The creative city network

The creative city network is a network of cities, working together towards a common mission for cultural diversity and sustainable urban development. There are currently 69 member cities around the world in seven creative industry fields. The fields are Literature, Cinema, Music, Craft and Folk Arts, Design, Media Arts and Gastronomy. Iran’s western city of Kermanshah was introduced as UNESCO’s City of Gastronomy.

kermanshah, The city of Gastronomy

Kermanshah is among 49 cities that have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) following their designation by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay in recognition of their commitment to placing culture and creativity at the heart of their development and to sharing knowledge and good practices.

Kermanshah Province has a very high capacity in the field of food, with about 80 kinds of food and snacks, 11 kinds of bread, 20 kinds of sweets, and special snacks.

Foods such as Kermashani oil, naan-berenji (a kind of rice cookie), kaak (a traditional pastry).

Here are seven dishes you should eat in Kermanshah:

 

Dandeh Kebab ( Rib kebab )

Kebab has a special place among Iranians. Dande Kebab (lamb ribs kebab) is one of the original, official, famous, and delicious Kebabs in Kermanshah.

Kermanshahi chefs prepare a sauce with a combination of tomato paste, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and saffron and pour it on kebabs repeatedly during the cooking and preparation process. After cooking the food it can be served with rice or bread decorated with onion, lemon, or sour orange.

Khoresht-e Khalal

This is one of the most popular competitors of Dande Kebab. Khoresht-e Khalal has a specific feature: it can satisfy different people with different tastes. So, everybody will enjoy it.

Its ingredients are usually lamb meat, slices of almond, black barberry, saffron, oil, onion, salt, Omani Limon, and so on. This delectable Khoresht is served with rice. This Khoresht contains lots of iron and protein, so eat in Kermanshah and get the power of a champion – Kermanshah people are enthusiastic fans of champions and championships.

Ash-e Abbas Ali

Kermanshah is really cold during the winter, that’s why people cook various kinds of “Ashes” or thick soups in the cold season. One of the most popular and delicious winter dishes of Kermanshah is Ash-e Abbas Ali.

The story of the food, according to what people say, goes back to the First Pahlavi period. In this single period of history, religious rituals were prohibited for a while. That is why a person named Abbas Ali began cooking this kind of Ash in a mosque and distributing it among people. The Ash, therefore, was known as Ash-e Abbas Ali.

Today, Ash-e Abbas Ali is very popular among people. You can enjoy its delicious taste if you are visiting Kermanshah in winter.

Jegar-o Boz

You can have Jegar-o Boz only in Kermanshah. This is a completely different dish. Jegar-o Boz is a kind of local sausage but a really healthy one. It is prepared by the liver of sheep – yummy.

The liver of sheep is kebabed (roasted) under the ashes of the fire. When it is cooked, it should be mixed with salt, pepper, and turmeric.

Kookooye Paghare

Paghare is one of the popular vegetables that grow on Kermanshah’s mountains. People use vegetables to cook a local dish named Kookooye Paghare. In addition to its pleasing odor, this vegetable has some medical properties as well.

Notice that using Paghare to cure diseases related to the stomach and intestines is recommended by doctors. You can find this mountain vegetable in Kermanshah markets during the spring.  Kookooye Paghare should be cooked with egg, flour, vegetables, turmeric, oil, onion, and garlic. In fact, vegetarians can eat in Kermanshah healthy foods.

Sib Polo

The variety of Iranian Polos is due to the use of different vegetables. There is a specific kind of Polo cooked in Kermanshah named Sib Polo. The name of the Polo is because of the great amount of Sibzamini (potato) in the dish. In fact, potato is the main ingredient of this Polo – after rice of course.

Sib Polo is one of the delectable Polos you have ever enjoyed. The ingredients of Sib Polo include potato, mutton, raisin, saffron, date, and butter.

Valak Polo

Mountain vegetables are really popular among Kermanshah people. That’s why people are healthy; you may also want to eat in Kermanshah and enjoy healthy foods.

Kermanshah people cook one of their tasty local dishes by the use of another mountain vegetable named Valak or Kool – as local people say. This is also one of the useful vegetables growing in spring.

The other ingredients of Valak Polo include the beef tongue, local oil, rice, salt, saffron, and pepper. You can cook the Polo with chicken, fish, or mutton as well.