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A Little Piece of Persia
The middle of downtown La Jolla, across the street from a bustling Vons supermarket, seemed an unlikely place to find authentic Persian (Iranian) cuisine. But the shakers of ground sumac spice that sat waiting on each of the five outdoor tables indicated otherwise. Although headed for a different location, the containers of earthy-purple colored, coarsely ground spice caught my eye -- and lured me in.
The place is Café La Jolla-Persian Cuisine. The trendy prefix appears to capture the attention of all the local foot traffic that the sumac doesn’t. Like the restaurant’s name, the menu is divided into two parts--authentic Persian fare and Americanized items. I was after the real thing, so I grabbed a menu and a table and ordered just that.
I found myself eavesdropping on two women at the next table. They were engaged in a lively conversation comparing the foods of Iran with that of Turkey. One of them turned out to be Café La Jolla’s chef/owner, Mary Soltani, who was taking a recess from her eighteen hour day to enjoy one of her own meals. I learned that Mary spends that many hours every day preparing most of the menu from scratch, by herself. Chopping herbs, grinding walnuts, making yogurt, pickling vegetables, roasting eggplant, and steeping saffron is just the beginning. Chatting with customers about her native cuisine is also a priority.
When our first dishes arrived, I immediately recognized the familiar sour-tart aromas so present in the region’s cuisine. This stems from the historical challenge of preserving food in a predominantly hot and humid climate. Tart and sour flavors translate to higher levels of acidity, hence the preservation. Many techniques used by Mary today are slightly refined versions of those once used mainly out of necessity. For example, she converts fresh milk into whey (khashk) or yogurt and uses it in many dishes including one beverage. Although it’s now used mainly as a topping, in Iran’s past khashk was stirred into other foods to not only add flavor, but extend shelf life. She also uses pickled vine leaves to wrap tidbits of meats, rice and various beans, another old preservation technique. And many sour fruits are used including pomegranates, dried barberries (similar to red currants), black cherries, dried limes and of course, ground sumac. All these tart and sour flavors make for great complexity when paired with the many earthy and nutty flavors that are also associated with this region’s dishes.
After leaving Café La Jolla and anxious to share my experience, I stopped to see my Persian friends, Shari and Magid. I described in vivid detail Doogh, a beverage made by diluting yogurt with mineral water then flavoring it with fresh mint and pouring the drink over ice. Shari asked, “But did you get the homemade or the bottled version?” “The homemade, of course,” I answered. She laughed with surprise as if she assumed I would have ordered the bottled version. “Most Americans don’t like that stuff,” yelled Magid. Despite Magid’s claim, I found it to be quite refreshing on the hot afternoon.
Next I recounted my first course soup, Ash Reshteh, a hearty mixture of chick peas, lentils, and Persian noodles in a broth that’s loaded with fresh chopped spinach, cilantro and parsley. The soup is finished with a spoonful of khashk and another condiment of freshly ground mint. The combination of earthy beans, slightly sour khashk and fragrant mint was a great discovery.
Shari was explaining that Ash Reshteh is one of her own specialties when Magid interrupted. “What else?” he asked anxiously. “Well, for an entrée I was going to order the Ghormez Sabai,” beef and vegetables sautéed with chives, cilantro and dried limes. “Ooh, Americans love that dish,” said Magid. “But, instead I ordered Fessenjan.” Shari claimed, “that dish is very difficult to get right.” Magid concurred, “yes, it’s true, very difficult.” Well, Mary Soltani must know her stuff. The reduction of pomegranate juice thickened with ground walnuts, then poured over rice and /or grilled chicken is an example of the fine complexity to be had in her nation’s cuisine.
Inspired by our conversation, Shari and Magid took turns reminiscing about culinary memories of their homeland. As they spoke, I realized that enjoying food provides the vehicle for bringing different cultures together and works against those things that push people apart.
SUMAC…..Essential to the middle eastern pantry, sumac is considered a spice, but is actually a berry. The purplish, very tart berries are dried, then ground into a coarse powder. In Iran and other middle eastern countries it is used much like lemon is in the Americas, as a condiment that can add a pleasant sour taste and also balance elements of sweet or saltiness in various foods. Among it’s many uses, sumac is quite often sprinkled on grilled kabobs and is also a main component in the famous middle eastern spice mixture - Zaatar.
*Note - CAFÉ LA JOLLA - PERSIAN CUISINE is no longer in La Jolla, they have moved on.....best of luck to Mary, wherever she may be!!
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