Herbs, Herbs, Herbs!

A big bed of dill. Coming to market this week.

I want to talk about herbs. Especially herbs used in Persian food, some of which I’m growing on the farm. The word for herbs in Farsi is sabzi, which literally translates to green in English. There’s a long tradition of serving a plate of herbs as a side dish with the main course. The plate is called sabzi khordan (herbs for eating), and it usually has basil, tarragon, parsley, fenugreek, leeks, mint, radish, dill, and cress. It’s a lot! On the same plate, there might be a square of feta cheese and walnuts, but that’s usually served for breakfast.

Most often, it’s served with meat-heavy dishes like kabob. The herbs help with digestion and offset the richness of the meat. The way you would eat the herbs is just by grabbing a handful or using a piece of bread, like lavash, to make a little herb burrito. It’s not weird to eat with your hands. Most of the world does, and everyone uses their hands for pizza or a burger.

This year, I’m growing a few different kinds of herbs, including dill, parsley, cilantro, and I’m planting basil soon. So get your herbs at the Silver Spring Farmers Market every Saturday, 9 am to 1 pm.

Besides being a side dish, herbs are heavily used throughout Persian food. Here’s an easy one that’s basically all herbs! It’s called kuku sabzi or an herb frittata.