What is Persian food?

Four things do most of the work in a Persian kitchen. Saffron — bloomed in warm water and brushed over rice and chicken — gives the colour and the perfume. Fresh herbs (parsley, coriander, dill, fenugreek) are used by the handful, not the pinch. Sour notes come from dried lime, barberries, pomegranate and sumac. And char from the grill gives kebabs their smoky edge.

What you will not find much of is chilli heat or heavy cream sauces. If you have found other cuisines too hot or too rich, Persian food usually lands very comfortably.

• Joojeh kabab (saffron chicken) — chicken marinated in saffron, capsicum, onion, olive oil and Persian herbs, then chargrilled on skewers.
• Lamb backstrap skewers — a lean, tender cut, cooked through and rested.
• Eye fillet skewers — the premium option, cooked through and rested.
• Chelo (saffron rice) — long-grain rice steamed until each grain is separate, finished with saffron.
• Zereshk polo — the same rice with tart barberries through it.
• Sabzi polo — herb rice, green with dill, coriander and parsley.

A typical plate is one grilled protein, one rice or potato, and vegetables — no sauce drowning it. That structure is exactly how our menu is set up: choose your protein, choose your carb, and add vegetables on the side. A chicken with rice or potatoes box is $20, lamb is $22 and eye fillet is $24.

Start with saffron chicken and saffron rice. It is the most recognisable Persian combination, it is mild, and it shows you what saffron actually tastes like. If you like it, move on to lamb backstrap with barberry rice — the tartness of the barberries against the lamb is the dish most people come back for.

Everything we cook is made with halal-certified meat, without gluten-containing ingredients and without preservatives, then vacuum sealed at peak freshness. See the storage and heating instructions for how to serve it at home.

Is Persian food spicy?

Rarely. Persian cooking is aromatic rather than hot — saffron, turmeric, dried lime, sumac and fresh herbs carry the flavour, not chilli. It suits people who want a lot of taste without heat.

What is the most popular Persian dish?

Chargrilled kebabs served with saffron rice. Joojeh (saffron chicken) and lamb backstrap skewers are the classics, usually served with rice, grilled vegetables and fresh herbs.

Is Persian food healthy?

It is built around grilled lean protein, rice and vegetables with no batter or heavy sauces. A single saffron chicken skewer carries about 46 g of protein for roughly 320 calories.