Dizzi



Restaurants in Iran are often disappointing. Penetrating neon light illumination, furniture as borrowed from the next railway station, very few locals. And only kebabs in numerous varieties. I know that more sophisticated dishes are prepared at private homes. Something like fesenjun, one of my favorites: chicken breast in a thick but juicy sauce made from grated walnut and pomegranate sirup. Dizzi appears sometimes on the card but is not always available. It is the perfect meal for the numerous older men in Iran with hardly more than certain single teeth left in the mouth. You might easily eat it even if edentulous.

What is it? Take a chunk of fatty mutton (better lamb) and cook a soup together with peas, onions, and potatoes in an iron pot in the oven. Then serve it firy hot together with a fitting mortar, a metal bowl, and Iranian bread, nan. But how to eat this stew? You won't believe it, but first pour the soup (without the ingredients) into the bowl and add pieces of nan. That tastes already quite okay. Afterwards, take your mortar and mash everthing in the pot into a thick paste. Pour it into your bowl and enjoy.

Dizzi is reliably served in simple tea houses where, after work, young men smoke their qalyan, drink very sweet tea, and chat.




Comments

Mirror Polisher said…
The best dizzi and halem badejaan i ever had was in isfahan--hafez street.

BTW, r u in isfahan now? You mentioned you might go there during the Orthodox New Year.
6 January 2009 at 17:32
Muller said…
No, I returned before yesterday. I actually stayed in Khan Dibai for one week. Nice place. I will report later.
6 January 2009 at 19:31
Mirror Polisher said…
Seriously? I was there for a week too :D

Sufi khanoum was a darling. She took me on a tour of the house and gave me a lot of info on safivd and qajary architecture.

i posted some pics here:
http://mymagicaldroplets.wordpress.com/2009/01/02/dibai-house-a-persian-hotel-in-isfahan/
6 January 2009 at 21:36
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