Qazvin Food and Cuisine eat fruit and nuts as food!

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9 Minutes

Dear gourmet traveler…

One of the most enjoyable parts of traveling to different cities or countries is getting to taste their traditional food. By eating the traditional food of each city, you can get to know people’s food customs and feel close and connected with them. In Iran, food diversity differs from door to door! Amazing! I know. There are so many traditional foods in every city that’ll get you confused, but the taste and aroma of every single one of them can make your trip more memorable. Here I want to talk about one of the many cities that can offer you a fine traditional meal. You can check out our website for more.

Qazvin is a city located in the north of Iran. Duo to its perfect location in the center of fertile lands of Iran, it can support the growth of a large number of strong healthy plants. So from the old times, locals offer both vegetarian and non-vegetarian travelers special dishes that meet the nutritional needs of both (Not to forget to announce the fact that green meals and being a vegetarian is quite a new trend in Iran but they have been having some green meals on the daily diet of the people). Since the historic city was located on the silk road, the variety of food items and cultures all influenced the gastronomic culture of the people in this city for many centuries. The fertile soil of this province has allowed the locals to harvest all kinds of nuts and fruits. As a result, there is a trace of pistachio, almond, different kinds of fruit peels, and so on, on every luxurious food and confectionary of the region.

Now let’s take a quick look at some of the most famous foods in Qazvin. (Click on their names for more information and recipe.)

Doimaj

It’s the vegetarian meal specialty of the city made of a mixture of small pieces of dried bread, walnut, fried onion, cheese, oil, and vegetables. If the cook does not add cheese, it can also be a fully vegan food. Don’t forget to ask the chef about the ingredients anyway. They sometimes add meat to the food for no reason!

Locals prefer to eat this meal with bare hands. And trust me, locals know the best!

Shirin Polo (served with Kuku Shirin)

Shirin Polo (sweet rice) is a sweet food that is served with sweet potato latkes (Kuku Shirin) on special occasions. It’s the second most famous food in Qazvin. If you are a sweet food lover, I recommend trying it right away.

Gheymeh (Gheimeh) Nesar

It’s the most famous traditional food in the city and the first food every local would recommend. You absolutely don’t want to miss the heavenly taste of it during your trip. Gheymeh Nesar is a colorful food made of rice, meat or poultry, slivered pistachio and almond, barberry, saffron, orange peel, and a variety of spices that give it a heavenly flavor. Locals mostly cook it in their formal gatherings and weddings.

Bademjan Polo

If you are a fan of eggplant, you should try this delicious dish. As you might know, eggplant is a rich source of nutrition, helps with digestion, improves heart and bone, prevents cancer, increases brain function, etc. The good news is if you omit meat from its ingredients, it’ll be a fully vegan food as well.

Ash-e Dough, Imam, Mash Piazou

Ash (a little like soup but more thickened) is mainly an appetizer and there are more than 50 types of it in Iran. It’s also considered a remedy for sicknesses. Ash-e Dough (Douq), also known as yogurt soup, is a white-colored soup full of vitamins. Ash-e Imam is a famous soup in Qazvin that is mostly eaten on Ramadan (Ramezan) and is made of meat, onion, lentils, and special rice. And finally Ash-e Mash Piazou that is similar to Ash-e Imam and unlike other kinds of Ash, it doesn’t have any vegetables in its ingredients and is made of meat and legumes.

What’s for dessert?

After all those delicious food, what’s better than a cup of tea and baklava?

Qazvin’s 5-7 colored baklava with the taste of pistachio, saffron, almond, and cardamom also indicates the people’s type of taste. This type of pastry is usually served with a cup of tea (dark coffee will do too). Qazvin’s Nan-e Chaii can also be your next option to experience another pleasant taste of this province. If you are a fan of sweets and you are looking to buy souvenirs from Qazvin, we recommend you take a look at our other article introducing Qazvin traditional confectionary before your trip.

So if you are an avid foodie, a trip to this beautiful and historical province may be a pretty good option for you. We’re looking forward to read your comments and know your side of the story in Qazvin. So please share.