Random Things Tours: Salamati by Hamed Allahyari with Dani Valent

For almost one month, the brave women and men in Iran took the streets again, fearless, protesting the end of the bloody religious dictatorship. Young women and men who were not allowed to know anything but the Islamic Republic are undeterred by the cruelty of their own people against them. Women-Life-Freedom is their motto uniting them despite the terror they lived under for over a generation. They have enough and even though our democracies seem to ignore their plea for support they will prevail. Sooner or later, they will have the life they deserve, the life every human being deserves.

The braindrain of educated, intelligent Iranians blessed the host countries not only with highly qualified skills, but also with the gift of the delicious Persian cuisine. Persian restaurants all over the world offer more than a menu, but a slice of generosity, hospitality and a food like no other.

Hamed Allahyari is no foreign of the hardships of the young generation growing up in Iran. After a periclous escape from the Islamic Republic, he made it to Australia where he is delighting the local palates with the best (to be honest, not sure what is less in terms of Persian cooking) of a cuisine that once you have a taste of it, you cannot live without it. Together with local food writer Dani Valent he shares Recipes and Stories from Iran to the other side of the world, reunited under Salamati - the Persian word for Cheers. 

As everything in the Persian culture, the word has more than one meening, convening a welcoming spirit and a generosity that some may not be aware of. But, again, the Persian culture that produced King Cyrus is older than a bunch of clerics with blood on their hands without a proper knowledge of what they are preacing about. I bet that Cyrus will be reminded instead of the above mentioned ephemeral cartoonish individuals. 

Food and recipes do tell complex cultural stories and Salamati is an anthropological inquiry into the eating habits and social structures. How can one keep for oneself such delicious dishes ? (well, I can live on shole zard for months and I don´t see why should I share my golden pudding with anyone but I´m not Persian anyway). Those dishes are usually made to be shared and tasted and further transmitted to the next generation. It´s a whole education of the palate here...

There is a certain complexity of recipes that one learn while watching their mother preparing it, compared to someone learning it from a cookbook. In Salamati, everything is made simple without being simpler. I tried, for instance, the iconice omelette with dates (Mazafati, of course) and it went out very easy and tasty too. Thus, the passionate cook, aimed to go on a journey to Iran - preferably as for now, only virtually, because having a foreign passport those day may give a reason strong enough to kidnap and imprison you, just another lucrative business of the greedy mullah - can start it with this good looking book of tasty recipes. On my foodie cards I do have the fesenjoon, a pomegranate and walnuts stew I can take my mind off it.

Salamati is a comfort read for those longing for their home country but also for those who dream one day to be able to visit it and have a taste of the original hospitality and rich cultural heritage of Iran. The brave people of Iran will be happy to show their real country to the curious Western eyes, ignoring that they were left alone when they needed more than ever support and encouragement.

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour, but the opinions are, as usual, my own