Top 40 Recipes - Simply the Best

Borani - Iranian Appetizer and Dip Recipe Collection

Borani is an Iranian appetizer and dip made with yogurt, spinach, beetroot and other ingredients. It is also found in Turkey, and is popular in Judeo-Persian cuisine. The popular and widely made spinach version is called borani-e esfenaj. This simple fresh tasting, tangy starter consists of spinach, yogurt, garlic and onions. Walnuts and other nuts and herbs can be added. Borani is generally eaten cold as a dip with pieces of flat bread or crackers. It also can be served as an appetizer or as a side dish for grilled meat or vegetable dishes.

Tips for Making Stellar Borani

• The spinach or other vegetables must be fresh and lively. The vegetables are washed, and roughly chopped. The vegetables are lightly fried in a little olive oil with chopped onions and garlic.
• Allow the cooked spinach or other vegetables to cool before adding the yogurt as hot spinach and other vegetables may make the yogurt curdle or melt, losing its consistency.
• Traditionally only with salt and freshly ground black pepper are used as seasoning. Thia allow the taste of the yogurt and vegetables to shine through.
• The borani appetizer or dip is generally cooled to cold in the refrigerator before serving. It can be prepared well in advance as a party food.
• The walnut kernels, other nuts, herbs and other ingredients are added to the cold borani at the last minute, just before serving so they remain crisp.
• The many variants of borani are highlighted in the recipe collection shown below. Some of the other ingredients used are eggplant beans, beets, bulur, various aromatic herbs, cardoons, cucumber, various types of nuts celery or mint. Borani can be enriched with butter, caramelized onions and a light dusting of various spices, and finely chopped aromatic herbs.

Traditional Persian Style Spinach Borani Recipe

Ingredients

• Salt to taste
• 2 onions, sliced
• 12 kernels walnuts
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 16 oz (500 g) good quality, plain Greek style yogurt
• 2 lb (1 kg) fresh, lively spinach, stems removed, washed and chopped

Method

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a deep heavy frying pan over moderate heat. Add the onion when the oil is hot. Sauté the onions gently while stirring occasionally until they becometranslucent. Or you may wish to cook the onions further until lightly brown in color or slightly caramelized (optional).
Add the garlic and sauté the mixture for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is translucent. Then, add the spinach with a splash of water and sauté for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the spinach has warmed and wilted. Transfer the cooked spinach to a serving bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Add the yogurt and fold through the mixture. Season to taste with salt, and freshly ground black pepper, mixing the seasoning through the mixture. Cover the bowl and cool the borani in your refrigerator. Serve the borani cold with a sprinkle with walnuts, herbs and a dusting of your choice of spices (used sparingly).

Beetroot Borani Recipe with Dill, Vinegar and Walnuts

Ingredients

• 6-8 walnut halves
• 50 g feta cheese, crumbled
• 4 tablespoons Greek style yoghurt
• 4 medium raw bunched beetroot (about 700 g; 1 1/2 lb)
• 2 tablespoons chopped dill, plus a few sprigs to garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon black onion seeds (or toasted sesame seeds)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar, (good-quality, optionally with a pinch of sugar)

Method

Wash the beetroot tubers thoroughly without peeling them. Place them in a small saucepan, cover them with water. Simmer the beetroot for about 40-45 minutes or until just tender. Drain and set the beetroot aside to cool. Pulse the beetroot briefly in a food processor until just chopped, not puréed to a paste. Transfer to a serving bowl, add the garlic, yoghurt, olive oil, dill, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well and adjust the seasoning if required for the taste you prefer. Spread the beetroot borani onto a serving plate. Sprinkle with the feta, black onion seeds, walnuts, sprigs of dill and add a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with pieces of Flat bread, pitta or crackers.

Butternut Borani Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup walnut pieces
• flat bread pieces, to serve
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt flakes
• 2 garlic cloves of garlic, minced
• 1.2 kg (2 3/4 lb) butternut squash
• 300 g (10 oz) plain Greek style yogurt
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, very finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil, for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon pul biber chilli flakes (or similar)

Method

Preheat your oven to 220 degrees C (430 degrees F). Spray baking tray with cooking oil and line with baking paper. Slice the washed butternut squash in half length ways and remove the seeds, but do not peel. Place the squash halves with cut sides facing up on the prepared lined baking tray. Brush the squash with olive oil and roast for about 45–60 minutes, or until the squash is soft and cooked through. Remove the squash from the oven and set aside to cool. Next scoop all the squash flesh from the halves into a mixing bowl and discard the skins. Mash the squash flesh with a fork or potato masher. Then, add the garlic, yogurt, a drizzle of olive oil and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the borani on to a flat serving plate. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter the walnuts, dill and a dusting of the pul biber or other spices. Serving cold with flatbread as a side dish or dip.

Borani Banjan - An Afghan Eggplant Borani Recipe with Tomatoes and Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup water
• Salt to taste
• 6 small eggplants
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Sprigs of fresh herbs for serving
• 3 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or red chilli)
• 1/4 cup grape seed or rice bran oil to fry the eggplants

For the Yogurt sauce

• 1 cup Greek style yogurt
• 1 teaspoon grated garlic
• Dried mint or other dried herbs for sprinkling on top

Method

Prepare the yogurt sauce by whisking the yogurt in a small bowl. Add grated garlic, mix though and sprinkle with the dried mint. Store in the refrigerator while the eggplants are being prepared.

Slice the eggplants thinly and salute in hot oil over moderate heat. Fry the slices, turning once, until they are golden brown in color, but still firm. Do not over-fry the eggplant to avoid the slices becoming soggy. Drain the eggplants slices on paper towel and then set aside. Using another frying pan or a Dutch oven, sauté the garlic until light golden brown in color. Then, add the tomatoes, cayenne pepper, turmeric powder, salt and pepper and cook slowly until the tomatoes soften (about 6-9 minutes). Next add the fried and dried eggplant slices with about 1/4 cup of water. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for around 10 minutes. To serve, transfer about half of the yogurt sauce to a flat serving plat. Pour the tomato sauce and eggplants on top and then add the remaining yogurt sauce as a third layer. Sprinkle with generous amounts of dried mint. Serve with pieces of flat bread, pita bread or naan.