Caspian Cuisine

Caspian cuisine is the cuisine of the Caspian people, mainly on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea in northwestern Iran and neighboring areas.

The Caspian people speak Caspian languages, mainly Mazanderani and Gilaki. These are Iranian languages related to Persian.

Rasht and Sari are cultural centers. Tehran was originally inhabited by Caspian people, though now it is predominantly Persian.

Ingredients

Rice has a strong tradition in this region.

Caspian cuisine uses a certain type of fava bean or broad bean known as rashti bean(پاچه باقالی pacheh baghala).

eggplant

Dishes

• kateh: boiled rice
• raisin rice
• fava bean pilaf(باقالی پلو baghala polo)
• baghala ghatogh(باقالی قاتق): fava bean stew
• mirza ghasemi: roasted eggplant dish, originally from Rasht
• koloche(کلوچه): stamped bread pastry, often filled with walnut and/or date