This Week's Recipe: Nan-e Berenji
FOOD FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Iranian Cuisine
Nan-e berenji (Iranian Rice Cookies) is a popular and ancient treat in Iran. One of our staff members, Parisa, grew up eating this dessert during most special occasions, especially Persian New Year. Nan-e berenji can be found in most confectionaries (baked goods and dessert stores) in Iran, but as these are difficult to access from Winnipeg, here is the recipe to try at home!
Ingredients:
❖ 1 cup powdered sugar
❖ 1 large egg yolk
❖ 1/2 cup butter
❖ 1 1/2 cups rice flour
❖ 1 pinch salt
❖ 1 tablespoon cardamom
❖ 5 tablespoons rosewater
❖ 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
❖ 1 teaspoon rose petals, optional
Directions:
❖ In a large bowl, combine the sugar, egg yolk and butter and mix until creamy and smooth.
❖ Add the flour, salt, cardamom, and rose water and mix until you have a smooth dough.
❖ Cover and refrigerate the bowl for about 30 minutes (it can remain in the fridge overnight.
❖ Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
❖ Using a tablespoon measure, pull out a small amount of dough and turn the dough into a small round
ball and place on the baking sheet.
❖ Keep the cookies about an inch apart to make sure they don’t bake into one another. The number of
cookies will depend on the size of the cookies you created.
❖ Press each cookie down to make sure they are flat and use a fork to make indentations on the cookies,
however you like.
❖ Sprinkle half of the cookies with poppy seeds and the other half with pistachios and rose petals (if
available).
❖ Bake in the oven for up to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies.
❖ Remove from the oven, leave on the cookie sheet until completely cooled.
❖ Please ask for assistance when using the oven.
Recipe shared by SNA's Newcomer Youth/Youth Drop In Program's
Food from Around the World
