Caspian cuisine is a regional cuisine found in

Northern Iran Northern Iran (), is a geographical term that refers to a relatively large and fertile area, consisting of the southern border of the Caspian Sea and the Alborz mountains. It includes the provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan (ancie ...

, primarily found in the

Mazandaran Mazandaran Province (; ) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Sari, Iran, Sari. Located along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and in the adjacent Central Alborz mountain range and Hyrcanian forests, it is border ...

Gilan Gilan Province () is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, in the northwest of the country and southwest of the Caspian Sea. Its capital is the city of Rasht. The province lies along the Caspian Sea, in Iran's Region 3, west of the province of ...

Alborz The Alborz ( ) range, also spelled as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran that stretches from the border of Azerbaijan along the western and entire southern coast of the Caspian Sea and finally runs northeast and merge ...

, and Golestan provinces. The recipes are diverse, just like the region's landscape. Nature in the Mazandaran region of

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

is distinct and varied sections with a mixture of coastal, plains, prairies, forests, and rainforests. The Mazandarani cuisine of coastal regions is very different from that of mountainous regions since people settled in the

usually use the indigenous

herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...

s, while coastal populations prepare dishes using local fish and

Caspian Caspian can refer to: *The Caspian Sea *The Caspian Depression, surrounding the northern part of the Caspian Sea *The Caspians, the ancient people living near the Caspian Sea *The Caspian languages spoken in northern Iran and southeastern Azerbaij ...

( Mazani)

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

with

vegetable Vegetables are edible parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. This original meaning is still commonly used, and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including edible flower, flo ...

History

Mazandaran Province Mazandaran Province (; ) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Sari. Located along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and in the adjacent Central Alborz mountain range and Hyrcanian forests, it is bordered clockw ...

lies to the east of the Iranian province of

. The southern coast of the Caspian Sea is sometimes referred to as the "fertile Caspian provinces". Citrus fruit, specifically orange crops are grown in this region and influence the cuisine. Historically in Iran, rice is a common food only in the Mazandaran and Gilan Provinces, which is prepared in this region in a

kateh ''Kateh'' () is an Iranian cuisine, Iranian rice dish from the Caspian Sea, Caspian region of Iran. Unlike ''Pilaf, Polo/Cholo'', kateh is sticky and does not have tahdig (the rice, bread or potato crust at the bottom), though it does form a crus ...

cooking style, unlike the typical polos/chelo found in other parts of Iran. Rice crops are grown in the sloping regions of the Alborz mountain range, part of which is in the Mazandaran Province. Seafood is a strong component for coastal Mazandarani cuisine and present in many meals. Persian

caviar Caviar or caviare is a food consisting of salt-cured roe of the family Acipenseridae. Caviar is considered a delicacy and is eaten as a garnish or spread. Traditionally, the term caviar refers only to roe from wild sturgeon in the Caspi ...

(ḵāvīar) is incorporated in dishes and often served with egg dishes (some of which are similar to a frittata or omelette). Between 1400 until 1870, the Mazandaran Province was the only place cultivating sugarcane, and it was sometimes eaten with bread and rice. Some local, wild herbs used in Mazandarani cuisine include ''zolang'', ''anarijeh'', ''ouji'', ''sersem''. Outside of the

, these local herbs are not known to many people. It's thought by some that certain local dishes and herbs could be used as health remedies for an illness and as a result, various scholars come yearly to

Mazandaran province Mazandaran Province (; ) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Sari. Located along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and in the adjacent Central Alborz mountain range and Hyrcanian forests, it is bordered clockw ...

to research these wild, indigenous herbs and regional dishes. Stinging nettles are found throughout the province during springtime and a Mazandarani nettle soup is made from them, the nettles are said to have medicinal properties as a blood tonic and to improve hay fever.

List of select northern Iranian dishes

This is a list of northern Iranian regional dishes, primarily found in the Mazandaran,

, and Golestan provinces. Due to the landscape, seasons and native plants, these regions have similar traditional dishes but have a distinct culinary history from the other provinces in Iran. * Aghouze-Messeama * Dewpetti * Ispina-Saek * Khali

Aush Aush ( ; ), properly romanized as , is a variety of thick soup, usually served hot. It is part of Iranian cuisine and Afghan cuisine, and is also found in Azerbaijani, Turkish, and South Caucasian cuisines. Etymology The spelling of the n ...

(Keahi-Esh, soup/stew) * Naz Khatun (Naz-Xatune) * Ispinej-Mearji * Keahi-Heali * Mirza Ghasemi *

Baghali ghatogh Baghali ghatogh (Persian: باقالی قاتق) is a northern Iranian dish made with Pach-Baqala, a local bean type resembling Italian borlotti beans. Other ingredients are dill, eggs, turmeric, and garlic. It's usually served with kateh (Irani ...

(bean stew) – typically made in Iran with a bean called "pacheh baghali" (

Rasht Rasht (; ) is a city in the Central District (Rasht County), Central District of Rasht County, Gilan province, Gilan province, Iran, serving as the capital of the province, the county, and the district. The city is also known as the "City of ...

fava beans ''Vicia faba'', commonly known as the broad bean, fava bean, or faba bean, is a species of vetch, a flowering plant in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. It is widely cultivated as a crop for human consumption, and also as a cover crop. Vari ...

), but outside of Iran this is made with either lima beans, kidney beans or fava beans. This dish can be found in all northern regions of Iran, but associated with Mazandaran and Gilan provinces. *

Kateh ''Kateh'' () is an Iranian cuisine, Iranian rice dish from the Caspian Sea, Caspian region of Iran. Unlike ''Pilaf, Polo/Cholo'', kateh is sticky and does not have tahdig (the rice, bread or potato crust at the bottom), though it does form a crus ...

(rice cooked in water) – this is typical of Northern Iran (Mazandaran, Gilan and Golestan provinces), this rice is made with more water, butter and salt, in a specific cooking technique. * Keshmesh polo (raisins in rice) – found all over Iran now, but originated in northern Iran. * Khoresh-e gol dar chaman (broad bean stew) – a stew made of garlic, dill, lamb and

broad beans ''Vicia faba'', commonly known as the broad bean, fava bean, or faba bean, is a species of vetch, a flowering plant in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. It is widely cultivated as a crop for human consumption, and also as a cover crop. Vari ...

. An alternative to using broad beans in this recipe are fava beans. * Khoresh-e torsh tareh (stew of herbs, garlic, eggs). * Kuku eshpel (a

kuku Kuku may refer to: People * Emir-Usein Kuku (born 1976), Crimean Tatar human rights defender * John Dean Kuku (born 1963), Solomon Islands politician * Kuku people, an ethnic group in South Sudan * Kuku Yulanji, an Aboriginal people of the Dai ...

egg dish made of

fish roe Roe, ( ) or hard roe, is the fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses, of fish and certain marine animals such as shrimp, scallop, sea urchins and squid. As a seafood, roe is used both as a cooked in ...

or caviar). * Morgh-e torsh (sour chicken). *

Sirabij Sirabij is a traditional egg dish from northern Iran in the Gilan Province and Mazandaran Province. About It consists of egg An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incu ...

(

scrambled eggs Scrambled eggs is a dish made from eggs (usually chicken eggs), where the whites and yolks have been stirred, whipped, or beaten together (typically with salt, butter or oil, and sometimes water or milk, or other ingredients), then heated so ...

with chopped and fried garlic leaves) found in Mazandaran and Gilan provinces. *Sir Anar (translates to "garlic pomegranate") – a stew or sauce used for proteins.

Desserts and sweets

* Aghouzenoon * Peshtizik * Pisgendela * Nesseri * Kunak * Tunsernun * Red sugar (Serkh seker) * Reshteh Khoshkar

Drinks

Mazanderani and Gilani traditional wines have historically been made from wild, local grapes. Mazanderani people use to drink a traditional wine drink after hard labor, particularly during summer and Merdal month of

Tabarian Calendar The Tabarian calendar is the indigenous solar calendar of the Mazandaranis and Gilaks. Months See also Caspian people and culture * Tabarian New Year * Tabarian culture * Tabarian people * Mazanderani * Gilaki Similar systems * Armenian ...

which is known as Narenj Vehar. It is a cold drink which is believed to replenish the drinkers' energy reserves.

References

{{Middle Eastern cuisine Mazandaran province Iranian cuisine