A food enthusiast visited Tehran, Iran and was impressed by the locals' passion for food. They tried a traditional Iranian breakfast dish called "Holly" which consists of boiled wheat and lamb meat. The dish was prepared by a father-son team who have been making it for over 50 years. The enthusiast also tried "Aash", a high-energy food made with legumes, grains, and herbs. They visited an herb shop with an industrial-sized herb shredder and learned about the preparation of Aash. The enthusiast was impressed by the hospitality and kindness of the Iranian people and enjoyed the local food, considering it inseparable from the culture and cuisine of Iran.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The narrator has been in Iran for a day.
2. Hookah smoking is an age-old tradition with roots in India and Iran.
3. In Iran, hookah is not typically called "hookah," but rather "qalyan."
4. The narrator tries flavored tobacco, specifically blueberry flavor.
5. Iranian cuisine has over 50 types of ash, a thick, hearty soup-like dish.
6. Halim is a traditional Iranian breakfast dish made with boiled wheat and lamb meat.
7. The Farsi word for "kitchen" is "ash paz," meaning "the room where ash is made."
8. In Tehran, there are shops that specialize in selling herbs and spices.
9. Iranian cooking often involves a balance of ingredients and spices.
10. The narrator visits a restaurant with over 50 years of history in Tehran.
11. The restaurant is known for its Halim and Ash dishes.
12. Ash is typically made with lentils, herbs, chickpeas, kidney beans, and spices.
13. The narrator tries Ash with toppings such as sour yogurt, caramelized onion, and fried mint.
14. The narrator has been in Iran for only a day and is already impressed by the hospitality and kindness of the people.