Tamarind greens and mung beans with turmeric oil
‘This recipe, which I know by heart, is humble and effortlessly unglamorous,' exlains chef Noor. 'When I told Bahera, a lady well-versed in the art of Persian cooking, that I’d bring her dish to life at the test kitchen, she laughed, and rolled her eyes. Bahera’s family moved from Iran to Kuwait before she ended up in Bahrain with her family; I knew her daughter before I could really form sentences. You’ll mostly find Bahera in the kitchen, in a flurry of aubergines and potatoes, saffron and rice, but the highlight for me was always her tamarind greens and mung beans. The dish is sour from the tamarind, earthy from the chard and hearty from the mung bean. The surprise is the curry powder, not a taste typical with Southern Iran but as is the case with the food of immigrants, a beautiful amalgamation of multiple cultures.’
Recipe by Noor Murad
Serves: 4