Browse content similar to Iran. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
Line | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|
As a cook and writer, | 0:00:03 | 0:00:05 | |
I've long been intrigued by | 0:00:05 | 0:00:07 | |
the flavours and fragrances of Middle Eastern cooking. | 0:00:07 | 0:00:12 | |
One of the oldest and most influential cuisines in the world. | 0:00:12 | 0:00:15 | |
Now I want to find out more. | 0:00:16 | 0:00:18 | |
You know, there really is only one true way | 0:00:20 | 0:00:23 | |
to get to know a region's food. | 0:00:23 | 0:00:25 | |
And that's to go there, | 0:00:25 | 0:00:27 | |
to eat the food amongst the people who cook it and eat it every day. | 0:00:27 | 0:00:31 | |
That way, it's seasoned with a sense of place, | 0:00:31 | 0:00:34 | |
the landscape, the culture, | 0:00:34 | 0:00:36 | |
and the traditions. | 0:00:36 | 0:00:39 | |
That's incredible. | 0:00:39 | 0:00:40 | |
So join me on my journey... | 0:00:40 | 0:00:42 | |
Can I have a look in your cupboard? | 0:00:42 | 0:00:44 | |
..to discover ingredients and recipes | 0:00:44 | 0:00:47 | |
that define three countries with | 0:00:47 | 0:00:49 | |
truly exciting food stories. | 0:00:49 | 0:00:52 | |
Cheese and roses, it shouldn't work! | 0:00:52 | 0:00:54 | |
Places considered to be the key pillars of Middle Eastern cuisine. | 0:00:54 | 0:00:57 | |
My adventure takes me across northern Iran | 0:00:59 | 0:01:02 | |
to taste Persian dishes with a rich heritage, | 0:01:02 | 0:01:06 | |
to Lebanon with its Arab-influenced flavours of the Levant, | 0:01:06 | 0:01:10 | |
and to Turkey, where the recipes, born of a diverse landscape, | 0:01:10 | 0:01:15 | |
have travelled the world. | 0:01:15 | 0:01:17 | |
Did the date pattern. Should have done the walnut pattern. | 0:01:17 | 0:01:20 | |
My appetite for new flavours takes me through | 0:01:20 | 0:01:23 | |
ancient and beguiling lands, | 0:01:23 | 0:01:25 | |
but more importantly, into people's homes. | 0:01:25 | 0:01:28 | |
I absolutely loved it and I can't thank you enough. | 0:01:28 | 0:01:31 | |
This is my chance to learn new techniques | 0:01:31 | 0:01:33 | |
and recipes that aren't in books, | 0:01:33 | 0:01:35 | |
but have been handed down through generations. | 0:01:35 | 0:01:39 | |
How long does it take you? | 0:01:39 | 0:01:40 | |
-Five minutes. -Five minutes? | 0:01:40 | 0:01:42 | |
-Yes. -Yeah, well, I'd better get a move on, then. | 0:01:42 | 0:01:44 | |
And I'll share the secrets I discover | 0:01:44 | 0:01:47 | |
by cooking recipes inspired by my journey. | 0:01:47 | 0:01:50 | |
I've already savoured the fragrant delights of Lebanese recipes | 0:01:51 | 0:01:55 | |
and the hearty dishes of rural Turkey. | 0:01:55 | 0:01:57 | |
And my adventure now concludes with Persian food, | 0:02:01 | 0:02:05 | |
in a country shrouded in mystery... | 0:02:05 | 0:02:07 | |
..Iran. | 0:02:08 | 0:02:09 | |
I've landed in the capital, Tehran. | 0:02:19 | 0:02:21 | |
In the West, this emerging superpower is invariably associated | 0:02:23 | 0:02:28 | |
with religious fanaticism and hostility. | 0:02:28 | 0:02:31 | |
But I've come to learn about a completely different side of Iran, | 0:02:35 | 0:02:39 | |
to find out about a food culture which spans centuries, | 0:02:39 | 0:02:43 | |
and through cooking and eating with Iranian people, | 0:02:43 | 0:02:47 | |
gain an insight into everyday life. | 0:02:47 | 0:02:49 | |
Tehran is home to over eight million inhabitants. | 0:02:56 | 0:03:00 | |
But even it is dwarfed by the grandeur of the Alborz Mountains | 0:03:01 | 0:03:05 | |
that cloak its northern fringes. | 0:03:05 | 0:03:07 | |
It's quite a sight to wake up to. | 0:03:10 | 0:03:12 | |
When I go away, even when I travel, I tend to go to the same places | 0:03:13 | 0:03:17 | |
every year. But it always feels so safe because I know it well. | 0:03:17 | 0:03:22 | |
I know where I'm going. | 0:03:22 | 0:03:23 | |
And this time I really don't. | 0:03:24 | 0:03:27 | |
Iran is vast - seven times larger than the UK - | 0:03:27 | 0:03:32 | |
and home to 80 million people. | 0:03:32 | 0:03:34 | |
My journey begins here in the sprawling capital. | 0:03:35 | 0:03:38 | |
I'll travel through the Alborz Mountains in search of pomegranate | 0:03:39 | 0:03:42 | |
orchards, then further north to the fabled shores of the Caspian Sea, | 0:03:42 | 0:03:47 | |
before heading east to fields of red gold for the annual saffron harvest. | 0:03:47 | 0:03:52 | |
But first thing's first - breakfast. | 0:03:56 | 0:03:59 | |
I'm off to meet Meisam. He's going to be my guide throughout Iran. | 0:03:59 | 0:04:04 | |
And although English is widely spoken here, | 0:04:04 | 0:04:07 | |
my Farsi is nothing to write home about. | 0:04:07 | 0:04:10 | |
-Hello. -Hello. -Hi, Nigel. -Meisam. -Meisam. | 0:04:10 | 0:04:13 | |
-Nigel. Nice to meet you. -How are you? | 0:04:13 | 0:04:15 | |
Very nice to meet you. Very nice to see you here. | 0:04:15 | 0:04:17 | |
Very, very nice to be here. | 0:04:17 | 0:04:19 | |
Breakfast starts with bread. | 0:04:20 | 0:04:22 | |
And the amount eaten here is among the highest in the world. | 0:04:24 | 0:04:27 | |
Six times the global average. | 0:04:27 | 0:04:30 | |
Meisam is taking me to the southern, | 0:04:33 | 0:04:35 | |
more working class part of Tehran, | 0:04:35 | 0:04:36 | |
to a specialist local bakery. | 0:04:36 | 0:04:39 | |
Small neighbourhood bakeries like this | 0:04:49 | 0:04:52 | |
are a common sight around Tehran, | 0:04:52 | 0:04:54 | |
and this one has just one product. | 0:04:54 | 0:04:57 | |
It's called sangak. | 0:04:57 | 0:04:59 | |
-Sangak. -Sang means stone. | 0:04:59 | 0:05:01 | |
Sangak means a small stone, | 0:05:01 | 0:05:03 | |
so the oven is full of small pebbles of stone. | 0:05:03 | 0:05:06 | |
Sangak is a wholewheat flatbread | 0:05:08 | 0:05:11 | |
made with a soft, yeasty dough, | 0:05:11 | 0:05:14 | |
which has been thinly stretched and baked over hot pebbles. | 0:05:14 | 0:05:17 | |
Watching this guy's hands just forming the shape of the loaf, | 0:05:17 | 0:05:21 | |
spreading the dough out. | 0:05:21 | 0:05:23 | |
-Yes. -And then he's putting the marks in with his fingertips. | 0:05:23 | 0:05:27 | |
Exactly. | 0:05:27 | 0:05:28 | |
So, inside the oven, that's all pebbles. | 0:05:32 | 0:05:35 | |
Yes. | 0:05:35 | 0:05:37 | |
But the bread is baked directly onto them. | 0:05:37 | 0:05:39 | |
Directly, yes. | 0:05:39 | 0:05:41 | |
Folklore has it that, centuries ago, | 0:05:42 | 0:05:45 | |
Persian foot soldiers carried small stones in their bags and, after they | 0:05:45 | 0:05:49 | |
set up camp, used them in makeshift ovens. | 0:05:49 | 0:05:52 | |
It's not unknown to pick out a stray pebble | 0:05:56 | 0:05:58 | |
from the bread as it's served. | 0:05:58 | 0:05:59 | |
I've got to do this. | 0:06:01 | 0:06:03 | |
Yes, I would like to do that. | 0:06:04 | 0:06:06 | |
-Yes. -Can't resist. | 0:06:06 | 0:06:08 | |
-You can't resist. -No. | 0:06:08 | 0:06:10 | |
There's no shortcut or machine for real sangak. | 0:06:11 | 0:06:14 | |
It has to be handmade, | 0:06:14 | 0:06:16 | |
making the crisp outside and the soft, warm centre timeless. | 0:06:16 | 0:06:21 | |
No wonder it's so popular. | 0:06:21 | 0:06:22 | |
Makes me quite happy, actually. | 0:06:24 | 0:06:26 | |
Delicious as it is, sangak isn't the only thing | 0:06:29 | 0:06:32 | |
eaten here for breakfast. | 0:06:32 | 0:06:34 | |
It's a good partner to kebabs, and for mopping up the juices of a dish | 0:06:35 | 0:06:39 | |
which has satisfied the Iranian people for over 4,000 years. | 0:06:39 | 0:06:44 | |
Oh, my word! | 0:06:46 | 0:06:50 | |
-Sheep, yeah? A sheep's head? -Yes. | 0:06:50 | 0:06:52 | |
It's called kalleh pacheh. | 0:06:53 | 0:06:54 | |
Kalleh means head. | 0:06:54 | 0:06:55 | |
Pacheh means leg. | 0:06:55 | 0:06:57 | |
This is favourite to many of us. | 0:06:57 | 0:07:00 | |
Kalleh pacheh is a full Iranian breakfast. | 0:07:00 | 0:07:04 | |
It's a hearty broth, made with a sheep's head and hooves, | 0:07:04 | 0:07:08 | |
simmered with onions, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric and bay leaves. | 0:07:08 | 0:07:12 | |
It's central heating for the soul. | 0:07:12 | 0:07:15 | |
It's not edible. The eyeball itself is not edible. | 0:07:15 | 0:07:19 | |
Those comforting words, first thing in the morning, | 0:07:19 | 0:07:22 | |
"The eye isn't edible." | 0:07:22 | 0:07:23 | |
Just about everything else is, though. | 0:07:26 | 0:07:28 | |
Mashed brain and fat goes into the juice, which is simmered overnight | 0:07:29 | 0:07:34 | |
so that the broth is meatily rich in flavour, and almost sticky with the | 0:07:34 | 0:07:39 | |
goodness from the bones. | 0:07:39 | 0:07:40 | |
-This is a cheek. -The cheek. | 0:07:42 | 0:07:44 | |
It's delicious. It's much softer and more gentle | 0:07:50 | 0:07:55 | |
than I thought it would be. When I walked in and I saw, you know, | 0:07:55 | 0:07:57 | |
nose to tail eating to the extreme, I thought, | 0:07:57 | 0:08:02 | |
"The flavours are going to be really quite strong," | 0:08:02 | 0:08:05 | |
and that thing of boiling lamb, | 0:08:05 | 0:08:07 | |
it's not to everybody's taste. | 0:08:07 | 0:08:09 | |
But this... | 0:08:09 | 0:08:11 | |
This is heavenly. | 0:08:11 | 0:08:12 | |
So, little bits of brain. | 0:08:13 | 0:08:15 | |
Yes. | 0:08:15 | 0:08:17 | |
It feels silky. It really is. | 0:08:17 | 0:08:19 | |
Yes. | 0:08:19 | 0:08:21 | |
It is fatty, but... | 0:08:21 | 0:08:23 | |
It's good fat. | 0:08:25 | 0:08:26 | |
-It feels good. -It feels really good. | 0:08:27 | 0:08:29 | |
It slides down. | 0:08:29 | 0:08:32 | |
-Exactly. -There's nothing shocking about it. | 0:08:32 | 0:08:34 | |
The fact that dishes here have survived | 0:08:41 | 0:08:44 | |
not just a few generations, but for thousands of years, | 0:08:44 | 0:08:47 | |
is testament to how important family and tradition are | 0:08:47 | 0:08:51 | |
to everyday Iranian life. | 0:08:51 | 0:08:53 | |
After the somewhat austere comfort of kalleh pacheh, | 0:08:55 | 0:08:57 | |
Meisam is keen to show me there's room | 0:08:57 | 0:09:00 | |
for a little indulgence here too. | 0:09:00 | 0:09:01 | |
Ice cream. | 0:09:04 | 0:09:06 | |
-Ice cream. -They have huge... | 0:09:06 | 0:09:09 | |
Huge ice creams. | 0:09:09 | 0:09:11 | |
It says metres and kilometres of ice creams. | 0:09:11 | 0:09:15 | |
Ice cream by the metre. | 0:09:15 | 0:09:17 | |
-Yes. -And the kilometre. | 0:09:17 | 0:09:18 | |
-Yes, exactly. -They talk my language. | 0:09:18 | 0:09:20 | |
Yes, exactly. | 0:09:20 | 0:09:22 | |
Did you say black mulberry? | 0:09:26 | 0:09:28 | |
-And cantaloupe. -Black mulberry and cantaloupe. -Yes. | 0:09:28 | 0:09:31 | |
Oh, look at that! | 0:09:38 | 0:09:40 | |
I think he needs to stop. | 0:09:45 | 0:09:47 | |
Here comes the next part. | 0:09:49 | 0:09:50 | |
Like a Tehran twister. | 0:09:56 | 0:09:58 | |
That is amazing. | 0:09:58 | 0:10:00 | |
It's like a work of art. | 0:10:00 | 0:10:01 | |
And for the record, it was delicious. | 0:10:02 | 0:10:04 | |
Central Tehran is the most historic part of the city. | 0:10:12 | 0:10:16 | |
The beautiful 16th century Golestan Palace | 0:10:17 | 0:10:20 | |
was once the seat of power in Tehran. | 0:10:20 | 0:10:23 | |
And from this hub, a market culture has grown | 0:10:29 | 0:10:32 | |
and evolved over hundreds of years | 0:10:32 | 0:10:34 | |
to become one of the most incredible markets in the world. | 0:10:34 | 0:10:38 | |
The Grand Bazaar. | 0:10:38 | 0:10:39 | |
This is, and always has been, the commercial heartbeat of the city. | 0:10:41 | 0:10:45 | |
With its many corridors reaching more than six miles in length, | 0:10:46 | 0:10:50 | |
this is the largest market in Iran. | 0:10:50 | 0:10:52 | |
Although family meals eaten at home are most celebrated here. | 0:10:53 | 0:10:58 | |
I'm quickly swept up with the crowds of the busy market, | 0:10:58 | 0:11:01 | |
following the aromas of the very best places | 0:11:01 | 0:11:04 | |
to eat Iranian street food. | 0:11:04 | 0:11:06 | |
It's got to be good. | 0:11:06 | 0:11:08 | |
Because there's such a scrum. | 0:11:08 | 0:11:11 | |
The hottest lunch ticket in town is this stall, | 0:11:11 | 0:11:15 | |
selling Iran's most famous soup, asheh reshteh. | 0:11:15 | 0:11:19 | |
So, the lady on the corner, | 0:11:19 | 0:11:21 | |
she's taking everybody's money and giving them a ticket. | 0:11:21 | 0:11:23 | |
And as Meisam battles the crowds, I make a new friend. | 0:11:23 | 0:11:26 | |
Thank you. I do, yes, you're right. | 0:11:41 | 0:11:45 | |
-Nigel. Nigel. -Nigel, yes. | 0:11:45 | 0:11:47 | |
-Thank you for watching. -You are welcome. | 0:11:47 | 0:11:49 | |
Meisam eventually emerges. | 0:11:49 | 0:11:53 | |
Ah! You got it! | 0:11:53 | 0:11:55 | |
Well done! Well done. | 0:11:55 | 0:11:57 | |
-See how difficult it was. -Yeah, that's... | 0:11:57 | 0:12:00 | |
That's some queue. | 0:12:00 | 0:12:04 | |
Look at this! | 0:12:04 | 0:12:06 | |
Oh, my word. | 0:12:06 | 0:12:08 | |
Oh, please. | 0:12:08 | 0:12:09 | |
This thick soup filled with noodles, | 0:12:11 | 0:12:14 | |
pulses and beans, celebrates Iran's international ancestry. | 0:12:14 | 0:12:19 | |
A result of its position on ancient trade routes. | 0:12:19 | 0:12:22 | |
Some people say that noodle comes from Japan. | 0:12:23 | 0:12:26 | |
Some others say that because it looks like pasta, | 0:12:26 | 0:12:28 | |
it comes from Italy. | 0:12:28 | 0:12:30 | |
But the fact that matters is that it's originated | 0:12:30 | 0:12:33 | |
from another region in the world. | 0:12:33 | 0:12:36 | |
So we actually modified it and localised it for our own taste. | 0:12:36 | 0:12:40 | |
By adding that sourness, the smoothness of the yoghurt... | 0:12:40 | 0:12:44 | |
Exactly. | 0:12:44 | 0:12:45 | |
-And the beans. -And the beans. | 0:12:46 | 0:12:48 | |
Mm! | 0:12:53 | 0:12:55 | |
It's gorgeous, | 0:12:55 | 0:12:56 | |
in every sense of the word. | 0:12:56 | 0:12:58 | |
Asheh reshteh is the perfect combination | 0:13:02 | 0:13:05 | |
of warming dairy with a hint of sourness that Iranians love. | 0:13:05 | 0:13:09 | |
Roughly chop two onions. | 0:13:13 | 0:13:15 | |
And sweat them in olive oil until golden. | 0:13:16 | 0:13:19 | |
Add chopped garlic and turmeric. | 0:13:20 | 0:13:23 | |
After a few minutes, mix in lentils, chickpeas and haricot beans. | 0:13:24 | 0:13:30 | |
Pour in stock. | 0:13:32 | 0:13:33 | |
And then simmer for half an hour, before adding reshteh noodles. | 0:13:34 | 0:13:39 | |
They're like linguine. | 0:13:39 | 0:13:40 | |
Squeeze and chop wilted spinach with handfuls of parsley, | 0:13:45 | 0:13:49 | |
coriander and mint. | 0:13:49 | 0:13:51 | |
Fold into the soup and top with sour cream, | 0:13:52 | 0:13:56 | |
then finish with golden caramelised onions. | 0:13:56 | 0:14:00 | |
A warm and nourishing lunch. | 0:14:00 | 0:14:02 | |
A new day dawns, time to head for the hills. | 0:14:08 | 0:14:11 | |
With petrol costing as little as 20p a litre, it seems we are not alone. | 0:14:13 | 0:14:18 | |
Iran has officially the world's most dangerous roads, | 0:14:20 | 0:14:23 | |
with 20 times more accidents than the average. | 0:14:23 | 0:14:26 | |
Meisam shares his thoughts on the psyche | 0:14:27 | 0:14:30 | |
of the infamous Iranian driver. | 0:14:30 | 0:14:32 | |
They become impolite, really impolite when they are driving. | 0:14:33 | 0:14:37 | |
For example, using this flashing light | 0:14:37 | 0:14:40 | |
when you're changing your lanes is not still the culture here. | 0:14:40 | 0:14:43 | |
Because I have been to Europe before, | 0:14:43 | 0:14:46 | |
and I like the way they drive there. | 0:14:46 | 0:14:48 | |
-I always do that. -We politely indicate. | 0:14:48 | 0:14:51 | |
-"This is our intention." -Yes. | 0:14:51 | 0:14:54 | |
I'm travelling to the northern province of Gilan, | 0:15:00 | 0:15:03 | |
near the remote village of Anbu. | 0:15:03 | 0:15:06 | |
It looks a hostile landscape of barren, | 0:15:06 | 0:15:09 | |
dusty hills but hidden in the valleys is a lush, green oasis. | 0:15:09 | 0:15:15 | |
You know, there's some days you just don't know what to expect. | 0:15:30 | 0:15:33 | |
And then suddenly, this secret green space - very verdant, very lush, | 0:15:33 | 0:15:38 | |
with these flashes of crimson and red, | 0:15:38 | 0:15:40 | |
and it's a pomegranate orchard. | 0:15:40 | 0:15:42 | |
This is Alireza. | 0:15:48 | 0:15:50 | |
His family have owned this pomegranate orchard for generations. | 0:15:50 | 0:15:53 | |
Pomegranates are native to Iran, | 0:15:55 | 0:15:57 | |
one of the world's biggest producers of the fruit. | 0:15:57 | 0:16:00 | |
And growing nearly a million tonnes every year. | 0:16:00 | 0:16:03 | |
It's often referred to as the Fruit of Paradise - and with good reason. | 0:16:05 | 0:16:10 | |
You want to see a big pomegranate? | 0:16:10 | 0:16:12 | |
That's the biggest ever! | 0:16:12 | 0:16:15 | |
We called this bull pomegranate. | 0:16:15 | 0:16:17 | |
As in beef. I'm not surprised. | 0:16:17 | 0:16:19 | |
Well, we have a beefsteak tomato. | 0:16:19 | 0:16:22 | |
Our biggest tomatoes, we call them beefsteaks. | 0:16:22 | 0:16:24 | |
Oh, look at that! | 0:16:29 | 0:16:30 | |
It's like there is so much more pomegranate there. | 0:16:33 | 0:16:37 | |
It's juicier, it's sweeter, but it's also got a kick of sourness as well. | 0:16:37 | 0:16:41 | |
The harvest season starts in October and runs through to early January. | 0:16:44 | 0:16:48 | |
Small farms like this pick by hand to avoid damaging the fruits. | 0:16:50 | 0:16:54 | |
And so many hands are needed. | 0:16:56 | 0:16:58 | |
Even mine, it seems. | 0:16:58 | 0:17:00 | |
She can do once for you so that you can learn. Right? | 0:17:00 | 0:17:04 | |
Go and show me. | 0:17:04 | 0:17:05 | |
Oh, big one! | 0:17:09 | 0:17:10 | |
I don't want to miss any. | 0:17:18 | 0:17:20 | |
I can't believe these branches don't snap. | 0:17:22 | 0:17:26 | |
Well, I don't want to drop one. | 0:17:26 | 0:17:27 | |
I don't want to drop one because these are so precious. | 0:17:29 | 0:17:31 | |
You know, this is somebody's harvest. | 0:17:31 | 0:17:34 | |
This is somebody's livelihood, | 0:17:34 | 0:17:35 | |
but also there's more to it than that. | 0:17:35 | 0:17:37 | |
There's something so incredibly special about these fruits. | 0:17:38 | 0:17:42 | |
It would feel like a crime if I dropped one. | 0:17:42 | 0:17:45 | |
And I haven't. I think I've got a new job. | 0:17:46 | 0:17:49 | |
Yeah. | 0:17:52 | 0:17:54 | |
Whilst this looks like a scene from yesteryear, | 0:17:54 | 0:17:57 | |
of a community pooling its resources at harvest time, | 0:17:57 | 0:18:01 | |
most of Alireza's family and friends travel here, | 0:18:01 | 0:18:05 | |
putting on traditional costume, | 0:18:05 | 0:18:07 | |
to get themselves into the harvest spirit. | 0:18:07 | 0:18:09 | |
You only wear them when you're here. | 0:18:21 | 0:18:23 | |
So, this is like a sort of celebration, | 0:18:30 | 0:18:32 | |
it's like a working holiday or a celebration. | 0:18:32 | 0:18:35 | |
What a lovely thing to do every year, | 0:18:48 | 0:18:51 | |
to look forward to. Just lovely. | 0:18:51 | 0:18:52 | |
The perfect fruit are sold at markets. | 0:18:54 | 0:18:56 | |
Ali gets about 75p per kilo. | 0:18:57 | 0:19:00 | |
Not every fruit makes the grade. | 0:19:01 | 0:19:04 | |
But all is not lost. | 0:19:04 | 0:19:06 | |
So, these are the pomegranates that... | 0:19:06 | 0:19:09 | |
What? That aren't good enough to be sold whole? | 0:19:09 | 0:19:11 | |
Pomegranate molasses is used across Middle Eastern cooking, but nowhere | 0:19:17 | 0:19:22 | |
more so than in Iran. | 0:19:22 | 0:19:23 | |
The family here make it with a beautiful purity. | 0:19:26 | 0:19:30 | |
The seeds are washed in water from the stream, | 0:19:31 | 0:19:35 | |
and then put over an open fire. | 0:19:35 | 0:19:37 | |
All those complex notes of pomegranate molasses... | 0:19:42 | 0:19:47 | |
All that sweetness, the caramelised notes, the sourness, in this case, | 0:19:47 | 0:19:51 | |
it's actually just pomegranates from the orchard | 0:19:51 | 0:19:54 | |
and some water from the stream. | 0:19:54 | 0:19:56 | |
Once boiled, the seeds are then pulped. | 0:19:58 | 0:20:00 | |
The juice is then put back on the fire until it reduces to the thick | 0:20:03 | 0:20:07 | |
molasses, which can be bottled and refrigerated for months. | 0:20:07 | 0:20:11 | |
It can be compared to a fruitier version of balsamic vinegar, | 0:20:12 | 0:20:16 | |
and is great in dressings, glazes and sweet sour stews. | 0:20:16 | 0:20:22 | |
It tastes like pomegranate and prunes. | 0:20:22 | 0:20:23 | |
Just a little bit more boiling down. | 0:20:25 | 0:20:27 | |
And then thoroughly chilled. | 0:20:27 | 0:20:28 | |
And you've got... | 0:20:30 | 0:20:31 | |
You've got something that is used all over the place, | 0:20:33 | 0:20:35 | |
right the way through cooking here. | 0:20:35 | 0:20:37 | |
It's used in casseroles, it's used on grills, on the kebabs. | 0:20:37 | 0:20:41 | |
It's got that sweetness. | 0:20:41 | 0:20:43 | |
And that mellowness. And that little hit of sour. | 0:20:43 | 0:20:46 | |
Beautiful. Thank you. | 0:20:46 | 0:20:48 | |
It's just an extraordinary place. I hadn't expected this. | 0:20:54 | 0:20:59 | |
There's a wonderful atmosphere. It's almost joyful. | 0:20:59 | 0:21:01 | |
Everybody seems to be happy to be doing what they're doing. | 0:21:01 | 0:21:04 | |
It's as if I've walked in on somebody's private celebration. | 0:21:04 | 0:21:07 | |
Having tasted the intensity of pomegranate molasses, | 0:21:14 | 0:21:18 | |
I'm keen to find out more about how other sour flavours | 0:21:18 | 0:21:22 | |
define Persian cuisine. | 0:21:22 | 0:21:24 | |
So far, I've yet to taste what I really came here for. | 0:21:32 | 0:21:36 | |
Good home cooking. | 0:21:36 | 0:21:38 | |
Hospitality is a key part of life throughout the Middle East. | 0:21:39 | 0:21:44 | |
I'm back in Tehran and our taxi driver, Jalal, | 0:21:44 | 0:21:48 | |
invites me to his home to taste what is possibly Iran's favourite dish. | 0:21:48 | 0:21:53 | |
Jalal lives in the unassuming suburb of Shahr-e-Rey, | 0:22:09 | 0:22:13 | |
in the most southerly part of Tehran, | 0:22:13 | 0:22:16 | |
where the city bumps up against farmland. | 0:22:16 | 0:22:18 | |
He's arranged to meet with his wife Maryam | 0:22:21 | 0:22:24 | |
in their local fruit and veg shop. | 0:22:24 | 0:22:28 | |
-Hi. How are you? -Lovely to meet you. | 0:22:32 | 0:22:34 | |
Fresh herbs are an essential part of the Iranian diet. | 0:22:34 | 0:22:38 | |
In a cuisine dominated by a rich stews and hearty soups, | 0:22:38 | 0:22:42 | |
they are generously used to cut through the complex flavours with | 0:22:42 | 0:22:46 | |
freshness and vibrancy. | 0:22:46 | 0:22:48 | |
Coriander. Mint. | 0:22:48 | 0:22:51 | |
And this is... This is land cress. | 0:22:51 | 0:22:53 | |
Yes. | 0:22:53 | 0:22:54 | |
Does it tidy it up as well? | 0:22:59 | 0:23:02 | |
These herbs will form a punchy salad to serve alongside our main dish. | 0:23:02 | 0:23:06 | |
You have no idea how much I want this at home. | 0:23:07 | 0:23:11 | |
Like many Tehranis, Jalal and Maryam rent an apartment. | 0:23:18 | 0:23:22 | |
This is lovely. | 0:23:25 | 0:23:26 | |
Is this your family? | 0:23:26 | 0:23:28 | |
HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE | 0:23:28 | 0:23:31 | |
That's his daughter, their daughter, and that's their son-in-law. | 0:23:31 | 0:23:34 | |
That's Mohammed, my son. | 0:23:36 | 0:23:39 | |
Yeah. My parents never had pictures of me all over the place like that. | 0:23:39 | 0:23:44 | |
HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE | 0:23:44 | 0:23:48 | |
Oh, I love it! | 0:23:48 | 0:23:50 | |
It's old, not a new one, but... | 0:23:54 | 0:23:56 | |
My kitchen's old. I love old kitchens, | 0:23:56 | 0:23:59 | |
kitchens that have seen many, many years' cooking. | 0:23:59 | 0:24:02 | |
Maryam is cooking dizi, | 0:24:03 | 0:24:05 | |
a warming lamb stew enriched with chickpeas and beans, | 0:24:05 | 0:24:08 | |
and sharpened with dried lime and herbs. | 0:24:08 | 0:24:11 | |
Smell that! | 0:24:13 | 0:24:15 | |
It's a centuries-old dish. | 0:24:15 | 0:24:18 | |
So this has been cooking a long time, right? | 0:24:18 | 0:24:20 | |
And how do you start this? | 0:24:23 | 0:24:25 | |
So the meat's cooked on the bone, | 0:24:42 | 0:24:44 | |
which is the best way. But also, it's the fat. | 0:24:44 | 0:24:47 | |
It's these beautiful lumps of fat | 0:24:47 | 0:24:50 | |
added to the stock. | 0:24:50 | 0:24:52 | |
That is what is making it so luscious. | 0:24:52 | 0:24:54 | |
It has to be. | 0:24:54 | 0:24:55 | |
This is a dried lime. | 0:25:09 | 0:25:10 | |
I've never cooked with them. | 0:25:10 | 0:25:12 | |
This is really interesting for me, | 0:25:12 | 0:25:14 | |
because I've seen these in the shops. | 0:25:14 | 0:25:18 | |
And I've never bought them, | 0:25:18 | 0:25:20 | |
because I've never really known what to do with them. | 0:25:20 | 0:25:23 | |
Just tasting just a tiny bit of this, | 0:25:23 | 0:25:26 | |
it's this sudden hit of sourness. | 0:25:26 | 0:25:28 | |
It's so refreshing. | 0:25:28 | 0:25:31 | |
And I can just imagine having something | 0:25:31 | 0:25:33 | |
that's very comforting and gentle, | 0:25:33 | 0:25:37 | |
and then you get this hit of sourness. | 0:25:37 | 0:25:40 | |
The lime doesn't just add flavour, | 0:25:43 | 0:25:45 | |
it also helps to cut through the intensity of the fat. | 0:25:45 | 0:25:50 | |
The dried limes are followed by red and black pepper. | 0:25:50 | 0:25:54 | |
Cinnamon, cumin and whole boiled potatoes. | 0:25:54 | 0:25:58 | |
20 minutes later, the dried limes are removed. | 0:26:00 | 0:26:03 | |
This isn't the dish to rush. | 0:26:05 | 0:26:07 | |
That's the magic bit. | 0:26:11 | 0:26:12 | |
Tomato puree adds depth and more colour to the dish. | 0:26:13 | 0:26:16 | |
What's that? | 0:26:19 | 0:26:20 | |
Do you know, almost every ingredient you've given to me, | 0:26:25 | 0:26:30 | |
you've explained what it adds in terms of flavour, but you've also | 0:26:30 | 0:26:33 | |
explained what it does to the body, | 0:26:33 | 0:26:37 | |
what it does to me. It's not just about flavour, it's about health. | 0:26:37 | 0:26:43 | |
Every effort is made to maximise the natural goodness and flavour of the | 0:26:44 | 0:26:48 | |
core ingredients. | 0:26:48 | 0:26:49 | |
The fat is mashed up and returned to the pan, | 0:26:51 | 0:26:54 | |
releasing further fatty flavours into the dish | 0:26:54 | 0:26:57 | |
to work in harmony with the taste of the sour lime. | 0:26:57 | 0:27:00 | |
You know what? The magic of this is the comforting, the fattiness, | 0:27:01 | 0:27:06 | |
that sort of long-cooked homeliness and then, | 0:27:06 | 0:27:11 | |
this harmony that goes on with this refreshing lime, | 0:27:11 | 0:27:14 | |
this sudden zing of sourness. | 0:27:14 | 0:27:16 | |
And that's why it works and that's why it's so special. | 0:27:16 | 0:27:19 | |
And finally, the meat and potatoes are removed | 0:27:22 | 0:27:25 | |
and mashed and served on a side plate. | 0:27:25 | 0:27:29 | |
Thank you. | 0:27:29 | 0:27:31 | |
The herbs from the market become a fresh-tasting side salad, | 0:27:33 | 0:27:37 | |
accompanied by a yoghurt dip and bread. | 0:27:37 | 0:27:40 | |
The broth is presented in a separate bowl, | 0:27:42 | 0:27:45 | |
making dizi a two-course dish, | 0:27:45 | 0:27:48 | |
something many Iranians call two happinesses. | 0:27:48 | 0:27:52 | |
It's the broth that really gets me. | 0:27:52 | 0:27:55 | |
It's got this gentle... | 0:27:56 | 0:27:59 | |
This gentle note of sort of sharp and sourness coming through it | 0:27:59 | 0:28:02 | |
from these limes. It's kind of everything I want food to be, | 0:28:02 | 0:28:06 | |
to come into a house where I learn not just a new recipe but how to use | 0:28:06 | 0:28:10 | |
ingredients that genuinely, genuinely are new to me. | 0:28:10 | 0:28:14 | |
Did I like it? | 0:28:17 | 0:28:18 | |
Seriously, I loved it. | 0:28:20 | 0:28:22 | |
I absolutely loved it and I can't thank you enough. | 0:28:22 | 0:28:25 | |
The classic Persian savoury and sour combination has inspired me to make | 0:28:28 | 0:28:33 | |
this stuffed aubergine dish. | 0:28:33 | 0:28:35 | |
Halve two aubergines | 0:28:39 | 0:28:41 | |
and score the flesh. | 0:28:41 | 0:28:42 | |
Place on a baking tray, | 0:28:43 | 0:28:46 | |
and then douse with olive oil. | 0:28:46 | 0:28:48 | |
A little sprinkle of salt. | 0:28:48 | 0:28:50 | |
Then add six garlic cloves and bake for an hour. | 0:28:51 | 0:28:56 | |
Mash the roasted garlic and mix with the flesh of the aubergines. | 0:28:59 | 0:29:03 | |
Trickle in a little pomegranate molasses, | 0:29:04 | 0:29:07 | |
and crumble over some feta cheese. | 0:29:07 | 0:29:10 | |
Pomegranate seeds and mint leaves add flavour and a burst of colour. | 0:29:14 | 0:29:18 | |
It's a savoury and sour sensation. | 0:29:19 | 0:29:22 | |
And absolutely delicious. | 0:29:23 | 0:29:25 | |
The next leg of my journey takes me 360 kilometres north of Tehran | 0:29:31 | 0:29:36 | |
towards the Caspian Sea. | 0:29:36 | 0:29:38 | |
It's a very different climate this side of the Alborz. | 0:29:40 | 0:29:43 | |
Coming from somewhere that was actually quite barren and dusty... | 0:29:43 | 0:29:47 | |
-Yes. -..and then we're driving to here, | 0:29:47 | 0:29:49 | |
and immediately these avenues of trees. | 0:29:49 | 0:29:52 | |
-Yes. -This lush green. | 0:29:52 | 0:29:54 | |
But it almost feels slightly like I've entered a different country. | 0:29:54 | 0:29:57 | |
Yes, exactly. | 0:29:57 | 0:29:59 | |
The northern parts of Iran near the Caspian are like Europe. | 0:29:59 | 0:30:03 | |
Wherever you're driving, you see all the lands are green, | 0:30:05 | 0:30:09 | |
there are lots of trees. | 0:30:09 | 0:30:10 | |
Lots of rain means fertile land, | 0:30:12 | 0:30:14 | |
which makes it ideal for growing rice, | 0:30:14 | 0:30:17 | |
fruit and vegetables. | 0:30:17 | 0:30:18 | |
The bazaar in Rasht, the biggest city on the Caspian coast, | 0:30:21 | 0:30:25 | |
showcases just how much produce is grown here. | 0:30:25 | 0:30:28 | |
You know, I love these places. | 0:30:28 | 0:30:30 | |
It's just the best bit about shopping, | 0:30:32 | 0:30:34 | |
is a market you've never been to before. | 0:30:34 | 0:30:36 | |
It's not just the sights and the sounds. | 0:30:38 | 0:30:41 | |
It's the smells, as well. | 0:30:41 | 0:30:42 | |
Normally, barberry is something I find dried. | 0:30:46 | 0:30:49 | |
A tiny little sour berry. | 0:30:49 | 0:30:50 | |
I've never seen fresh ones before. | 0:30:50 | 0:30:53 | |
This is it. How beautiful is that? | 0:30:53 | 0:30:55 | |
Ah, merci. | 0:30:55 | 0:30:57 | |
Thank you. I think this is going to be really sour. | 0:30:57 | 0:30:59 | |
Oh, it's lovely. | 0:31:01 | 0:31:03 | |
It tastes like a redcurrant. | 0:31:04 | 0:31:06 | |
That would put zing into anything, | 0:31:06 | 0:31:07 | |
sweet or savoury. | 0:31:07 | 0:31:09 | |
Salam. | 0:31:09 | 0:31:10 | |
I want to track down one ingredient that this region is famous for. | 0:31:12 | 0:31:17 | |
But I'm easily distracted. | 0:31:18 | 0:31:21 | |
I'm irresistibly drawn to other countries' cookware, | 0:31:21 | 0:31:26 | |
what they use in their kitchen. | 0:31:26 | 0:31:27 | |
Sometimes I think in a past life I've been a magpie. | 0:31:28 | 0:31:31 | |
Kind of drawn to all these shiny things. | 0:31:32 | 0:31:34 | |
So, this is the copper shop. | 0:31:36 | 0:31:37 | |
Hi. Hello, hi. | 0:31:37 | 0:31:39 | |
You know, there are some pans that you just know | 0:31:42 | 0:31:46 | |
are going to be really useful. | 0:31:46 | 0:31:48 | |
That's one of them. | 0:31:48 | 0:31:49 | |
OK. So, definitely these. | 0:31:53 | 0:31:57 | |
Do I buy them by weight? | 0:31:59 | 0:32:01 | |
And I must wait and see how much this is going to cost. So... | 0:32:04 | 0:32:08 | |
There's a lot of noughts. | 0:32:10 | 0:32:12 | |
That looks scary. This is about 35 quid, | 0:32:12 | 0:32:15 | |
for these beautiful copper pans. | 0:32:15 | 0:32:19 | |
Amongst the hustle and bustle of the market, | 0:32:23 | 0:32:27 | |
there are plenty of pit stops for weary shoppers. | 0:32:27 | 0:32:31 | |
This is the kind of shopping expedition of my dreams. | 0:32:44 | 0:32:48 | |
It's specialist shopping. | 0:32:48 | 0:32:50 | |
Everything is laid out with a care, | 0:32:50 | 0:32:52 | |
and a thought, and almost a love for the thing that they're selling. | 0:32:52 | 0:32:57 | |
Probably they sold it and their parents sold it. | 0:32:57 | 0:32:59 | |
And I love the idea that if I'm buying dates or almonds or olives, | 0:32:59 | 0:33:05 | |
that they're being sold by somebody who knows their story. | 0:33:05 | 0:33:08 | |
They clearly know the farm. They know where they come from. | 0:33:08 | 0:33:11 | |
So that's how you buy walnuts. | 0:33:15 | 0:33:18 | |
Mountains of walnuts! | 0:33:18 | 0:33:19 | |
But what I'm really looking for is the Caspian's most famous fish. | 0:33:22 | 0:33:27 | |
The beluga sturgeon, prized for its roe or caviar, | 0:33:27 | 0:33:30 | |
is nowhere to be seen. | 0:33:30 | 0:33:32 | |
Curiously, I'm directed away from the market | 0:33:37 | 0:33:41 | |
towards a local convenience store. | 0:33:41 | 0:33:44 | |
Biscuits. Tinned peas. | 0:33:44 | 0:33:46 | |
Spaghetti. | 0:33:47 | 0:33:48 | |
This is what I've come for. | 0:33:51 | 0:33:53 | |
This isn't quite where I expected to find this beluga. | 0:33:56 | 0:34:04 | |
You know, 90% of the world's caviar used to come from | 0:34:04 | 0:34:07 | |
this area, from the Caspian. | 0:34:07 | 0:34:09 | |
And it's odd to think that at the beginning of the last century, | 0:34:09 | 0:34:13 | |
it was actually just stuck on the bar in American hotels. | 0:34:13 | 0:34:18 | |
It was salty, so it made you drink more, | 0:34:18 | 0:34:20 | |
like peanuts or pork scratchings. | 0:34:20 | 0:34:22 | |
And then, of course, it went through its period of | 0:34:23 | 0:34:25 | |
being very expensive and sold in very luxurious restaurants | 0:34:25 | 0:34:29 | |
for enormous amounts of money. | 0:34:29 | 0:34:30 | |
This isn't the wild caviar which is now impossible to find, | 0:34:31 | 0:34:36 | |
yet it's still incredibly expensive. | 0:34:36 | 0:34:38 | |
This is 100 dollars. | 0:34:38 | 0:34:42 | |
The black pearls of caviar | 0:34:42 | 0:34:43 | |
are one of the most decadent foods on the planet, | 0:34:43 | 0:34:47 | |
and were enjoyed in abundance here during the Caspian Sea's heyday | 0:34:47 | 0:34:51 | |
as a playground for the rich and famous. | 0:34:51 | 0:34:53 | |
But the revolution in 1979 changed the face of these shores. | 0:35:00 | 0:35:05 | |
As the country turned from a pro-Western monarchy | 0:35:08 | 0:35:11 | |
to an Islamic Republic, the party was over. | 0:35:11 | 0:35:14 | |
That actually reminds me of those wet, out-of-season holidays | 0:35:25 | 0:35:28 | |
at home in Britain when we used to sit in the car, scarves on, | 0:35:28 | 0:35:34 | |
windows rolled up, eating fish and chips. | 0:35:34 | 0:35:36 | |
The partygoers have gone. | 0:35:37 | 0:35:39 | |
And sadly, most of the sturgeon, too. | 0:35:39 | 0:35:42 | |
They are now critically endangered. | 0:35:42 | 0:35:44 | |
But I've come all this way, | 0:35:45 | 0:35:47 | |
and I want to know what locals fish for now. | 0:35:47 | 0:35:49 | |
Fisherman Azim has offered to take me out to his fishing grounds. | 0:35:51 | 0:35:56 | |
Azim and his fellow fishermen live and work | 0:35:58 | 0:36:01 | |
from his hut, four months a year, | 0:36:01 | 0:36:04 | |
eking out a living from the few migrating fish | 0:36:04 | 0:36:08 | |
they're now allowed to catch. | 0:36:08 | 0:36:10 | |
Oh! Salam. | 0:36:10 | 0:36:12 | |
This is so toasty in here. | 0:36:14 | 0:36:18 | |
Such a cool trip. | 0:36:18 | 0:36:19 | |
Oh, yes. Merci, thank you so much. | 0:36:21 | 0:36:25 | |
Nigel! | 0:36:27 | 0:36:28 | |
Azim's landed a catch of pike, bream and dace, | 0:36:28 | 0:36:32 | |
fish that they're permitted to catch at this time of year. | 0:36:32 | 0:36:35 | |
He's going to show me how the locals prepare and cook dace and its roe. | 0:36:36 | 0:36:41 | |
I would do that with a fish filleting knife. | 0:36:41 | 0:36:43 | |
This guy's doing it with his hands, | 0:36:43 | 0:36:45 | |
and he's making a better job of it than I do | 0:36:45 | 0:36:47 | |
with an ultra-sharp professional knife. | 0:36:47 | 0:36:50 | |
This is the roe. And when I was a kid, I grew up in the Midlands, | 0:36:54 | 0:36:58 | |
and I would go off to the fish and chip shop and I'd get cod and chips. | 0:36:58 | 0:37:03 | |
But my dad always loved roe, made into little cakes, breadcrumbs. | 0:37:03 | 0:37:08 | |
That's it. That's the roe. | 0:37:10 | 0:37:11 | |
Caviar of sorts. | 0:37:14 | 0:37:15 | |
I don't eat it partly because there are | 0:37:24 | 0:37:26 | |
environmental questions about caviar. | 0:37:26 | 0:37:29 | |
And I'm just wondering, what's happening here? | 0:37:29 | 0:37:31 | |
Azim and his friends have been campaigning against | 0:37:43 | 0:37:46 | |
the pollution and overfishing | 0:37:46 | 0:37:47 | |
that has decimated the sturgeon population. | 0:37:47 | 0:37:50 | |
They hope tighter regulation will change its fortunes. | 0:37:50 | 0:37:54 | |
I hope so. I hope so. | 0:38:08 | 0:38:10 | |
Azim fries the fish in oil. | 0:38:13 | 0:38:15 | |
Wow. OK. | 0:38:17 | 0:38:19 | |
It doesn't come any simpler. | 0:38:22 | 0:38:25 | |
Fish filleted and fried. | 0:38:25 | 0:38:26 | |
A little bit of the fish right on the outside. | 0:38:32 | 0:38:34 | |
They're incredibly crisp and they're melting. | 0:38:34 | 0:38:37 | |
Utterly, utterly delicious. | 0:38:39 | 0:38:41 | |
Life is not complicated here. | 0:38:42 | 0:38:45 | |
I couldn't be made to feel more welcome. | 0:38:45 | 0:38:47 | |
I can't wait to taste the roe and see how it's cooked. | 0:38:47 | 0:38:51 | |
So this is the roe and just some fresh garlic leaves. | 0:38:51 | 0:38:55 | |
Actually quite mild. Not overly garlicky. | 0:38:58 | 0:39:01 | |
This smells so good. | 0:39:05 | 0:39:06 | |
So it's just a fish roe and the fresh garlic tops. | 0:39:08 | 0:39:11 | |
And egg white, just beaten up. | 0:39:12 | 0:39:14 | |
But you know, this makes me happy on all sorts of levels, | 0:39:17 | 0:39:21 | |
because this is the food of my childhood. | 0:39:21 | 0:39:23 | |
Merci. Thank you. | 0:39:31 | 0:39:33 | |
That is so, so crisp. | 0:39:33 | 0:39:36 | |
Ah! Just look at that. | 0:39:39 | 0:39:42 | |
It's fish roe, just fried in a pan. | 0:39:48 | 0:39:51 | |
And it's utterly, utterly delicious. | 0:39:51 | 0:39:54 | |
I'm starting to feel quite at home here in the rain. | 0:39:56 | 0:39:59 | |
It could be the heat from the stove, | 0:40:00 | 0:40:02 | |
or perhaps it's the warmth of my welcome. | 0:40:02 | 0:40:05 | |
One of the things I did know before I came here was about the | 0:40:05 | 0:40:08 | |
legendary hospitality of the Iranians. | 0:40:08 | 0:40:12 | |
And here's the proof. | 0:40:12 | 0:40:14 | |
Delicious proof. | 0:40:14 | 0:40:15 | |
Right here in the lagoon. | 0:40:17 | 0:40:19 | |
Before heading back to Tehran, | 0:40:27 | 0:40:29 | |
I'm travelling further east to Torbat-e Heydarieh, | 0:40:29 | 0:40:33 | |
towards the Afghan border, | 0:40:33 | 0:40:35 | |
to witness something which, for me, | 0:40:35 | 0:40:37 | |
must be one of the wonders of the culinary world. | 0:40:37 | 0:40:40 | |
-It's heavy. -It's OK. | 0:40:50 | 0:40:51 | |
Thank you. | 0:40:55 | 0:40:57 | |
OK. | 0:40:58 | 0:40:59 | |
There's a TV. And there's snacks. | 0:41:01 | 0:41:03 | |
I'm liking this. | 0:41:06 | 0:41:08 | |
I wonder how my bed works. | 0:41:09 | 0:41:11 | |
Ah! There's a handle. | 0:41:15 | 0:41:17 | |
Yep, I've got it. | 0:41:24 | 0:41:25 | |
I've got my bed. | 0:41:27 | 0:41:28 | |
Hello. | 0:41:32 | 0:41:34 | |
I've got selfies, too. | 0:41:41 | 0:41:42 | |
I feel I'm about seven and I'm staying at a mate's house. | 0:41:51 | 0:41:54 | |
I feel like I'm a kid again. | 0:41:55 | 0:41:57 | |
I can't wait to snuggle down in this. | 0:41:59 | 0:42:02 | |
I've come to witness the harvesting of an ingredient that I think, | 0:42:21 | 0:42:24 | |
more than any other, characterises Persian cooking. | 0:42:24 | 0:42:28 | |
And that's saffron. | 0:42:28 | 0:42:29 | |
It's the red gold that runs all the way through the cuisine of this part | 0:42:31 | 0:42:34 | |
of the world. It's used in rice dishes, it's used in seafood soups. | 0:42:34 | 0:42:39 | |
You find it in all sorts of places. | 0:42:39 | 0:42:42 | |
But it's also even used as a dye. | 0:42:42 | 0:42:45 | |
In old carpets, you find it threaded into the weave. | 0:42:45 | 0:42:47 | |
At about £4,000 a kilo, it's the world's most treasured spice, | 0:42:52 | 0:42:58 | |
and the production process is incredibly labour-intensive. | 0:42:58 | 0:43:01 | |
In a scene that has barely changed in 3,000 years, | 0:43:03 | 0:43:06 | |
workers rise at dawn to gently pluck crocus flowers | 0:43:06 | 0:43:10 | |
and remove their golden stamens. | 0:43:10 | 0:43:13 | |
This is the prized saffron. | 0:43:14 | 0:43:17 | |
Lending its golden hue and sweetness to savoury dishes, | 0:43:19 | 0:43:23 | |
deserts and sweetmeats alike. | 0:43:23 | 0:43:25 | |
Its colour and flavour is best appreciated | 0:43:25 | 0:43:29 | |
when steeped in warm milk or water. | 0:43:29 | 0:43:32 | |
You know, I had expected an arid landscape. | 0:43:32 | 0:43:35 | |
I certainly thought there would be fields of violet purple. | 0:43:35 | 0:43:39 | |
But what surprises me is this very delicate fragrance. | 0:43:39 | 0:43:44 | |
It's just on the breeze. | 0:43:44 | 0:43:46 | |
It's sweet and it's almost like honey. | 0:43:46 | 0:43:48 | |
Hello. Bahman Ali Habibzadeh is the owner of these fields. | 0:43:51 | 0:43:56 | |
It's a precise and delicate harvest. | 0:43:56 | 0:43:59 | |
So, when I'm shopping for saffron, | 0:44:15 | 0:44:17 | |
then I should be looking for really long stamens attached to each other? | 0:44:17 | 0:44:21 | |
Wow. | 0:44:29 | 0:44:30 | |
Oh, my word. | 0:44:32 | 0:44:33 | |
It's intoxicating. | 0:44:36 | 0:44:38 | |
It's extraordinary that something so delicate can smell so intense when | 0:44:38 | 0:44:43 | |
it's in this quantity. That's my pension, that is. | 0:44:43 | 0:44:48 | |
I've never seen such a quantity of saffron in my entire life. | 0:44:51 | 0:44:54 | |
Saffron's true value is the flavour and hue it brings to a dish. | 0:44:57 | 0:45:01 | |
It may be expensive, but the impact is priceless | 0:45:02 | 0:45:06 | |
in a saffron and cardamom creme caramel. | 0:45:06 | 0:45:10 | |
Gently warm 500 millimetres of milk. | 0:45:11 | 0:45:14 | |
Grind the seeds of a dozen cardamom pods and add to the pan. | 0:45:20 | 0:45:24 | |
Infuse a generous pinch of saffron | 0:45:28 | 0:45:30 | |
into a couple of spoonfuls of the warm milk. | 0:45:30 | 0:45:33 | |
Next, make a syrup by heating 100 grams of caster sugar | 0:45:35 | 0:45:39 | |
and 100 millilitres of water. | 0:45:39 | 0:45:41 | |
Don't be tempted to stir. | 0:45:41 | 0:45:43 | |
As it changes to a golden caramel, pour into four ramekins. | 0:45:44 | 0:45:49 | |
Beat two eggs and the yolks of four more, | 0:45:49 | 0:45:52 | |
with 80 grams of golden caster sugar, | 0:45:52 | 0:45:55 | |
before adding the cooled cardamom and saffron-infused milk. | 0:45:55 | 0:45:59 | |
Strain the mixture and pour into the bowls. | 0:46:00 | 0:46:04 | |
Add hot water to a deep tray and bake the caramels for 40 minutes. | 0:46:04 | 0:46:09 | |
Then cool for around an hour until just set. | 0:46:09 | 0:46:13 | |
The creme caramels will have a delicate wobble, | 0:46:13 | 0:46:16 | |
and the syrup will trickle down the sides. | 0:46:16 | 0:46:19 | |
A calming end to any meal. | 0:46:20 | 0:46:22 | |
My journey in Iran is coming to a close, and I'm back in Tehran. | 0:46:35 | 0:46:38 | |
I've seen something of how people live in the working class suburbs | 0:46:40 | 0:46:44 | |
of the south of the city, | 0:46:44 | 0:46:45 | |
and now I'm in the affluent north. | 0:46:45 | 0:46:47 | |
I'm keen to find out how the other half live, | 0:46:50 | 0:46:52 | |
and how they eat here. So I'm off to the Palladium Mall. | 0:46:52 | 0:46:55 | |
This upmarket shopper's paradise captures | 0:46:58 | 0:47:01 | |
some of the aspirations of the Iranian middle classes. | 0:47:01 | 0:47:04 | |
With the easing of sanctions, foreign brands | 0:47:05 | 0:47:08 | |
have become easier to access. | 0:47:08 | 0:47:10 | |
And whilst many Iranians do not live like this, | 0:47:11 | 0:47:14 | |
the modern globalised world looks like it's here to stay. | 0:47:14 | 0:47:17 | |
Quality Street. Mars. | 0:47:19 | 0:47:22 | |
Cadbury's Roses. | 0:47:23 | 0:47:25 | |
Twix. Werther's. | 0:47:25 | 0:47:26 | |
Werther's! | 0:47:26 | 0:47:27 | |
You see, not even an Iranian supermarket can escape | 0:47:31 | 0:47:34 | |
the sad little ready meal. | 0:47:34 | 0:47:36 | |
This fesenjoon is for one. | 0:47:38 | 0:47:39 | |
There's a large range of fake pork products made from beef, | 0:47:41 | 0:47:44 | |
lamb and chicken. | 0:47:44 | 0:47:46 | |
In a country where pork products are literally banned... | 0:47:46 | 0:47:50 | |
..mixed jambon. Why use the word jambon, why? | 0:47:52 | 0:47:55 | |
Why call it jambon? | 0:47:56 | 0:47:58 | |
But it's so odd that you make a product look | 0:47:58 | 0:48:00 | |
like something that actually you can't eat. | 0:48:00 | 0:48:03 | |
One of the few places with anything unfamiliar | 0:48:05 | 0:48:08 | |
here is the dairy section. | 0:48:08 | 0:48:09 | |
Garlic-flavoured yoghurt. | 0:48:10 | 0:48:12 | |
Herb yoghurt, strained yoghurt, dill yoghurt. | 0:48:12 | 0:48:15 | |
Aubergine yoghurt. | 0:48:15 | 0:48:16 | |
Some of the world's biggest brands bring fashion, | 0:48:21 | 0:48:24 | |
jewellery and must-have gadgets to Tehran's wealthiest. | 0:48:24 | 0:48:27 | |
But part and parcel of this lifestyle | 0:48:30 | 0:48:33 | |
is the arrival of fast food. | 0:48:33 | 0:48:35 | |
There are now 20,000 fast food outlets in Iran. | 0:48:35 | 0:48:39 | |
And I wonder whether young people are being seduced | 0:48:39 | 0:48:42 | |
by these newer temptations. | 0:48:42 | 0:48:44 | |
How do I switch it off? How do I switch it off? | 0:48:48 | 0:48:51 | |
It's vibrating. | 0:48:51 | 0:48:52 | |
OK. | 0:48:54 | 0:48:55 | |
Sorry. Thank you. | 0:48:57 | 0:48:58 | |
Why are my vibrator things going off? Lovely. | 0:48:58 | 0:49:01 | |
Thank you. Merci. | 0:49:01 | 0:49:04 | |
I'm glad to get that out of my hand, to be honest. | 0:49:04 | 0:49:07 | |
Sending me all a quiver. | 0:49:07 | 0:49:08 | |
-Sorry, guys. -Oh, you got sushi. | 0:49:11 | 0:49:15 | |
-Yeah. -Wow. | 0:49:15 | 0:49:16 | |
I've arranged to meet a group of students to see if their traditional | 0:49:16 | 0:49:20 | |
tastes are changing. | 0:49:20 | 0:49:22 | |
We're all football fans. | 0:49:22 | 0:49:24 | |
He's a real Chelsea fan. | 0:49:24 | 0:49:25 | |
I'm a real Manchester United fan. | 0:49:25 | 0:49:27 | |
Arsenal. He's an Arsenal fan. | 0:49:27 | 0:49:30 | |
Thank you. | 0:49:30 | 0:49:32 | |
So what have you got? We've got fish and chips. | 0:49:33 | 0:49:36 | |
Chicken and chips. | 0:49:36 | 0:49:38 | |
You've got... That's penne. | 0:49:39 | 0:49:40 | |
Yes. Makes it here. | 0:49:40 | 0:49:43 | |
It's a Mexican food. | 0:49:43 | 0:49:46 | |
You actually prefer Iranian home cooking or do you prefer this? | 0:49:46 | 0:49:50 | |
Thinking of all of the food here, | 0:50:00 | 0:50:04 | |
the Italian food, the American food, | 0:50:04 | 0:50:08 | |
Mexican food. I mean, if you had to pick one cuisine in the world, | 0:50:08 | 0:50:13 | |
one food, what would it be? | 0:50:13 | 0:50:15 | |
Iranian, definitely. | 0:50:17 | 0:50:18 | |
Iranian. | 0:50:20 | 0:50:22 | |
Iranian. | 0:50:22 | 0:50:23 | |
Modern shopping malls and fast food outlets | 0:50:24 | 0:50:27 | |
may be the future, but they're a long way from the dishes | 0:50:27 | 0:50:31 | |
of the home kitchen that truly reflect Iranian character. | 0:50:31 | 0:50:35 | |
There just aren't many restaurants that cater for the growing middle | 0:50:36 | 0:50:39 | |
classes here. | 0:50:39 | 0:50:41 | |
They still want that taste of home, | 0:50:41 | 0:50:43 | |
but don't have the time | 0:50:43 | 0:50:45 | |
these popular dishes require. | 0:50:45 | 0:50:46 | |
One couple who have recognised this | 0:50:49 | 0:50:52 | |
gap in the market are Marene and Arvand Dashtaray. | 0:50:52 | 0:50:55 | |
They've set up a restaurant that celebrates | 0:50:58 | 0:51:01 | |
Iranian home cooking and historic dishes. | 0:51:01 | 0:51:04 | |
Most of the restaurants are serving kebabs, | 0:51:08 | 0:51:10 | |
and Persian cuisine and Persian food is not about kebabs at all. | 0:51:10 | 0:51:14 | |
You know, it's about food that you'll experience inside the homes | 0:51:14 | 0:51:18 | |
which the mums are used to cook. | 0:51:18 | 0:51:20 | |
This is not something you can take from Iranians. | 0:51:20 | 0:51:23 | |
If their wife doesn't make it for them, they will go to the mall. | 0:51:23 | 0:51:26 | |
And if their mum doesn't make it, they will go to the mother-in-law. | 0:51:26 | 0:51:29 | |
Or they will come to our restaurant or somewhere to find the food. | 0:51:29 | 0:51:33 | |
Because this generation grow up with this food. | 0:51:33 | 0:51:37 | |
I love the commitment to tradition here. | 0:51:38 | 0:51:41 | |
In a country with no legal alcohol, | 0:51:42 | 0:51:44 | |
soft drinks are elevated to new levels. | 0:51:44 | 0:51:47 | |
These syrup cordials infused with chia and saffron, | 0:51:47 | 0:51:51 | |
or cucumber and rose water, are classic Iranian sharbats. | 0:51:51 | 0:51:57 | |
Look at these colours and combination. | 0:51:57 | 0:51:59 | |
-It's luminous. -Yep. If you look at it, you get cool. | 0:51:59 | 0:52:02 | |
And also there is different types. | 0:52:02 | 0:52:04 | |
Like, that one is also... This is with the seeds. | 0:52:04 | 0:52:06 | |
And also when you do that, it gets more beautiful, | 0:52:06 | 0:52:10 | |
-you know? -It's glowing. -Right, it's glowing. | 0:52:10 | 0:52:13 | |
-Absolutely glowing. -Exactly. | 0:52:13 | 0:52:15 | |
But what's really special about this place is their commitment to | 0:52:15 | 0:52:20 | |
reinvigorating Iranian home cooking | 0:52:20 | 0:52:22 | |
extends to unearthing old recipes that have disappeared from use. | 0:52:22 | 0:52:26 | |
Arvand and his head chef Maman Hurain | 0:52:29 | 0:52:32 | |
offer me a cookery lesson at his home. | 0:52:32 | 0:52:35 | |
On the menu, a forgotten dish from the 16th century called mutanjan. | 0:52:36 | 0:52:42 | |
For what was supposedly once a favourite | 0:52:43 | 0:52:46 | |
of the great king, Shah Abbas, | 0:52:46 | 0:52:48 | |
it begins in remarkably familiar fashion - | 0:52:48 | 0:52:51 | |
frying garlic and onions... | 0:52:51 | 0:52:53 | |
-I'm almost crying. -I am crying. | 0:52:55 | 0:52:57 | |
..before browning the cubed veal. | 0:52:57 | 0:53:00 | |
-Very nice. -And adding spices, garlic powder, | 0:53:02 | 0:53:06 | |
turmeric, curry powder, and black pepper. | 0:53:06 | 0:53:09 | |
It gives a very nice flavour and smell. | 0:53:09 | 0:53:14 | |
Black pepper. | 0:53:14 | 0:53:15 | |
Black pepper. It just smells so good. | 0:53:15 | 0:53:17 | |
Yes, smells very good. | 0:53:17 | 0:53:20 | |
Once the meat is golden brown, we add water. | 0:53:20 | 0:53:23 | |
And then it's a matter of that most important | 0:53:23 | 0:53:26 | |
of Persian ingredients, time. | 0:53:26 | 0:53:29 | |
Four hours, to be precise. | 0:53:30 | 0:53:32 | |
So we're going to put the lid on. | 0:53:32 | 0:53:35 | |
Is this an unusual thing, | 0:53:36 | 0:53:38 | |
having a woman running a big restaurant kitchen in Iran? | 0:53:38 | 0:53:42 | |
From my point of view, they should be ashamed, | 0:53:52 | 0:53:54 | |
because what they are trying to do, | 0:53:54 | 0:53:56 | |
they are trying to copy what the women are doing inside homes. | 0:53:56 | 0:54:00 | |
They're not happy that the chef in a restaurant | 0:54:00 | 0:54:03 | |
is organising and leading a kitchen. | 0:54:03 | 0:54:05 | |
They just feel threatened. | 0:54:05 | 0:54:07 | |
Yeah, exactly. | 0:54:07 | 0:54:08 | |
Now she's adding the tomato juice. | 0:54:10 | 0:54:12 | |
Buffalo yoghurt is a signature element of mutanjan. | 0:54:20 | 0:54:24 | |
And the way it's mixed with the sauce is another top Persian tip. | 0:54:24 | 0:54:28 | |
So, little by little, yes. | 0:54:30 | 0:54:32 | |
Oh! | 0:54:40 | 0:54:41 | |
This is where I've been going wrong. | 0:54:42 | 0:54:44 | |
For years, I've been adding the yoghurt to the stew, | 0:54:44 | 0:54:48 | |
and then wondering why it goes grainy and curdles. | 0:54:48 | 0:54:51 | |
I should have been doing it the other way round. | 0:54:51 | 0:54:54 | |
Thank you. | 0:54:56 | 0:54:57 | |
Saffron steeped in water gives a stunning colour. | 0:54:58 | 0:55:01 | |
Oh, look at that, it's like the sun shining. | 0:55:03 | 0:55:06 | |
Oh! | 0:55:07 | 0:55:08 | |
It's that incredible gold. | 0:55:11 | 0:55:14 | |
Caramelised onions add a wonderful sweetness | 0:55:14 | 0:55:17 | |
that will complement the deep savoury flavours | 0:55:17 | 0:55:20 | |
of the slow-cooked veal. | 0:55:20 | 0:55:21 | |
Oh, you can see how soft it is. | 0:55:23 | 0:55:25 | |
The saffron yoghurt mix is spooned over the top, | 0:55:28 | 0:55:31 | |
but it isn't quite the finale of the dish. | 0:55:31 | 0:55:34 | |
This is pistachios. | 0:55:34 | 0:55:37 | |
-Yes. -Almonds. | 0:55:37 | 0:55:39 | |
This is completely new to me. | 0:55:39 | 0:55:41 | |
This is something I've... | 0:55:41 | 0:55:42 | |
You know, no idea at all that I was going to have this. | 0:55:44 | 0:55:48 | |
Am I right in thinking that your restaurant | 0:55:48 | 0:55:50 | |
is the only place that you can get this? | 0:55:50 | 0:55:53 | |
I cannot say totally sure. | 0:55:53 | 0:55:55 | |
But I haven't seen it anywhere else. | 0:55:55 | 0:55:57 | |
This might mean that I'm the only Englishman, | 0:55:57 | 0:56:01 | |
possibly, to have helped make that. | 0:56:01 | 0:56:03 | |
-Definitely. -Possibly. | 0:56:03 | 0:56:05 | |
Absolutely luscious. | 0:56:08 | 0:56:11 | |
-Pure Persia, is it not? -Yeah. | 0:56:11 | 0:56:15 | |
You wouldn't get those colours in | 0:56:16 | 0:56:18 | |
any other cuisine like that together. | 0:56:18 | 0:56:20 | |
Bon appetit. Try. | 0:56:20 | 0:56:21 | |
There's this softness, | 0:56:28 | 0:56:31 | |
the tenderness of meat. | 0:56:31 | 0:56:33 | |
And then you get the crunch of the pistachios | 0:56:33 | 0:56:36 | |
and the almonds and the barberries. | 0:56:36 | 0:56:38 | |
It's so rare that I eat something for the first time. | 0:56:38 | 0:56:42 | |
I've never eaten this before. | 0:56:42 | 0:56:44 | |
I didn't even know it existed before today. | 0:56:44 | 0:56:47 | |
Isn't this fab? | 0:56:50 | 0:56:51 | |
I came to Iran wanting to see a country that I'd never seen before, | 0:57:00 | 0:57:06 | |
and every door has been opened to me. | 0:57:06 | 0:57:08 | |
And there is layer after layer of dishes | 0:57:08 | 0:57:11 | |
that I genuinely didn't know about, | 0:57:11 | 0:57:14 | |
food I'd never dreamt of. | 0:57:14 | 0:57:15 | |
Very fragrant food, gentle flavours. | 0:57:15 | 0:57:19 | |
It is true comfort food in the best sense of the word, | 0:57:19 | 0:57:23 | |
that makes you feel good. | 0:57:23 | 0:57:26 | |
I wouldn't have missed this for the world. | 0:57:26 | 0:57:28 | |
On my journey through the Middle East, I've enjoyed some of the most | 0:57:33 | 0:57:37 | |
ancient and revered cuisines in the world. | 0:57:37 | 0:57:40 | |
I've been inspired by the colours, | 0:57:40 | 0:57:43 | |
fragrances and flavours | 0:57:43 | 0:57:45 | |
that encapsulate the diversity of the people who live here. | 0:57:45 | 0:57:48 | |
I've relished the slow-cooked | 0:57:49 | 0:57:51 | |
traditional flavours of Iranian food, | 0:57:51 | 0:57:55 | |
the light and vibrant sharing plates of Lebanon, | 0:57:55 | 0:57:58 | |
and recipes shaped by the fruits of the Turkish landscape. | 0:57:58 | 0:58:03 | |
But my overwhelming memory is not of a particular dish or ingredient. | 0:58:05 | 0:58:10 | |
What holds this place together is this unfettered welcome, | 0:58:10 | 0:58:16 | |
this hospitality, this generosity, | 0:58:16 | 0:58:19 | |
but also the amount of languages, the culture. | 0:58:19 | 0:58:23 | |
I had absolutely no idea of this place. | 0:58:23 | 0:58:27 |