Simple Persian dishes to spice up dinner

By Prudence Wade, PA

Make this dish for dinner one night, and enjoy the leftovers for the rest of the week.

“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)

1kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 heaped tbsp rose harissa

150g Greek yogurt

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 240°C (220°C 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.

 

Pomegranate-glazed aubergine with peanuts and spring onions

Ingredients:

(Serves 2-4)

2 large aubergines, peeled and cut into round slices 2.5cm thick

3–4tbsp olive oil

2tbsp pomegranate molasses

3tbsp 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 220°C (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.

Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour is published by Aster, priced £26. Photography by Kris Kirkham. Available now.