, lemon, garlic, and olive oil, grilled to tender perfection with a slight char. The floral saffron and bright citrus create a summery, fresh flavor, perfect with basmati rice and grilled veggies.

Crispy Rice with Chicken and Barberries (Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh)
Golden crispy rice layered with tender saffron chicken and tart ruby barberries. The crunch of the rice, juicy chicken, and bursts of tangy fruit create a luxurious, comforting dish often served at celebrations.

Tahchin
Tahchin is a beautiful saffron rice cake with a crispy crust and soft, aromatic inside, layered with yogurt, eggs, and sometimes lamb or chicken. Served sliced like cake, each bite is fluffy, and lightly tangy from barberries.

Russian Salad (Salad Olivieh)
A creamy Persian potato salad with diced chicken, pickles, eggs, and peas, all mixed in mayonnaise, and can be decorated with slice olives and cherry tomatoes.  The chicken adds heartiness, and the smooth mayo ties it together, making it a favorite at Persian gatherings.

Vegetable Cake (Kookoo Sabzi )
A baked, herb cake loaded with parsley, cilantro, barberries, and chopped walnuts. Eggs bind it all together, with turmeric or saffron adding warmth. Topped with barberries, it’s fresh tastes makes it a perfect appetizer.

Sabzi Polo Kookoo Mahi
Fluffy rice mixed with fresh herbs paired with crispy fried fish. The trio offers fragrant rice, rich herbs, and savory fish, topped with fresh garlic, for a traditional Persian New Years dish.

Adas Polo with Meatballs
A comforting rice dish with lentils, caramelized onions, raisins, and warm spices. Adding crispy meatballs brings depth that perfectly balances the sweet and tasty flavors, making it a healthy, satisfying meal.

Adas Polo
A simpler version of Adas Polo with meatballs, it’s saffron rice layered with lentils, caramelized onions, and raisins, seasoned with cinnamon and turmeric. Can be served with a mixture of yogurt, cucumbers and dried mint.

Persian Meatballs with Plums (Kufteh Tabrizi)
Large, tender meatballs mixed with rice, chopped herbs, and filled with dried plums and raisins. Simmered in tomato sauce, each bite delivers delicious and juicy fruit flavors that make these meatballs unforgettable.

Shole Zard
Persian saffron rice pudding, golden and fragrant with rosewater, lightly sweetened and topped with sliced almonds, pistachios, and cinnamon patterns. it’s a silky, refreshing dessert perfect after a rich meal.

Guacamole
Not traditionally Persian, but when infused with lime, garlic, sumac, fresh herbs, and pomegranate seeds, guacamole gets a Persian twist. It’s creamy and a little exotic—perfect for dipping with flatbread or chips.

Persian Sushi
Rice, saffron, barberries, vegitables, chicken and orange peels. Has a lot of antioxidants and makes a very healthy dish.