Everything About IRAN [Archive] - Tapesh.Com an Iranian, Persian based Forum

10-29-2005, 10:49 AM

Rice with Lentils
Adass Polo
(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)
(3-6 servings)
Ingredients:

3 cups (8 Oz) of white long grain rice.
4 table spoons of cooking oil.
1 cup (8 Oz) of lentils.
1 loaf of pita (or other flat middle eastern type) bread.
4 oz of water.
salt
Directions:

For best results, soak the rice for a few hours in hot water and salt before cooking. Soak the lentils in a separate water (no salt) container a short while before cooking.

In a medium size pot, half-way filled with water, bring the water to a boil. Add the rice (and the water it was soaking in), and let it cook for a few minutes until it starts boiling. Add the lentils. Occasionally pick a few of the rice grains with a spoon and chew on them to see if they have softened.

When the rice is half-crunchy half-soft, take it out and drain it in a kitchen stringer. Run the tab water on it to wash out some of the excess salt.

Pour the oil in the pot, add 4 oz of water, separate the two halves of the pita bread and lay them in the bottom of the pot, add a bit of extra oil if necessary, then pile up the rice losely in the shape of a heap. With the back of a spoon, make five holes, one in the center and four around it so that the rice can breath in the cooking process.

Spread a little water on top and close the lid. Let it cook for a few minutes on high heat. When steam starts to rise, change the setting to medium heat and let it cook for another 15-20 minutes. Then turn the heat to medium-low, sprinkle some cooking oil to prevent drying, and let it cook for about another 10-15 minutes before serving.

HINTS:

If you have a choice, use any of the Basmati brands of rice (AftAb, Pari, Gilda, Feel-Neshan, etc.) you can buy from middle eastern or Indian stores. But be careful not to overboil these types. They get pretty sticky if you over cook them. If all else fails, use Mahatma brand (American from supermarket). They take longer to soften, and there is less chance of coming out sticky.
When putting bread in the bottom of the pot for purpose of forming bottom crust (tah deeg), it is best to use a teflon coated or any other non stick pot for this purpose. In most cases, after cooking the rice in such pots, you can put a large round plate over the pot, flip it over and get the rice and the crust to come out in one piece.

10-29-2005, 10:49 AM

Lima Bean with Dill Rice BAGALI SHEVID POLOW
Bagali polo
(Serves 6 to 8 )
The following recipes are from "Secrets of Cooking" by Linda Chirinian (ISBN 0-9617033-0-X Lionhart Inc. New Canaan, CT).

This exotic Iranian dish can be served with plain yogurt spooned over the rice, or with roast chicken, barbecued larnb chops, or steak. A straight-sided, non-stick, saucepan is the best kind of pot to use for this recipe.

Ingredients:

PREPARATION TIME: 20 MINUTES (plus soaking for rice)
COOKING TIME: 45 MINUTE

1 recipe Steamed Rice
1 package (10 ounce) frozen baby lima beans, thawed
14 tablespoons butter
3 cups freshly chopped dill
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1/inch slices (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon threads crushed and steeped in 2
tablespoons hot water
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Prepare Steamed Rice . Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a non-stick 6-quart saucepan. Arrange potato slices in single layer in saucepan.
Spread one-third of prepared rice over potatoes. Salt and pepper. Cover with half of lima beans, and half of dill. Cover with half of remaining rice and remainder of lima beans and dill. Top with remaining rice. Keep ingredients mounded high in center so steam can circulate. Sprinkle 4 cup water over rice. Slice remaining butter, place over rice. Cover rice with waxed paper. Wrap cover of pot in kitchen towel and place over saucepan to keep steam inside.
Cook over medium-high heat 8 minutes, reduce heat to low, and cook 35 minutes or until rice is soft and fluffy.
Set 1 cup rice aside. Mound remaining rice on serving dish. Remove potatoes from saucepan with spatula and place around rice or in separate dish. Sprinkle reserved cup of rice with saffron and mix well. Spread saffron rice on top of plain rice. Season with salt and pepper.
VARIATION: When layering rice, add 1 large onion, chopped and sauted in butter, 6 broiled lamb chops or 2 pounds cooked boneless lamb shoulder cubes, or 6 cooked chicken cutlets. Increase cooking time by 15 minutes.

10-29-2005, 10:50 AM

Iranian StyleWhite Rice
Chelo Safeed
(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)
(3-6 servings)
Ingredients:

3 Cups of white long grain rice.
4 table spoons of cooking oil.
3-4 medium size potatos.
4 oz of water.
salt.
Directions:

For best results, soak the rice for a few hours in hot water and some salt before cooking. Peel the potatos and slice them in a round shape. You could use the potatos unpeeled as well since they add lots of fiber to your diet.

In a medium size pot, half-way filled with water, bring the water to a boil. Add the rice (and the water it was soaking in), and let it cook for a few minutes until it starts boiling. Occasionally pick a few of the rice grains with a spoon and chew on them to see if they have softened. When the rice is half-crunchy half-soft, take it out and drain it in a kitchen stringer. Run the tab water on top of it to wash out some of the salt.

Pour the oil in the pot, add 4 oz of water, lay the potatos in the bottom of the pot, add a bit of salt, then pile up the rice losely in the shape of a mountain, on top of the potatos. With the back of a spoon, make five holes one in the center and four around it so that the rice can breath in the cooking process.

pread a little water on top and close the lid. Let it cook for a couple of minutes on high heat. When the rice starts to steam, change the setting to medium heat and let it cook for about 15 minutes. Then turn the heat to medium-low, sprinkle some cooking oil to stop it from drying, and let it cook for another 10 minutes. Most likely by this time the smell of the potatos has filled the kitchen. Its time to take it out and enjoy it.

Hints:

If you have a choice, use any of the Basmati, AftAb, Pari or Feel-Neshan brands you can buy from specialty stores. But be careful not to overboil these types. They get pretty sticky if you over cook them. If all else fails, use Mahatma brand. They take longer to soften, and there is less chance of coming out sticky.
In traditional Iranian dishes, the white rice is decorated with a bit of Safron. In order to do that, put a bit of safron in a micro wave safe dish and over high power cook for a few seconds. This helps the safron dry up and give better color. Add a few teaspoons of hot water and let it stand for a few minutes. Pour a couple of table spoons of cooked rice in the dish and mix until they turn yellow. The amount of safron and the color of the rice have a direct relationship. The more you add, the richer the color and aroma. Spread the dyed rice over the white rice at serving time.
Also, for decorating purposes, any one of the natural dyes such as beet juice (purple), leek juice (light green), onion peels (light brown) could be used. In order to do that, in each case, put the vegetable in hot water and cook for a few minutes. Then pour the cooked rice in the juice and let it stand for a few minutes. Spread over white rice at serving time.
Instead of potatos, you can use sliced onions, tomatos, and also any kind of Iranian bread as well as Pita bread. The recipe is the same and they all come out pretty crunchy. If you use nothing, the rice itself forms a crunchy layer called "Tah Deeg".

10-29-2005, 10:50 AM

Carrot Rice
Haveeg Polo
(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)
(4-6 servings)
Ingredients:

4 cups (32 Oz.) of white long grain rice.
8 table spoons of cooking oil.
4-6 large carrots, peeled and grated (using the large teeth).
4 Oz. of water.
1 lb. of ground beef.
1 medium onion, chopped.
1/2 tea spoon of turmeric (zardchoobeh).
2 cups (16 Oz.) of tomato sauce.
A touch each of salt and pepper.
Directions:

For best results, soak the rice for a few hours in hot water and salt before cooking.

In a medium size pot, half-way filled with water, bring the water to a boil. Add the rice (and the water it was soaking in), and let it cook for a few minutes until it starts boiling. Occasionally pick a few rice grains with a spoon and chew on them to see if they have softened. When the rice is half-crunchy half-soft, take it out and drain it in a kitchen stringer. Run the tab water on it to wash out some of the excess salt.

In a medium size pot, over medium heat, pour 4 table spoons of oil, add the chopped onions and stir fry until they turn a golden brown color. Add the meat, turmeric and pepper and continue to stir fry until the meat is brown. Add the tomato sauce and salt and con- tinue to stir fry for a few more minutes. Add the grated carrots and stir fry for another 5-10 minutes. The meat sauce is done when it starts to thicken (most of the water evaporates).

Pour the remainder of the cooking oil in a separate medium size pot, add 4 Oz. of water, then loosely spread a thin layer of rice and a thin layer of meat sauce. Continue in this fashion until all the rice and meat sauce have been exhausted. With the back of a spoon, make five holes one in the center and four around it so that the rice can breath in the cooking process.

Spread a little water on top and close the lid. Let it cook for a couple of minutes on high heat. When the rice starts to steam, change the setting to medium heat and let it cook for about 15 minutes. Then turn the heat to medium-low, sprinkle some cooking oil to stop it from drying, and let it cook for about another 10 minutes.

HINTS:

If you have a choice, use any of the Basmati brands of long grain rice (i.e., AftAb, Pari, Feel-Neshan, etc.) you can buy from middle eastern or Indian stores. But be careful not to overboil these types. They get pretty sticky if you over cook them. If all else fails, use Mahatma brand (American from supermarket). They take longer to soften, and there is less chance of coming out sticky.
Often times on the onset of stir frying ground meat, large lumps are formed. During the course of stir frying the meat, with a back of a large spoon keep pressing on the lumps to separate them. Your meat sauce comes out with finer granularity this way.
You can optionally add a few table spoons of either carrot or orange jam (not jelly) to the meat sauce to add more flavor and sweetness to the dish.

10-29-2005, 10:51 AM

Sabzi Polo
Vegetable Rice
(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)
(3-6 servings)
Ingredients:
4 cups (32 Oz) of white long grain rice.
4 table spoons of cooking oil.
1/2 cup (4 Oz) chopped Chives/Scallion stems (tarreh/piAzcheh).
1-1/2 cups (12 Oz) Parsely (jafaree).
1 cup (8 Oz) coriander (gheshneez).
1-1/2 cups (12 Oz) fresh Dill Weed (sheveed).
A few large, outer leaves of lettuce.
4 Oz of water.
Directions:
For best results, soak the rice for a few hours in hot water and salt before cooking.

Wash and drain the vegetables. Using a cutting board and while repeatedly bunching up the vegetables, finely chop them.

In a medium size pot, half-way filled with water, bring the water to a boil. Add the rice (and the water it was soaking in), and let it cook for a few minutes until it starts boiling. Stir the rice a few times during the boiling process. Occasionally chew on a few of rice grains to see if they have softened.

Near the end of boiling, add the fresh chopped vegetables (if you are using dried vegetables do not add them in yet because they will get washed out). Stir the rice one last time and then take it out and drain it in a kitchen stringer. Run the tab water on it to wash out some of the excess salt.

Pour the oil in the pot, add 4 Oz of water, lay the lettuce leaves in the bottom of the pot and add a bit of extra oil if necessary. If you are using dried vegetables in place of fresh ones, you will have to mix them in as you are adding thin layers of rice in the pot, in the shape of a heap.

With the back of a spoon, make five holes, one in the center and four around it so that the rice can breath in the cooking process.

Spread a little water on top and close the lid. Let it cook for a few minutes on high heat. When steam starts to rise, change the setting to medium heat and let it cook for another 15-20 minutes. Then turn the heat to medium-low, sprinkle some cooking oil to prevent drying, and let it cook for about another 10-15 minutes before serving.

HINTS:
If you have a choice, use any of the Basmati brands of rice (AftAb, Pari, Gilda, Feel-Neshan, etc.) you can buy from middle eastern or Indian stores. But be careful not to overboil these types. They get pretty sticky if you over cook them. If all else fails, use Mahatma brand (American from supermarket). They take longer to soften, and there is less chance of coming out sticky.
When putting lettuce leaves in the bottom of the pot for purpose of forming bottom crust (tah deeg), it is best to use a teflon coated or any other non stick pot for this purpose. In most cases, after cooking the rice in such pots, you can put a large round plate over the pot, flip it over and get the rice and the crust to come out in one piece.

10-29-2005, 10:51 AM

Pot-Bottom Crust with Chicken
Tah-Cheen-e Morgh
(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)
(4-6 servings)
Ingredients:

For Tahcheen:
1 pound of long grain rice.
1/2 cup (4 oz) of cooking oil.
1 cup (8 oz) of mAst (plain yogurt).
2 teaspoons of zafarAn (saffron).
1 pound of various chicken pieces.
6 egg yokes (zardeh tokhm-e morgh).

For Zereshk:
1 cup of red currents (zereshk) presoaked and washed.
1 tea spoon of dried saffron (zafarAn).
1 tablespoon of lemon juice, or one fresh lemon, squeezed.
1 tablespoon of granualted sugar.
A touch of turmeric (zard-choobeh).
Directions (for Tahcheen):

Presoak the rice in hot water and salt for about an hour before cooking. Cut up the onion in large pieces. Wash and devein the chicken pieces, put them in a pot with some water, add the onion, turmeric, salt and a touch of saffron and let it cook until the meat softens. Take it out, drain it and set aside.

In a medium size pot, half filled with water, boil the rice for a few minutes, until the rice is half crunchy half soft when you chew on it. Take it out, drain it and set aside. You may want to wash off the rice in a stringer, if you used excessive amounts of salt to soak the rice.

In a bowl, mix the egg yokes and yogurt and beat it until it has a smooth texture. Mix in about a cup full of cooked rice.

In a medium size pot, pour half of the cooking oil in the bottom of the pot, evenly pour in the egg-yoke/yogurt mixture in the bottom, place the chicken pieces on top of it and top it up loosely with the remainder of the boiled rice. Sprinkle the remainder of the oil on top of it, close the lid, put the heat setting at high for a minute or so until the rice starts steaming.

Turn the heat setting to low and let it cook for about an hour and a half to two hours. The lower the heat and the longer the cooking time, the crustier and darker the bottom layer becomes. Careful not to burn it :-)

Direction for Zereshk:

In a cup containing two oz of boiling water, pour the saffron, cover the cup and let it sit for a while (until it forms a rich color). In a pan, pour one table spoon of oil, put the heat setting at medium-low, pour in the red currants, saffron liquid, sugar, turmeric and lemon juice and stir fry it for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves.

The zereshk is spread over the rice at serving time.

HINTS:

When cooking the rice, if you put a small amount of saffron in one side of the pot, the rice gets a richer aroma.
When serving the rice, turn off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes. Then place a round, flat dish over the pot and gently flip it over. The rice comes out in the same fashion as a cake and can be cut up and served at the table.
Any time you use saffron, specially if it has been sitting in the refrigerator or freezer, if you put it in microwave for a few seconds, excess moisture is taken out and it gives better color.
Don't soak the zereshk in water for too long. They get soft.
In some recipes, the Zereshk is combined with dried almond slices. You can presoak and drain them, and add them in at frying time.
Best kind of chicken pieces for this dish are the white meat (breast) and the thighs.
This recipe requires a good amount of oil in the bottom of the pot for it to come out with a nice color and not too dry.

Tapesh

10-29-2005, 02:17 PM

wowwww good info thanks

10-29-2005, 02:26 PM

anytime mr.Tapesh. ;)

Cop

10-29-2005, 02:32 PM

merci damet garm

10-29-2005, 02:57 PM

Kookoo Sabzi
Vegetable Souffle
(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)
(3-6 servings)
Ingredients:
8 eggs.
1 tea spoon white flour.
1 table spoon red currants (zershk).
1/3 cup (2-3 Oz.) finely chopped walnuts (gerdoo).
1 tea spoon salt.
1/4 tea spoon black pepper.
1/4 cup (2 Oz.) cooking oil or butter.
1/2 cup (4 Oz.) finely chopped fresh chives/scallion stems (tarreh/piAzcheh).
2 cups (16 Oz.) finely chopped fresh parsely (jafaree).
1/2 cup (4 Oz.) fresh coriander (gheshneez) or 2 table spoon dried ones.
1/4 cup (2 Oz.) fresh or dried dill weed (sheveed).
1/2 table spoon dried fenugreek (shanbelileh).
Directions:
Soak the currants in cold water for 15 minutes before cooking. Drain before adding them in.

In a bowl add the eggs, 1/2 of the cooking oil and all other ingredients, with the exception of fresh and dried vegetables. Beat it with a fork until the ingredients have been mixed well.

Add the vegetables, and stir the mixture until the vegetables have blended in (do not beat it any longer due to the delicate nature of fresh vegetables).

Put the oven setting to bake at 250 degrees (F). Pour the remainder of the cooking oil in an oven safe dish. Pour the vegetable mixture in the dish. Bake at this setting for about 40-45 minutes. You may cover the dish with aluminum foil at the beginning to prevent over-drying of the top crust. Remove the foil half way during the baking process.

Cut in square pieces before serving.

HINTS:
Chives, sometimes called garlic chives are the same as "tarreh". If you can't find fresh chives, you can use the stems of either scallions (piAzcheh) which are also called green onions, or Leek which is the same as "tarreh farangi". In either case you do not have to use the bulbs but you can.

10-30-2005, 02:07 AM

Mahi sefeed
White Fish
(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)
(4 servings)

Ingredients:

For the fried version:

4-8 filets of White fish.
1 large onion.
1 & 1/2 medium lemons (limes will do fine as well).
1/2 (4 Oz.) cup all purpose white flour.
1 table spoon curry powder (optional).
1 table spoon turmeric (Zard Choobeh).
A touch of salt and black pepper.
1 cup (8 Oz.) of milk.
1/2 cup (4 Oz.) of cooking oil.

For the baked version:

1 medium-large whole white fish.
1 large onion.
1 large bell pepper, and/or a few jalepenio peppers (if you prefer the spicy taste) .
1 head of fresh garlic, peeled and finely chopped.
2 cups (16 Oz.) of fresh chopped parsely (jafaree).
1/2 cup (4 Oz.) of fresh chopped coriander (gheshneez),
or,2 table spoons of dried coriander.
1 package of dried tamarind (tamr-e hendi).
Directions:

To fry:

Slice the bell pepper, onion, and the whole lemon and set aside. Mix flour, curry powder, turmeric, salt and pepper together. This mixture should have a light orange color. If it is too white, increase the amount of curry and turmeric equally. Pour the milk in a bowl. Pour the cooking oil in a frying pan, put the heat setting to medium, spread the slices of lemon, onion and bell pepper and fry for a few minutes. Dip the pieces of fish in the milk, sprinkle thoroughly with the flour mixture and place in the frying pan on med-low heat. When one side is brown, turn over and squeeze the 1/2 lemon juice over them.

HINTS:

Dipping the pieces in milk before frying prevents them from
breaking apart. This is optional.
Flipping the filets several times, before one side is completely brown,
prevents curling.
If you prefer a more zesty taste and are adventurous, add a fewslices
of Jalapenio peppers while frying.

To Bake:

Place the tamarind paste in a bowl containing a cup of water. knead the paste until the seeds separate from the dried pulps. Run the mixture through a kitchen stringer to separate the seeds from the resulting sauce. Set it aside.

Stir fry the chopped onion, garlic, fresh peppers at first and then add the remaining chopped vegetables. Stir fry for a few more minutes. Take it off the heat and set it aside.

Set the oven to bake at 350 degrees (F). Place the fish in an oven safe dish, add a touch of cooking oil, salt and pepper, stuff the fish with the stir fried vegetable mixture and pour the tamarind sauce over the vegetable stuffing. Cover the dish with aluminum foil for half of the baking period. Bake at this setting for about an hour. By the end of the baking period, the outer layer of the fish should have a reddish color and the meat should be flaky to the touch of a fork.

HINTS:

The above stuffed white fish is the Southern version of the white fish which is traditionally served as new year dinner.
When buying the fish, ask the clerk to cut the fish on one side only, take the flakes and guts out and leave the head and tail intact.

10-30-2005, 02:08 AM

Grilled ground meat
Kabab kubideh
(by Ms. Mojgan M. Thompson)
(4 to 6 servings)
Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef or lamb
1 med. onion, grated
1/4 cup bread crumbs or white flour
1 egg slightly beaten (optional)
1 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Directions:

Mix all ingredients well - cover and leave in frig overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.

In order to prevent the mix from falling off the skewers, you should drain the water (juice) out of the grated onion before adding it to the meat. Also the colder the mix, the better it will stick to the skewers.

Dividing the meat into 10-12 portions. Press each portion around long metal skewers and shape evenly.

Place the skewers a few inches away from the grill coals. Turn constanly for a couple of mintes and then cook each side for a few minutes.

Serve with hot rice and enjoy!

10-30-2005, 03:57 PM

FESENJAN

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

1 large onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoon butter or cooking oil
1 pound meat or small duck or partridge
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 pound walnut meat, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup hot water
1 1/2 xups pomegranate juice *
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 or 2 lemons (optional)
1 small eggplant
Cooking oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom powder
Directions:

Saute the onion with the pepper and turmerc in the butter or the oil until well browned. Remove onions and drain. If ground meant is used, make small balls and brown slightly in the oil remaining in the pan. If birds are used, brown them on all sides.

Sprinkle meat or birds with the flour and the chopped walnuts and saute for a few minutes longer. Add water, pomegranate juice and salt to taste. If you like a sourer dish add lemon juice. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.

Peel eggplant, cut lenghtwise into 6 or 8 pieces, sprinkle each piece with salt and stack one on top of the other for a few minutes to drain. Then rinse in cold water, dry and saute inhot oil until lightly browned on both sides. Arrange the eggplant on top of the meat or poultry, partially cover, and simmer over low heat until the eggplant is tender and a rich brown gravy rises to the top. Add powdered cardamom, stir well but gently and cook about 5 minutes longer. Server with chelo (white rice).

Note:

1 pound white fish or salmon may be used instead of meat or poultry. In this case the cooking time will be about 15 minutes less. ALso either of the following vegetables may be substituted for the eggplant: One pound of fresh pumpkin meat, minced and sauteed, or one pound Italian squash, halved and sauteed.

* Somtimes we use lemmon or lime juice, brown sugar and 1/2 cup tomato juice when pomogrante juice is not available.

10-30-2005, 03:58 PM

Okra Stew
Khoresh BAmieh
(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)

(3-6 servings.)

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh okras
1/2 pound stew meat cubed
4 Oz of Tomato Paste or
8 Oz of Tomato sauce
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small clove of garlic
1 tablespoon turmeric (Zard Choobeh)
3 tablespoons cooking oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
Cut off the stems of the okras, wash and drain them. In a medium
size pot, fry the onions in oil over medium heat until they turn golden
brown. Add the meat, salt, pepper and turmeric, stir, and let it cook for
a few minutes. Occasionally stir so it doesn't stick to the pot. Add the
tomato sauce/paste, stir and let it cook over medium-low heat. If you use
tomato paste, dilute it in hot water before adding it in.

Depending on the toughness of the meat you use, it may take as much
as an hour for the meat to soften. Occasionally, put a sharp knife in one
of the pieces to see if it has softened. In the process, you may have to
add more tomato sauce and/or water to stop the sauce mixture from thickening.

When the meat has softened, give the mixture one last vigorous stir
and put the okras on top. With a knife make a few holes into the garlic
clove (unpeeled), and put it in one corner of the pot so that later it could
be retrieved. Let it cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes or until
the okras have lost their green color.

HINTS:

If you get to pick the okras at the market, select the smallest
ones. Okras tend to get tougher as they get bigger. The pre-cut,
frozen okras could be used if all else fails.
When you are cutting the stems, try not to cut into the pods themselves.
Otherwise, you are going to end up with a gooey mess.
For the health conscious who doesn't want to use red meat, you can use
the same recipe with chicken breast.
If you're in a hurry, and have a pressure cooker handy, put the(red) meat
in the cooker with a medium onion cut in large pieces and a bit of salt,
pepper and turmeric, add water and let it cook for about 5-10 minutes.
Then take the meat out and drain it. Add it the same way as fresh meat
to the fried onions and follow the recipe from that point on.
Also, make sure you take out the clove of garlic before serving.Otherwise,
the poor sole who ends up eating it accidentally, may suffer sever consequences
the next day at work :).

10-30-2005, 03:58 PM

Vegitable Stew
Ghormeh-Sabzi
(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)
(4 servings)
Note: This is the khuzestAni version which uses more variety of vegetables than the TehrAni version.

Ingredients:

Fresh spinach (esfenAg) 1 bunch or 1 medium size package.
Fresh dill (sheveed) 1/2 bunch.
Fresh parsely (ja`faree) 1 bunch.
Fresh cilantro or 1 bunch.
coriantro (geshneez)
Fresh Leak (tareh farangee) 1 bunch (use only the green stems).
Fresh chives (tareh) 1 bunch, or substitute stems of one
bunch of scallions (piAzcheh).
Fresh fenugreek
(shanbelileh) 1 bunch, or substitute 1 table spoon
of dried shanbelileh.
1 pound stew meat (beef, lamb, veal, etc.), cubed.
4 dried lemons (limoo amAnee) or,
1 table spoon dried lemon powder (gard-e leemo amAnee).
1 medium onion, finely diced.
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (zard choobeh).
3 tablespoons cooking oil.
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional).
1 cup of pre-soaked dried beans, or substitute 1 can.
A touch each of salt, pepper and crushed red peppers (if you like it spicy).
Directions:

Wash the meat and let it drain.

Cut off the heads of the leaks and scallions and put the stems along with the rest of vegetables in a kitchen stringer, thoroughly wash and drain them.

Using a cutting board, while repeatedly bunching up all vegetables together, finely chop the vegetables. The smaller the pieces the better. If you have a food processor, you could use it in place of the manual labor :-)

Place the chopped vegetables in a pot, with heat setting on high and frequently stir the vegetables until all their excess water has evaporated.

Add two table spoons of cooking oil and continually stir fry the vegetables until they turn a browinsh color. This process should take about 15 minutes. Take the pot off and put it aside. During the stir fry process, you may add a bit more oil if needed. When finished, the vegetables resemble dried ones with no water remaining in the pot.

In another pot, add about one table spoon of cooking oil and the chopped onions and stir fry until they turn a golden brown color. Add the meat, stir fry for a few minutes, add salt, pepper and turmeric and let the meat fry with the onions for a few minutes. If you are using dried beans, at this point drain them and add them to the mixture. Turn the heat setting to medium.

Next poke a hole in each of the dried lemons and add them to the mixture (or add the powdered kind). Add about two cups (16 oz) of water, place the lid on the pot and let it boil for another 15 minutes.

Add the fried vegetables into the mixture, turn the heat setting to medium-low and let it cook. The cooking time required from this point on is about an hour. Half way through this period, if you are using canned beans, add them into the mixture. Once the meat is separated when poked by a fork, the stew is ready. This stew is served over white rice.

If you like the sour taste, you may add a table spoon of lemon juice towards the end of cooking.

Hints:

When stir frying, its imperative to constantly stir the vegetables. Otherwise, they quickly form a crust and burn. You can easily undercook the vegetables but you can hardly ever over cook them. If they look watery stir fry them a bit longer.
Almost all of the vegetables listed above are easily found at produce section of grocery stores. The only exception to this is shanbelileh (fenugreek). You can purchase dried ones from middle eastern stores.
Tareh (called chives and sometimes garlic chives) is somewhat hard to find. In place of chives, use the stems of scallions (also called green onions).
There are two kinds of parsely in the market. One is labeled as parsely and the other is called Italian parsely which has larger size leaves. You may use either one.
This stew can be made with two kinds of dried/canned beans. Either use kidney beans (loobiA ghermez) or black-eyed beans (loobiA cheshm bolboli). The canned beans soften quickly, so add them almost at the end and do not use the liquid inside the can.
If your stew ends up having a bitter taste, you more than likely burned the vegetables. If it smells like hannA (henna), you added too much spinach. You can't recover from these two mishaps. If the vegetables swim to one side and the meat goes the opposite way, you've undercooked it. Put in back on medium heat and let some of the excess water evaporate.

10-30-2005, 03:59 PM

Beef Stew
Abgousht
(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)
Ingredients:

One cup of Garbanzo beans (nokhod).
One cup of dried white beans (loobia sefeed).
1/2 pound of meat with bones (mAheecheh).
One medium onion, peeled.
One medium potato, peeled.
Half a cup long grain rice.
One medium tomato.
One table spoon turmeric (zard-choobeh).
Salt and pepper to the liking.
Two heads of whole dried lemons (leemoo-amAnee) or
4 tablespoons of lemon juice if you can't find dried lemons.
Directions:

Wash the meat and put it in a medium size pot (deezee for traditionalists), half filled with water, add the beans, the onion, turmeric, salt and pepper and let it cook for 1-2 hours on medium-low heat.

Next, add the potato, rice, and the tomato (they get too soft too soon if you add them at the beginning), and let it cook on low heat until all the ingredients are soft.

Take the pot out, separate the juice from the ingredients and pour the ingredients in a bowl, separate the bones and using a potato masher (gousht-coob) or something similar, finely mash the whole mixture. Taste a small portion and add more salt/pepper if needed. When the mixture has a smooth texture, it can be served.

The soup (juice) is also served in a separate bawl. The idea is to mix it with small pieces of bread (not American bread loaves, more like pita bread, tortilla bread, or any kind of Iranian bread you can find in specialty stores).

Hints:

Soak the dried beans and the rice before hand. It speeds up the cooking process.
The best kind of meat for this dish is what is called muscle meat (mAheecheh) which has plenty of meat, fat, and bones (the name used to refer to it escapes me unfortunately. Shank maybe?).
The tomato, potato, and the rice are all optional. They give richer flavor, color and texture to this dish. In more traditional versions they don't use any of these ingredients.
While mashing the ingredients, you can also add finely chopped raw onions. The onion juice gets mixed in and gives it a different flavor.
At the table, this dish is served with Iranian bread, raw onions, radishes and fresh herbs such as parsley, basil leaves, mint leaves, leeks, etc.

10-30-2005, 03:59 PM

Rangeenak
(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)

Ingredients:

1 pound of fresh dates (those huge california dates taste %100 better).
1 cup of white powdered sugar.
1 can of shelled walnuts.
1 cup of cinammon.
1 cup of sesame seeds.
Directions:

Roast the sesame seeds over the oven for a minute or so and set aside. Open the dates from one side only and stuff them with the walnuts. Make the cut as small as possible so that the date doesn't break in halves. Put half of a walnut per date. As you stuff the dates, place them in a flat oven dish in a round fashion (pick a nice dish, since it'll be served in the same one).

When one layer of dates is completed, sprinkle them freely with sesame seeds, powdered sugar and cinammon (in that order). Start another layer, sprinkle them in the same fashion until you run out of ingredients. Make the circles smaller as you work your way to the top. It makes it easier for people to pick and eat them, when the faithful moment arrives.

At last, place the dish in the oven (set at bake setting, say at 250 degrees) for a few minutes. The object is to just get them warmed up so that the ingredients stick to each other better. Take it out and serve it warm or cold.

10-30-2005, 04:00 PM

Sweet Paste
HalvA
(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)
(2? servings)
Ingredients:

1 cup (8 oz.) of cooking oil.
1 cup (8 oz.) of all purpose white flour.
1 cup (8 oz.) of granulated sugar.
1/2 cup (4 oz.) of rose water (golAb).
1 table spoon of sugar powder (or granuatated sugar).
1 table spoon of cinnamon (dArcheen).
Directions:

In a medium size pot, heat up the cooking oil and slowly pour the flour while stirring and continue to stir until the mixture has a smooth texture and a golden brown color.

In a small pot, over medium-high heat, mix the rose water and sugar, constantly stir, and let it cook for a few minutes, until all the sugar dissolves. Pour the rose-water and sugar mixture over the flour paste, mix it well, and over medium-high heat cook for a few minutes and then turn off the heat. Cover the lid of the pot with a clean rag/paper towel and let the mixture sit in the pot for about an hour.

Next, pour out the paste into a flat dish, mold/decorate it into the shape you want, sprinkle the mixture of sugar and cinnamon on top of it (while it is still warm), and serve.

HINTS:

Use unsalted white flour. Otherwise, the salt in the flour and the sugar used in the recipe give this dish a weird taste!!
The rose water (liquid rose flower extract), is found in most Middle Eastern specialty stores

10-31-2005, 10:49 AM

Persian Architecture includes seven traditional forms which taken together form the foundation on which it was based in the same way that music was once based on a finite number of notes. These are modulated by the use of colours and textures to leaven the surfaces and are held together in an overall construction akin to that of a sonata in which connexion leads to culmination through a transition space. To appreciate the skill of the architects and designers fully, it is necessary to have an appreciation of these fundamental concepts which are divided below, for convenience, under separate headings, although in the geometry and architecture of of the buildings they are woven together to present a seamless whole.

10-31-2005, 10:56 AM

The garden has been inextricably tied with Iranian culture since the Emperor Cyrus planted fruit trees at Pasargardae, just north of Shiraz. Indeed our word "Paradise" derives from the Persian word for an enclosed garden. For the formerly nomadic tribes of central Asia, the concept of a permanent place in which flowers and trees were planted to be enjoyed over successive years, became a powerful symbol.
The concept of garden is fundamental to an understanding of Shah Abbas I's intention in rebuilding Isfahan. The palaces he built were small since each had a definite purpose; the entertainment of visitors, the dispensation of justice, but they were linked by gardens set out along his great central avenue, Chahar Bagh (or four gardens).
There are few gardens left today in Isfahan but every house has its own miniature enclosure which will normally include some shade and a small pool around which people may gather when the weather permits.
The architectural conception of garden reflects the "sense of place" - makan -, the garden being viewed as a defined space encompassing within itself a total reflection of the cosmos. At the same time it reflects for the intellect the essence, the hidden dimension latent in positive space, symbolised in the picture on the right which shows men relaxing or discussing their affairs in the tea garden attached to the palace of Chehel Sotoon.
An architectural parallel is found in the cloistered study spaces of the Masjed-e-Imam or the garden in the Madrasa Mader-e-Shah. There is a poignant story that seventy years after the death of Shah Abbas I his pious but ineffectual successor, Sultan Hussein, who built the Madrasa Mader-e-Shah, laid out a new garden within Isfahan at Farahabad. When he was defeated by the Afghanis in a battle which marked the end to the Safavid dynasty, he offered to surrender the city of Isfahan in exchange for a peaceful life in Farahabad. The Afghanis took the city and the garden and destroyed the latter.
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10-31-2005, 11:22 AM

IN KISH
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me_89

10-31-2005, 03:23 PM

baba IQ jaan this is too much i cant read that much im not into reading and crap so i dont like books either but thanx anways rock on babe... have fun tc

10-31-2005, 04:00 PM

what about the last pics. you can see those can't you ? kish pics.

Cop

10-31-2005, 06:06 PM

IQ thanks for hard work dude :) hadde aghal bacheha ye tashakor konid chizi azeton kam nemishe ;)

me_89

11-01-2005, 07:09 PM

no baba i love IQ bishtar az in ke nemishe

Narges-Khanoom

11-01-2005, 07:17 PM

Wow good job IQ.... And dastet dard nakone.... khaste nashodi enqad type kardi??? lol ...... anyways..... chera ye kam az khodet neminevisi.....

me_89

11-01-2005, 07:21 PM

ummm narges jaan thats supposed to be in INTRODUCTION!!! hahahahahaha

11-02-2005, 01:11 AM

Teheran is situated on the southern slopes of the Alborz mountain range. It lies at an elevation of 1,100 meters above the Caspian sea level and it is the vastest and the most populous city of Iran and also ranks among the prominent cities of the world.
Tehran was selected as the center of Iran during the Ghajar period (1800 A.D.) because of its pleasant weather and beauty of nature. Now it has grown to a conglomerade of ancient monuments, huge buildings, business centers, etc.

Damavand Peak (5672 m), the tallest mountain in Iran Plateau, is located on north of teheran and has inspired many poets and writers.

Dome of the world, O Damavand!
Chained, earth-bound White Giant
Whit your silver helmet
and your steel girth!
You hide yourself behind clouds
As if no man should look at your gentle face
When heaven's antagonism caused the Earth
To become cold and dark and silent and bleak,
It hits back in anger at Heaven with a punch.
You are that punch O damavand!
Oh, no, no, I'm not happy with what I said
You're not a punch thrown by Providence,
You are the unhappy heart of the Earth
Which is swollen with chronic pain.
(Malek-ol-Shoara Bahar)
Tehran which means warm slope, was a village in the suburb of the ancient Iranian capital of Ray, and after the fall of Ray by the Mongols in 1220 A.D., its residents moved to Tehran and the foundation for it to become a city was thus laid.
The oldest available historical records take Tehran as far back as the 3rd A.H./9th A.D. century; Yaqoot Hamavi, in his book Mo'jamol Boldan, says, Tehran is one of the villages of Ray.

The sectrial conflicts which was followed by the blind destructiveness, plunder and massacre launched by the Mongols (1218 - 1334 A.D.) brought about the destruction of Ray in 1220, and paved the way for the increase in population of Tehran. In 888/1378, with the rule of the Aq Qoyunlu (1378 - 1508) over Ray and Tehran, in the scope of geography Tehran began to enjoy a more glaring status.

After the gain of power by the Safavid Dynasty (1502 - 1736), Tehran attracted the attention of Shah Tahmasp 1, (1524 - 1576), son of Shah Ismail, the founder of the Safavid Dynasty, who was going on a pilgrimage to Imamzadeh Hamzeh (A.S.), crossing through this region. In 961/1553, he ordered the construction of walls around Tehran with 114 forts, matching the number of Suras in the Koran. Length of these walls measured to 6000 paces. Shah Abbas appointed a chief magistrate for Tehran, and furthermore ordered the planting of a plane-tree grove, the site of which later became the Arg of Tehran (Tehran Citadel).

From this point on, Tehran joined the ranks of the Safavid Dynasty cities; a city with walls comprised of 114 forts and renowned gates, namely:

The Shah Abdul-Azim Gate

The Doolab Gate

The Shemiran Gate

The Qazvin Gate

In the late Safavid period, upon the order of Shah Suleiman, a splendid building was erected at the site of Chenarestan-e Shah Abbassi (the Shah Abbassi Plane-Tree Grove) where Shah Sultan Hussein (1664-1722) of the Safavid Dynasty, during the final years of his reign, spent some time there and received the ambassador from Sultan Ahmed, Ottoman ruler.

The Afghans selected the city citadle as their living quarters, and as an escaping measure, they constructed a bridge over the moat of the northern side of the citadel safeguarded by a gate called Arg. This very gate later became the site of the ruins on which the Dowlat Gate was erected.

With the fall of the power into the hands of Nadir shah (1736-1747), the Afghans realized that they lacked the military strength to confront his forces and the danger that was impending, so they decided to ravage the city and massacre its inhabitants; that they did, and left behind numerous corps, many homeless, and a large number of ruined structures.

In the year 1153/1643, Nadir Shah bestowed Tehran to his son, Reza Qoli Mirza. Approximately 20 years later, Karim Khan Zand (1750-1779), the founder of the Zand Dynasty, in order to continue his fight against Mohammad Hassan Khan Qajar (chief of the Qavanlu clan of the Qajars), captured the city and made it his military headquarters.

In 1173/1764, he ordered the construction of a large Diwankhaneh (government headquarters building) and a harem (seraglio), with its own surrounding walls and moats, inside the compound of the Tehran Citadel.

Agha Mohammad Khan, in 1200/1785, designated Tehran as his capital city, and after the elimination of all his rivals and enemies, he was formally crowned as shah at the Tehran Citadel. From this point on and until the fall of the Qajars, Tehran carried the title of Dar-ol Khelafeh (the Seat of the Caliphate) bestowed upon it by Agha Mohammad Khan, He was succeeded by his nephew Fath Ali Shah (1797-1834). During Fath Ali's reign, Tehran gradually improved and became more developed. New buildings were erected and the population began and upward trend with speculations that Tehran's population, in those years, was somewhere between 15 to 20 thousand. During the reign intenvals of Fath Ali Shah and his successor Mohammad Shah (1834-48) and until the beginning of Naser od-Din Shah's 1848-96) Tehran witnessed a three to four times population increase as well as the formation of new architectural structures including the Marmar (Marble) Ivan or Diwankhaneh va Darol Emareh (the Government Headquarters and the Governor's Seat), for the construction of which, the major materials were acquired from the Karim Khan's Vakil Palace in Shiras. Other monuments from this period were: the Golestan Garden and Palace, the Qajar Palace, the Khorroji Building, the Negarestan Garden and Palace, the Soltani Mosque, and a number of other splendid and luxurious structure, which were mainly used for the accommodation of nobles, generals and foreign ambassadors.

Tehran's truely remarkable growth coincided with the reign of Naserod-Din shah. The population of the city, over the course of a five year period, increased as much as three to four times. The number of people that lived in Tehran amounted to 155,736. Tehran at that time embodied the districts of Arg. Udlajan, Chal Maydan, Sangelaj, Bazaar and a number of outlying buildings around Tehran Known as the out of city quarters.

An important population characteristic observed in this census was the fact that immigrants constituted 73.4 percent of the population, while a mere 26.6 percent were accounted as Tehrani borns, Azarbyjanis, Isfahanis and Kashanis formed the majority of the immigrants, respectively.

11-02-2005, 01:12 AM

The chief architectural structures of the period were the Mohammadiyeh Palace, the Lalehzar Garden and Building, the Sepahsalar Mosque and Theological School, the Darol Fonon School (Polyiechnic School), the Doshan Tappeh Palace, the Firouzeh (Turquiose) Palace, the Nezamiyeh Garden, the Horse Racing Track of Bageh-e Shah (Royal Graden), Badgir (Wind Tower) Building, the parade Ground and the Cossacks Barracks. The Shams-ol Emareh Building, the portal Minerates of the Soltani Mosque, the flourishing stage of Sabzeh Maydan (Greeneries Square) and its encirclement by newly built shops, in addition to many other structures erected during those days in every corner and hook of Tehran; the traces of which are still extant.

The furnishing of some of the alleys and streets of the vicinity around the citadel with gas lamps, owing to the endeavors of Haj Amir-ol Zarb, was among the period's valuable municipal undertakings.

The plant which manufactured the gas lamps, later became replaced by a small electric power plant in a street called Charagh Barq. Construction of the railroad from Tehran to the Shrine of Hazrat Abdul Azim, extension of telegraph lines and the establishment of an imperial Bank, are all among other public service credited to the same period.

In the second half of Naser-od Din shah's reign, in order to manage and improve the condition of the city, the Capital City Police and Municipality was formed, which also had the responsibility of city cleaning.

During the reign of Mozaftar od-Din Shah (reigned 1896-1907), Tehran did not undergo any drastic developmental activities, But unfortunately, over the course of his successor's reign, Mohammad Ali Shah (1907-1909) many severe damages were inflicted upon Tehran.

After the establishment of a constitutional government, Tehran has been declared, in the Constitution, as the capital and the seat of the Majlis. With ratification of Baladieh law in the First Majlis, the settlement of the city was transfered to this organization.

With power shift from Qajar to Pahlavi Tehran adopted the features of an European city. The avenues of Buzarjomehri, Molawi, and etc. are among manifestations of the above period, Later, however, other roads and modern buildings with the supervision of foreign engineers were constructed for the governmental and non-governmental entities. Some of those structures include Justice Department, Police Headqvarters, Train Station, Ministry of Finance, Customs Department, Iran's Academy of Leters. Tehran University. Teachers Training Cotlege, Nezam High School, Military School, Arms and Machine Gun Factory, Qaleh Morghi Airport, Doshan Tapeh Air Industries, Banks of Melli, Sepah, Keshavarzi (Agricultural), Rahni, and Kargoshaei, hospitals, Ministeries, Sa'adabad and a series of other imperial palaces, and the post Office-, Telephone-, Telegraph-, Wireless-, and Radio Station-, centers. There were also many other city military structures in addition to those of the private sector, all of which caused the expansion and population increase of Tehran; Furthermore, it was during the same years, based upon a declaration issued by the Academy of Letters, the terminology for municipality was changed from Baladieh into Shahrdari.

In the year 1302/1923, the population of Tehran amounted to 210,000 and by 1318/1639 reached the figure of 540,000, and during World War ll, following the occupation of Iran by the Allied Armed Forces in 1321/1941 , it increased to 880,000. This upward trend was mainly due to the first two decades of the thirteenth century's (solar calendar) boom in the construction activities for the erection of government buildings and palaces. During 1320-1330/1941-1951, an annual averages of 36,250 people were added to the population of Tehran, and according to the first general census the population of the city amounted to 1,512,000. It was from this point in time that the expansion progress of the city took gigantic dimensions; small and large sattelite towns as well as new districts were developed in the south, east and west of Tehran, all of which gradually became within the city limits of Tehran. The element of heavy traffic and the need for a more speedy transportation, paved the way for the construction of major highways. As a result, Tehran-Shmiran and Tehran-Ray travelling distances (subsequent to the demolition of brick-Iines and the development of market centers, automobile service stations, workshops, and residential dwellings) became an insignificant factor. At that point in time, according to the 1345/1966 census, the population of Tehran was 2,700,000, and by the following enumeration of the people living in Tehran, the number registered was
From Shahrivar 1320 / September 1941, and over the course of the subsequent four decades, the shape of the city heavily altered; the city witnessed the erection of large modern public and governmental buildings, replacement of the old Sangelaj district by a vast park at the center of the city, the construction of dams equipped with water purification facilities across the Karaj and Jajrud rivers which provided the means of supplying the households with drinking water via water pipelines.

The creation of new establishments and the development of urban facilities in Tehran, due to its special status, caused the influx of immigration into this city. New parks, sports arenas, well-equipped modern hospitals, movie theaters, theaters, museums, large hotels and resturants, and many other structures manifested the new features added to the city.

Upon the downfall of the Pahlavi regime, and the subsequent excitement it created among all sects of people, coinciding with the lack of efficient work-flow in the governmental and urban bodies, some irresponsible and opportunistic individuals in company with rural immigrants, without any conception of the consequences, rushed and took possession of the outlying lands around Tehran. It was during the nights that they worked, and by the break of the dawn there was a new quarter along with additional urban problemes, add to the city of Tehran.

During the imposed war with Iraq, Tehran was also encountered with many predicaments. From one side there was the influx of war refugee masses into the city, according to the 1986 general census the population of Tehran reached 6,043,514, and from another side there was the flow of Afghan and lraqi immigrants which raised the population figure to somewhere between 8 to 8.5 million. With the ending of the war a new era has started, an era towards restoration, reorganization and development based on sheer energy and constructiveness.

Thus, Tehran a city emerged from the old days is going to become, without the loss of its original identity, one of the most beautiful cities of the hemisphere of the world. Also, in the light of all the endeavors being witnessed at the every corner and nook of this city, the Tehranis - whom spend the majority portion of their lives not inside the house, but on the contrary outdoors - will definitely be furnished with future enhancements. Therefore, unquestionably, they look upon this city as their own home.

A day long tour around the city is not even enough to cover all the attractions of Tehran and another day for visiting monuments and museums is recommended.

11-02-2005, 01:17 AM

AFTER LONG EXPLANATION CHAND TAA AKS MICHASBE NA ;) ( TEHRAN ).
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Cop

11-02-2005, 12:12 PM

merciii IQ kheili aks'haye bahalii booooodan mercii

RedWine

11-02-2005, 12:16 PM

In az hameh bahaltar bood :D

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eyval IQ .

Narges-Khanoom

11-02-2005, 06:47 PM

well sorrrrrrrrrrry im new here.... didnt know datummm narges jaan thats supposed to be in INTRODUCTION!!! hahahahahaha

11-04-2005, 06:47 PM

Azerbaijan
Area in northwestern Iran, comprising the 2 provinces of West Azerbaijan with 2,5 million inhabitants and East Azerbaijan with 3,3 million inhabitants, and covering an area of about 100,000 km². Hence Iranian Azerbaijan makes up 10% of the population and 6% of the area of Iran. To the north lies the independent republic of Azerbaijan, formerly a part of the Soviet Union.
About 60% of the 17 million Azeris (also called Azerbaijani or Azeri-Turks) of the region live in Iran, and about 7 million in the independent republic. This means that nearly half of Iran's Azeris live outside the Azerbaijan provinces. In both of the Iranian Azerbaijan provinces Azeris dominate, while Kurds and Armenians are important minorities.
The Azeris are a Turkic people, speaking Azeri, a language akin to modern Turkish. But ethnically their origin is mixed, believed to have come from Transcaucasian peoples and the Medes. Their Turkicizing was one mainly of culture and language, and little of race. Most Azeris belong to Shi'i Islam, similar to the majority of Iran.
The largest city is Tabriz with 1,2 million inhabitants (Iran's 4th largest city), being the capital of East Azerbaijan. Orumiyeh is the capital of West Azerbaijan and has 435,000 inhabitants (10th largest Iranian city) (all of the 1996 census).
Azerbaijan is a mountainous land, and part of the Zagros Mountains, but with fertile lowlands. More than 90% of the total territory has an altitude above 1000 metre, and there are many mountain tops (sometimes volcanic cones) higher than 3000 metres, of which Hamam Dagh (also called Kuh-e Sahand) with 3710 metres is the highest. Another central element of the landscape of Azerbaijan is Lake Orumiyeh (see aerophoto), the largest lake of Iran besides the Caspian Sea. The size of this highly saline lake varies with the seasons, between 4,500 km² and 6,000 km².
Azerbaijan has one of the best climates of Iran for agriculture, as there are good supplies of water and little need for irrigation. The climate has cold winders with much snow, while summers are mild and pleasant due to the altitude.
The agriculture produces barley, wheat, rice, indigo plants and potatoes. The livestock includes mainly sheep and goats. The industry of the region is dominated by the Tabriz region, where tractors, factory machinery, cement, textiles, electrical equipment and tools, animal fodder, turbines, motorcycles, clocks and watches, processed foods and agricultural implements are produced. In other parts of Azerbaijan sugar mills, textile mills and food-processing plants are found. Handicrafts include carpets, rugs and metalware. Mining brings copper, arsenic, kaolin, coal, salt, lead and building stone into the economy.
HISTORY
8th century BCE: Settled by the Medes.
330: Conquered by Alexander the Great, and named Atropatene.
3rd century CE: Becomes part of the Persian empire.
637: Falls to the Muslim Caliphate, whereupon a process of conversion into Islam starts.
11th century: Comes under control of the Seljuq Turks.
1231: Tabriz is sacked by Djengis Khan, and becomes part of the Khoresm Kingdom.
Early 17th century: Azerbaijan (the areas of both today's Iranian provinces and the independent republic) comes under the Persian shah.
1828: After losing in war, Persia cedes the part of Azerbaijan north of the Aras river to Russia. This corresponds to the present division of larger Azerbaijan.
1938: Iranian Azerbaijan is divided into an eastern and a western province.
1945 December: Following World War 2, the Azeri provinces become a republic of the Soviet Union.
1946: Iran reconquers its Azeri provinces.

11-04-2005, 07:11 PM

Azerbaijan
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11-05-2005, 01:36 AM

7 PERSIAN DIVISIONS ( Persian Cats )

The following are the seven groups of the Persian class recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association.
Solid Color:
White, Black, Blue, Cream, Red, Peke-Face Red, Chocolate, Lilac

Silver and Golden:
Chinchilla Silver, Shaded Silver, Chinchilla Golden, Shaded Golden

Shaded and Smoke:
Shell Cameo (Red Chinchilla), Shaded Cameo (Red Shaded), Shell Cream (Cream Chinchilla), Shaded Cream (Cream Shaded), Shell Tortoiseshell, Shaded Tortoiseshell, Shell Blue-Cream, Shaded Blue-Cream, Black Smoke, Blue Smoke, Cream Smoke, Red Smoke, Tortoiseshell Smoke, Blue-Cream Smoke

Tabby:
Classic Tabby, Mackerel Tabby (such as brown), Red Tabby, Peke-Face Red Tabby, Brown Tabby, Brown Patched Tabby, Cream Tabby, Cameo Tabby, Cream Cameo Tabby, Silver Tabby, Blue Tabby, Blue Silver Tabby, Blue Patched Tabby, Silver Patched Tabby, Blue Silver Patched Tabby, Chocolate Tabby, Chocolate Patched Tabby, Lilac Tabby, Lilac Patched Tabby

Parti-color:
Tortoiseshell, Blue-Cream, Chocolate Tortoiseshell, Lilac-Cream

Calico and Bicolor (and Van):
Calico, Dilute Calico, Chocolate Calico, Lilac Calico, Bicolor, Calico Smoke, Dilute Calico Smoke, Calico Smoke, Dilute Calico Smoke, Chocolate Calico Smoke, Lilac Calico Smoke, Shell Cream and White, Shell Calico, Shell Dilute Calico, Shell Chocolate Calico, Shell Lilac Calico, Shell Cameo and White, Shaded Cream and White, Shaded Calico, Shaded Dilute Calico, Shaded Chocolate Calico, Shaded Lilac Calico, Red Tabby and White, Brown Tabby and White, Patched Tabby and White, Other Tabby and White

Himalayan:
Chocolate Point, Seal Point, Lilac Point, Blue Point, Flame (Red) Point, Cream Point, Tortie Point, Blue-Cream Point, Lilac-Cream Point, Chocolate Tortie Point, Seal Lynx Point, Blue Lynx Point, Flame Lynx Point, Cream Lynx Point, Tortie Lynx Point, Blue-Cream Lynx Point, Chocolate Lynx Point, Lilac Lynx Point, Chocolate-Tortie Lynx Point, Lilac-Cream Lynx Point

Source:
Osier, Carolyn. "Beyond the Rainbow." Persians Volume 1 (1998-1999): 50-83.

11-05-2005, 01:38 AM

PERSIAN HISTORY ( Persian Cats )
Sweet temperment
Laid back

Long, thick coat
Heavily boned

"Cobby" body
Straight, short tail

Large, round eyes
Small, flat nose

Generally good with kids
Short legs

Large, round head
Small, forward-tilting ears

Sources:
Osier, Carolyn. "Practically Perfect in Every Way." Persians Volume 1 (1998-1999): 42-49.

Seymour, Juliet. "The Persian Standard & Colors." Guide to Owning a Persian Cat.
United States: T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1997. 18-28.

11-05-2005, 01:39 AM

PERSIAN GLOSSARY ( Persian Cats )
Bicolor
Half white and half another color
Blue Point
Type of Himalayan; gray points and a light gray or beige body
Calico
White with red and black patches
Chinchilla Golden
Rich cream fur lightly tipped in black to create a golden appearance (Chinchilla Golden)
Chinchilla Silver
White fur lightly tipped in black to create a silver appearance (The shading is darker on Shaded Silvers.)
Cobby Body
Sturdy, round, and compact body shape
Color Point Carrier (CPC)
The cat carries the genetics to produce color point kittens possibly.
Cream
Lighter version of red
Dilute Calico
White with blue and cream patches
Exotic
With the ancestry of the American Shorthair and Persian, this cat looks like a short-haired Persian.
Extreme Face
A Persian with the standard look - the nose is smaller and positioned higher on the face
Harlequin
Mostly white with several large patches of color
Himalayan (or Colorpoint)
Type of Persian; points of color are found on the face, ears, legs, and tail.
Hybrid
Offspring of 2 animals from the two 2 different breeds
Lynx Point
Type of Himalayan; tabby points
Mitted
White paws
Pixie
Persians genetically produced to be smaller than the standard
Points
Face, paws, and tail shading to a much lighter color on the body
Prepotent (Genetically)
Lines in question pass on their good traits; lines that can greatly improve a breeding program
Queen
A female used for breeding; the word "dam" is found on pedigree forms.
Seal Point
Type of Himalayan; dark brown points and a body color anywhere between light brown and ivory
Self
See Solid
Smoke
Solid black or gray, but the roots of the hairs are distinctly white
Solid
Same color all over; also known as Self
Stud (or Tom)
A male used for breeding; the word "sire" is found on pedigree forms.
Tabby
Stripes
Torbie
A patched tabby; an established silver, brown, or blue tabby with patches of red and/or cream
Torbie Point
Patched tabby points
Tortie Point
Type of Himalayan; tortoiseshell points
Tortoiseshell
Randomly patched all over with red and black; also known as Tortie
Van
Almost all white with color patches only on the head and tail

11-05-2005, 02:03 AM

PERSIAN CATS!!
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/Persian%20Cats/c1.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/Persian%20Cats/c2.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/Persian%20Cats/c3.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/Persian%20Cats/c4.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/Persian%20Cats/c5.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/Persian%20Cats/c6.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/Persian%20Cats/c7.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/Persian%20Cats/c8.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/Persian%20Cats/c9.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/Persian%20Cats/c10.jpg

Cop

11-05-2005, 02:18 PM

lool yade gorbehaye tooye khiaboone iran didam :lol: oona koja inna koja :D

11-05-2005, 02:46 PM

to ham eine baghiye be bichaare haa sang mizadi?

Cop

11-05-2005, 03:03 PM

lool ye bar to hayat khalvat khonamoon gorbeh didam khollase shelange ab ovordamm nemidonam abe garm ya sard shoroo kardam pashidan ro gorbehe khollase gooshe giresh oovorde boodam dahanesh servis kardam looooooool akhey javooni :lol:

11-05-2005, 03:30 PM

LOOOOOL che ghadr badin shomaa.

11-05-2005, 03:35 PM

EXCLUSIVE
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/soccer/s1.gif
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/soccer/s2.gif
An interview with Arash Noamouz of the L.A. Galaxy
by John Manley
Los Angeles, California

On April 13, Major League Soccer debuted in Los Angeles. A crowd of 69,000 witnessed a 2-1 victory by the Los Angeles Galaxy team over the New York/New Jersey Metro Stars.
The Galaxy features many talented players including the flamboyant Jorge Campos and Andrew Shue (that former good guy turned bad boy on the popular U.S. TV series, "Melrose Place").

But it was the Iranian Arash Noamouz who scored the game winner for the Galaxy. Noamouz is 28 years old, former member of the Iranian National Team , who lives in Houston, Texas. His soccer experience in the U.S. was gained as a player in the indoor soccer league in 1994 and 1995. He recently earned a bachelor's degree in textile engineering. He spoke to The Iranian:

Q: How did it feel to score the winning goal in the second half of the game?
NOAMOUZ: It was great. It was our first game and all the players felt a lot of pressure to win. We had a 1-0 lead but that was not enough. Once I scored the second goal all the players felt relieved. After that we could play in a much more relaxed manner.

Q: Will you continue to play for the Iranian national team?
NOAMOUZ: No. In Iran when a player leaves the country, he is no longer allowed to play for the national team. They only use the players staying in Iran because they want to encourage the players to remain there and play for the local clubs. I came to the United States after Iran failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup (Iran lost to Saudi Arabia 4-3 in the qualifying round).

Q: You also played for Paas in the Iranian first division?
NOAMOUZ: Yes. PAAS is one of the best teams in Iran and has won the Asian Cup two times and also the Iranian League Championship three times. I played three years for them.

Q: You went to Polytechnic University of Tehran. Did you play for a team there?
NOAMOUZ: Yes. I played for four years for them.

Q: The first professional soccer league in the United States did not succeed. But now, the U.S. has successfully hosted the World Cup and soccer has gained a lot of attention. How do you feel about Major League Soccer's prospects?
NOAMOUZ: When I saw all the fans in the last game it was great. We had 70,000 at the game. The league needs the support of the fans. I am so happy that people have come to the stadium and shown their interest. I am really sure that the league will continue to improve.

Q: MLS games will not end in ties. A team winning in regulation will get 3 points and just 1 point for a victory in a penalty shootout. What do you think of this point system?
NOAMOUZ: The MLS has come up with a good idea for the time being. It's a new idea. People will be interested in seeing what will happen with it. People will want to see what happens in the shootouts. Teams also have a lot more incentive to win in regulation rather than playing for the tie. I think it is a fair system. You can earn 3 points for a win in regulation and just 1 in the tie breaker.

Q: You are listed as either a defensive back or a midfielder. Do you have a preference?
NOAMOUZ: Well, in Iran I played left midfielder. Here, when I sent my resume to the team they (the Galaxy) asked me if I would play left defensive back. My main position, however, is left midfield.

Q: You are an offensive-minded defensive back. Jorge Campos wants to play forward too. With you two, will anyone play defense on this team?
NOAMOUZ: (Laughter). Well, Jorge Campos likes the way I play. He always tells me to just get the ball and go forward because he knows that I can do it. Actually, at half time our coach asked us to play wide and really attack the goal. He asked the left midfielder to play inside so that I could have the space to operate.

i know it's sport but it's unique so i thought it's better if it's under iran. baa ejaaze bozorgtarhaa. :)

Cop

11-05-2005, 04:12 PM

che cherto perti gofte ki gofte iranihaye kharej nemitonan to iran bazi konan!! wtf

Cop

11-05-2005, 05:27 PM

List of FAMOUS IRANIANS :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Iranians

AND

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Iranian_Americans

11-05-2005, 06:51 PM

che cherto perti gofte ki gofte iranihaye kharej nemitonan to iran bazi konan!! wtf

are dige mota'asefaane vaghti irani be jaaye khoobi to amrika mirese bekhoosoos to entertainment va sport miyaan khod shirini konan baraay amrikaaee haa va hey bad migan az iran. shohre aaghdaashloo mage nagoft 90% terrorist haa mosalmooonand. kholaase injooriyand dige.

me_89

11-06-2005, 03:15 PM

coool dude u rock this is too much nfo kewwwwwwwwwwwwwwl

Nushabeh

11-06-2005, 09:01 PM

mersi IQ dastet dard nakoneh wooooosh in pishia chegad khokelan manam yekimikham!

me_89

11-07-2005, 03:19 PM

they are so cute pics

11-09-2005, 05:36 PM

Some more info about iran from CIA's website!!!
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/Iran/ir-map.gif
Background
Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority nominally vested in a learned religious scholar. Iranian-US relations have been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces between 1987-1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement. Following the elections of a reformist president and Majlis in the late 1990s, attempts to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction have floundered as conservative politicians have prevented reform measures from being enacted, increased repressive measures, and consolidated their control over the government.

Geography:

Location
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates
32 00 N, 53 00 E

Map references
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/payameman/Iran/middle_east.jpg

Area
total: 1.648 million sq km
land: 1.636 million sq km
water: 12,000 sq km

Area - comparative
slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries
total: 5,440 km
border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Coastline
2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf
continental shelf: natural prolongation

Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Terrain
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur

Land use
arable land: 8.72%
permanent crops: 1.39%
other: 89.89% (2001)

Irrigated land
75,620 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards
periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues
air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note
strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

WOW MAN KE KHEILI AZ IN HAA RO NEMIDOONESTAM!!

ProudPersian

11-10-2005, 09:41 PM

Well since this is a forum on Iran here is the ancient Iranian empire map showing all the subjects of the empire. Kind of a big file though

http://parsaworld.com/bastan/Map.html

11-10-2005, 10:04 PM

W
O
W

11-11-2005, 05:28 PM

Some more info about iran from CIA's website!!!
People
Population:
68,017,860 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.1% (male 9,465,475/female 8,973,828)
15-64 years: 68% (male 23,556,970/female 22,701,065)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,637,512/female 1,683,010) (2005 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.23 years
male: 24.03 years
female: 24.44 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.86% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 41.75 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.96 years
male: 68.58 years
female: 71.4 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.82 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
31,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
800 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Iranian(s)
adjective: Iranian
Ethnic groups:
Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
Religions:
Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 2%
Languages:
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.4%
male: 85.6%
female: 73% (2003 est.)