Khorasan-e Shomali and Kashk-e Badamjan

The hills are alive in North Khorasan Province.  Maybe not with music, but definitely with breathtaking beauty.

Bojnurd, capital of North Khorasan Province, Iran

Bojnurd – the capital city of the province – is neatly tucked away beneath the stunning foothills of the easternmost extremity of the Alborz mountain range.  A small city, it is striking not only for the surrounding scenery, but also for its crisp mountain air.  This is a rare treat for Tehran-dwellers like us.  It was also great to see the stars again.

Yet, drive southwards from Bojnurd, over the mountain passes and you will reach what some consider the jewel in Khorasan’s crown – the historic town of Esfarayen. This small town, surrounded – at this time of year – by snow-crusted fields whispering of the springtime with its promises of saffron and pistachio – has a lot to tell its visitors.

Esfarayen is known as the place where the Quran was first translated from Arabic into Persian. Marco Polo is said to have rested here on his travels to the orient.  The town is also famous for its outdoor wrestling tournaments called Koshte Bachokheh. But since we were there in the middle of winter, outdoor wrestling was not to be seen.

Main entrance to Arq-e Belghis, Esfarayen

The ancient history of this beautiful town, overlooked by the majestic Shah Jahan Mountain to the east, is perhaps best ingested by visiting its ancient citadel – the Arq-e Belghis.

Built around 1,500 years ago to house the nobility of Esfarayen, the Arq-e Belghis still cuts an imposing figure despite being in ruins. The citadel covers 5 hectares and, in its heyday at least, had 4 main entrances and 29 watch towers connected by an extensive defensive parapet.  On the perimeter outside, you can still see the ditch that was once the moat designed to protect this atmospheric fort.

But, despite all the security, the citadel did receive its fair share of invaders.  At the beginning of the 1200s, Genghis Khan’s armies invaded and in typical fashion, trashed the place.  And many other places nearby.

The inhabitants left but did return to rebuild, and were invaded again during the period of Timurlane and later during the early Safavid era.

Rear wall of Arq-e Belghis Citadel with Shah Jahan Mountain in distance

Eventually, it seems that the inhabitants lost heart and probably decided that it was time to move on and that was the last time the citadel was lived in.  Today, conservationists are working diligently to preserve this rich cultural heritage for future generations.  If you are ever in the area, don’t miss it!

And the food of Bojnurd, you ask? Well the food was as fresh and as fabulous as ever. We had a taste of everything on offer from kebabs, dizi to freshly grilled trout. But the one dish I was quite taken with was kashk-e badamjan. Iranians love aubergine or eggplant (badamjan) and I never cease to be amazed at what they can do with such a simple vegetable. Kashk-e badamjan is an eggplant dip, usually served warm, drizzled with kashk.

Kashk is typically Iranian and I have never seen it anywhere else.  It is yoghurt whey, which is very creamy and is usually added to dips and soups.

So if you do make it to North Khorasan, don’t miss out on the mountains and the citadels and of course the exquisite kashk-e badamjan.

  

Kashk-e badamjan

Kashk-e badamjan

What you need:

2 large aubergines (eggplant), peeled and chopped into chunks

2 tablespoons of salt

¼ cup of water

3 or 4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup kashk (substitute natural Greek yogurt or sour cream if you can’t get kashk)

4 tablespoons of olive oil

Large pinch of turmeric
A pinch of saffron (if you like it)

What to do:

Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C.

To reduce the bitterness of the eggplant you have two options:

You can sprinkle the eggplant with the salt and leave in a colander for about 30 minutes to one hour. Then wash off the eggplant and drain on kitchen paper or, alternatively, soak the chopped eggplant in a bowl with the salt and a ¼ cup of water for an hour. Then drain and dry the eggplant.

Jar of Iranian Kashk

Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and cover with the 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, making sure you smother all the eggplant. Bake for about 40 minutes until soft.

Fry the onion, turmeric, saffron and garlic in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft.

When the eggplant is ready, take it out of the oven and put it in a bowl.  Mash it well and add in the fried garlic and onion and mix it all well.  Add the pepper. Put it back in the oven for a little while until it is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and put it in a serving dish and swirl with the kashk or the yogurt. You can sprinkle mint or walnuts on top if that takes your fancy.  Serve with flat bread or crackers.