Everyday Persian recipes that maximise flavour with minimal effort
This is such a simple recipe that I confess I have been making it for years and never thought to put it in one of my books,” says Sabrina Ghayour.
“It’s so handy and versatile, as it can be sliced and stuffed into pitta bread or wraps and sandwiches for lunchboxes, shredded and added to salads, or used in stir-fries or rice noodle dishes. But it also pairs perfectly with steamed rice or naan in the same way tandoori chicken does. You can also marinate the chicken up to 48 hours in advance, or freeze the marinated raw chicken for use at a later date or for batch cooking.”
Harissa and lemon roasted chicken thighs
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
1kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 heaped tbsp rose harissa
150g Greek yoghurt
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
To serve (optional):
Flatbreads
Coriander leaves
Thinly sliced spring onions
Lemon wedges
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 240C (220C fan), gas mark 9. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Put the chicken thighs into a mixing bowl, add the other ingredients with a generous amount of salt and pepper and turn the chicken to coat well in the mixture, preferably using your hands.
3. Lay the chicken thighs on the lined tray and roast for 40 minutes or until sticky and charred around the edges and cooked through.
4. To serve, slice the chicken and serve in warmed flatbreads with Greek yogurt, coriander leaves, sliced spring onions and alongside lemon wedges for squeezing over.
“I love cinnamon in pastry and desserts. There really is no sweet treat that doesn’t work with a little cinnamon in it, and these swirls have always been a favourite of mine,” says Sabrina Ghayour.
“The tahini really enriches them, giving them a lovely nutty flavour that is something quite different and pleasing. They are great with coffee or served with vanilla ice cream. You can also freeze a whole roll of prepared pastry for later use, then cut and bake from frozen for an extra couple of minutes.”
Pomegranate-glazed aubergine with peanuts and spring onions
“I love aubergines, and the easier the cooking method, the better the recipe,” says Sabrina Ghayour.
“So here is a nice and easy way to roast them, with a deliciously sharp yet sweet glaze and a flourish of extras to finish the dish. Life needn’t be complicated and the simple things are often the best.”
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients:
2 large aubergines, peeled and cut into round slices 2.5cm thick
3-4tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
3 tbsp clear honey or maple syrup
1 spring onion, thinly sliced diagonally from root to tip
Generous handful of salted peanuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Maldon sea salt flakes
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220C (200C fan), gas mark 7. Line a large roasting tin with baking paper.
2. Brush both sides of the aubergine slices with the olive oil, arrange in a single layer in the lined tin and roast for 22-25 minutes until cooked through but not browned.
3. Mix the pomegranate molasses and honey together until evenly combined. Use a pastry brush to brush the mixture evenly over the aubergines on both sides, then sprinkle with a little salt. Roast for another five to six minutes until the glaze is thick and sticky.
4. Scatter with the spring onion and peanuts before serving.
Tahini cinnamon swirls
Makes: 12
Ingredients:
1 x 320g ready-rolled puff pastry sheet
4-5tbsp tahini (make sure it’s not too thin, and avoid using excess oil)
3 tbsp golden granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan), gas mark 6. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Lay the pastry sheet on your work surface.
3. Mix the tahini with the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spread the mixture evenly all over the pastry sheet, leaving a two centimetre clear border along one long edge. Starting from the opposite long edge, roll up the pastry tightly.
4. Cut the roll into four, then cut each section into three equal slices. Lay the slices with the swirl facing up on the lined tray, spaced slightly apart, and flatten each one gently. Bake for 20–22 minutes until nicely browned on top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray before serving.
‘Persiana Everyday’ by Sabrina Ghayour (published by Aster, £26; photography by Kris Kirkham), available now.
