Khuzestani
Iran's Arab-inflected south — tamarind-soured fish and shrimp stews, Abadan falafel, and a love of heat the inland table doesn't share.
Ghalyeh Mahi
A dark cilantro-and-fenugreek fish stew soured with tamarind — the signature dish of Iran's south.
View page →Khuzestan and the Persian Gulf coast cook a Persian unlike the inland one — shaped by Arab neighbours, the sea and the date palm. The signature is ghalyeh mahi, a dark stew of fish, cilantro and fenugreek soured with tamarind; its cousin ghalyeh meygu does the same with Gulf shrimp. The refinery city of Abadan gave Iran its falafel and sambuseh, eaten in bread with a tangy sauce, and the south carries a chili heat the rest of Persia keeps gentle.
Start Here
A tamarind-soured fish stew dark with cilantro and fenugreek.
Why start here · The south's signature.
The same dark herb-and-tamarind stew, made with Gulf shrimp.
Why start here · Ghalyeh mahi's shellfish cousin.
Crisp chickpea fritters in bread with pickles and a tangy sauce.
Why start here · Abadan's street icon.
The Pantry
How They Cook
Techniques that define this cuisine
See 5 more techniques›
Kindred Kitchens
Cuisines built on the same signature ingredients
Other regions
Siblings within Persian — each its own tradition.