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In Iran, there are three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Lunch is usually eaten between 1 pm and 3 pm, sometimes even as late as 4 pm. Naturally, because lunch is eaten so late, dinner is often eaten after 9 pm, sometimes as late as midnight.
Iranians place great importance on family meals – often dinner being the most important meal, with mothers and grandmothers being the main cooks.
Breakfast is usually very simple, consisting of bread, butter, honey, and scrambled eggs with tomatoes or fried eggs. Sunday breakfast, however, is similar to a late breakfast, taking place around 10 am, and includes bread, jam, honey, fresh milk, fruit, boiled eggs, cheese, etc.
Weekend meals are the best time for all family members to gather together.
Let's explore the common foods and drinks served at almost every Iranian meal.
Bread
Bread is an indispensable part of Iranian meals; rice may be absent, but bread is a must. There are over 40 different types of bread (Nan) in Iran, but the four most popular are Barbari, Lavash, Sangak, and Gandhi.
Barbari originates from the city of Tabrizi, is oval-shaped, about 1 cm thick, and flavorful, often seasoned with sesame seeds, olive oil, or rosemary to enhance the taste. It's also my favorite type of bread in Iran. Lavash is round or oval, thin like a rice cracker, and is one of the oldest types of bread in the Middle East and Central Asia. Sangak is rectangular and baked on a stone. Gandhi is a sweet bread, also eaten for breakfast or with tea…
Bakeries are found throughout residential areas in Iran. If you pass by a bakery early in the morning, you'll see a bustling scene: people lining up, taking numbers, paying, and buying bread. Interestingly, the bread isn't wrapped or bagged; people simply take it home by hand. And in most bakeries, people pay themselves using coins or cards at the vending machine; there are no cashiers.
Rice
Besides bread, rice is an almost indispensable part of every meal in Iran. Iranian rice is made from long-grain rice that is not too sticky. There are three types of rice: white rice, yellow rice (colored with saffron), and mixed rice with dried fruits and nuts. While white rice is commonly used in meals, a little yellow rice is often added to create a visually appealing dish.
Rice is often served with grilled or stewed dishes, but sometimes Iranians cook a single pot of rice with layers of vegetables and meat on top. This pot is covered and not opened while cooking, and is simmered over low heat for many hours. When eating, they serve the meat and vegetables on separate plates and the rice on another plate.
Salad
Like Italians, Iranians eat salad after meals. Salads consist of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh and dried fruits, nuts, etc., and are served with plain yogurt or special dressings made from pomegranate vinegar, salt, olive oil, and herbs. Iranians particularly enjoy sour foods, so yogurt is an indispensable food and cooking ingredient in every Iranian kitchen.
Yogurt, mostly unsweetened, is mixed into a sour drink with salt, dill, soda, or mint, called Doogh. They also use yogurt to marinate meats for grilling; the natural acidity of the yogurt tenderizes the meat, reduces the greasiness of the fat, and makes the meat much tastier when grilled.
Dessert
After the main meals, desserts are also a highlight of Iranian cuisine. Personally, I'm not a big fan of puddings or nut-coated candies because they're a bit too sweet for my taste. Puddings are made from rice, with saffron added for color, and can be cooked with milk or water and sugar, with a few spices like cinnamon and star anise added, then topped with pistachios.
At Yard, there's a famous dessert that I absolutely love called Faloodeh - made from corn flour, formed into long, thin strands like vermicelli, similar in texture to Vietnamese rice noodle dessert - served cold with rose syrup and basil seeds.
tea, coffee
Iranians don't drink much coffee, but they have a habit of drinking tea all day long. Whenever guests come to their home, the host will offer them tea and sweets. The tea here is black tea, and when drinking it, Iranians will hold a piece of sugar in their mouth and sip it slowly, or use rock sugar called Nabata to sweeten the tea.
Additionally, another unique drink you should know about is Sekanjebin – a light syrup made from vinegar, mint, and sugar, with a little sparkling/still water or rose water added. Iranians drink chilled Sekanjebin with meals like Doogh because the mild acidity from the vinegar aids digestion.
