Is International Gormeh Sabzi Day Really Coming Up?

Let’s say yes! Somewhere a group of Iranians decided that the last Saturday of November would be International Gormeh Sabzi Day. Why shouldn’t it be? We personally know people who would love to perfume themselves in the aroma of the mix of herbs used to make Gormeh Sabzi. So it’s not such a silly idea.

For those of you who have never had Gormeh Sabzi, it’s a slow-cooked dish made with a mix of herbs, dried limes, beans, and meat. People tell me that the vegan version is just as delicious with mushrooms or tofu in place of the meat.

Today, we’re bringing you some of what the great cookbook author Najmieh Batmanglij calls food diplomacy. For your pleasure, we have three videos about pizza with Gormeh Sabzi toppings. The first is an interview (in Persian) with Hossein Arbabi about his award-winning Gormeh Sabzi pizza. What made him think of it, you may ask? His Italian friends loved Gormeh Sabzi so much he thought why not make it a pizza!

Arbabi’s accomplishment made it into 2007 hit, Love of Speed:

غیرت سیب زمینی
توسعه سبک چینی
دموکراسی دینی…
پیتزای قورمه سبزی!

Immoral zealots, fanatic factions
Chinese style economic expansions
Religious democratic droppings
Pizza with Gormeh Sabzi toppings

Here’s the song with English subtitles:

“Gormeh Sabzi is one of the most beloved dishes in Iran,” Batmanglij says. And she’s right. You can even make a great vegan version by replacing the lamb with shitake mushrooms and reducing the cooking time.

In this delightful video, Yara Elmjouie and Najmieh Batmanglij make Pizza Gormeh Sabzi. She argues that the pizza version is actually quite authentic because back in the day, people in Iran ate the khoresh with flat bread. So why not?

To make Khoresh Gormeh Sabzi you’ll need:

• You can make it with lamb shoulder or chicken legs, if using meat. In her book, New Food of Life, Najmieh Batmanglij has a version with fish. You add the fish at the very end of the cooking. Meat goes in at the beginning. We’ve actually made a vegan version with shitake mushrooms, and it was delicious! Again, add sauteed shitakes at the very end of the cooking. 
• Tumeric
• Some of us use cinnamon too and in the pizza version, they add a bit of rose water!
• Salt and pepper 
• Kidney beans
• Oil
• A giant onion or 2 large ones
• 3 bunches of parsley
• 3 bunches of cilantro
• 3 bunches of chives or 2 of scallions, alternatively all herbs can be dry. Mideastern markets often have a dried mix for Gormeh Sabzi.
• 1 big spoon of dried fenugreek leaves
• 4 dried limes and dried lime powder

Now, search for the perfect recipe and enjoy!

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