local dishes of the Persian Gulf; Magical flavors and aromas

The islands of the Persian Gulf, with their pristine nature, rich history and unique culture, have hidden a treasure of unique flavors and aromas in their local cuisine. In every corner of these islands, culinary traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation are a reflection of people’s interaction with the sea, fishing and the use of special regional spices.

The local dishes of the Persian Gulf islands are not only considered a meal, but also tell stories of the history, geography and way of life of the people of this region. From the spicy taste of Margok stewed fish to the pleasant aroma of Mozrubeh, every bite of these dishes will take you on a journey through the culture and history of these regions. Here, we explore some of the most famous local dishes of the Persian Gulf Islands and discover the secret behind their unique taste.

Let’s learn more about the types of local dishes of the Persian Gulf:

Momagh meatballs; A taste of the heart of Qeshm and Hormuz islands

“Kofte Momagh” is one of the common local dishes between Qeshm and Hormuz. The name of this dish is derived from the name of “momg fish” or “sardine” and it is actually suitable for people who enjoy eating fish; But they escaped from its blades. Its main ingredients include cooked and minced fish, potatoes, eggs, aromatic herbs such as coriander, dill and fenugreek, and spices. The combination of these ingredients with the skill of local women gives this dish a unique and pleasant taste.

_{Photo source: blog.okala.com. Photographer: Unknown}

This food is usually made in the form of coco or cutlet. First, you have to boil the Momagh fish and after removing the blades, put the meat together with vegetables and boiled potatoes in the meat grinder. After this, add eggs and spices such as salt, pepper and turmeric to the ground ingredients and knead well. Finally, make the mixed ingredients into small balls, similar to meatballs, and fry them in a pan with oil.

clues; The local seasoning of Hormuz Island with a thousand-year origin

“Suragh” is one of the local and original sauces of Hormoz Island, which is prepared from natural ingredients of the region such as Hormoz red soil (Golak), Hormoz Valley salt, Momagh fish and dried orange peel. The method of preparing Suragh includes washing and cleaning the Momagh fish, mixing it with water and salt, and adding red soil and orange peel, which gives this sauce a unique taste and pleasant aroma. In addition to being used as a seasoning in local dishes, Suragh is sometimes used with fresh bread and oil or as a stew, and the people of the region believe that its consumption helps to strengthen the body and supply iron.

_{Photo source: aljazeera.net; Photographer: Unknown}

In addition to being used as a main flavoring, this traditional and diverse seasoning is also used in the preparation of various dishes. For example, by adding Suragh to fried mushrooms or combining it with meat and chicken for barbecue, it gives a deep and delicious flavor to the food. Also, suragh can be used in combination with yogurt, salads and even rice while cooking and gives a unique color and taste to food. You can enjoy this seasoning more often in eco-tourist accommodations.

conversation The pleasant taste of the sea on the tables of the Persian Gulf islands

“Havari fish” or “Havari pilu” is one of the traditional and popular dishes among the Persian Gulf islands, and every bite of it brings a unique experience of authentic local flavors. This dish is a type of pilaf that is cooked with fish, aromatic vegetables and local spices and has a special place in the food culture of this region due to its delicious taste and high nutritional value.

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The main ingredients of Hawari include rice, fish with large blades or fish with few blades such as Hoover fish, aromatic vegetables such as coriander and dill, and spices such as turmeric, pepper and cinnamon. First, cut the fish into four-centimeter pieces, fry it with onions and spices, and then boil it with vegetables and rice. In some versions, Indian stamp or Omani lemon is used to make the food taste sour. Hawari is one of the restaurant dishes that you must try.

Zibon; The delicious food of Qeshm Island

“Zibun” is one of the traditional and popular dishes of Qeshm, which is somehow considered among Techins. To prepare this delicious dish, you need fish, rice and “Tamoshi bread” (one of Qeshm’s special breads). This dish, with its combination of fried fish, potato, tomato and roasted onion, attracts every tourist.

_{Photo source: topcooking.ir website; Photographer: Unknown}

To prepare ziboon, first clean and cut the fish into pieces, and after seasoning with salt, pepper and turmeric, fry in oil. After that, cut the potatoes into slices and fry them, and in the next step, fry the sliced ​​onions until they turn a little golden. Then add Omani lemon and grated tomatoes to them. In the last step, drain the rice and put it in a pot with a pan of Tamoshi bread. Then put the prepared ingredients, including fish and fried potatoes, on the rice and add the rest of the rice and let it brew.

Katog; Local food of Qeshm Island

“Katogh” is a delicious southern stew, especially in Qeshm Island. This dish is prepared with salted fish and has a special and different taste. To prepare katugh, you must first take extra salt from the fish and prepare it. Then add aromatic spices, local herbs, tomatoes and onions to the water and cook the mixture on low heat until the flavors blend well.

_{Photo source: badilfood Instagram page, photographer: unknown}

To create the sour and pleasant taste of katugh, use Indian stamp to give the stew a fragrant and mellow state. This traditional food is considered one of the popular and popular dishes of southern Iran due to the use of simple raw materials and its unique taste. Katugh is usually served with bread or rice and is a hearty and delicious dish for seafood lovers.

Disho rice; Qeshm local food with date flavor

Disho rice is one of the simplest and most delicious local dishes of Qeshm, which has a unique taste. This dish is prepared from a combination of rice and date juice and gives it a sweet and special taste. Date juice, which is known as “Disho” in the south of the country, in addition to flavoring, helps in better digestion of food, and especially after eating fish, it removes the coldness of it. For this reason, Disho rice is very nutritious in terms of nutrition.

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To prepare disho rice, you have to cook the rice with date juice and southern spices to give it a sweet and pleasant taste. This dish is usually served with “Mahi Talal”; Of course, the fish should be seasoned separately with lemon juice, spices and salt and then fried in oil.

shark mint; Traditional food of Qeshm and Kish islands

“Pudini Kose” is one of the other local dishes of coastal areas such as Qeshm and Kish. This dish has a special and unique taste due to the use of “shark fish” or “fish dish”. Pudini Kose is generally a fish dish cooked with local spices, aromatic herbs, tomatoes and onions. This dish is served with rice or local breads and it is known as a nutritious and popular food in southern tables.

_{Photo source: Darya Sharq site, photographer: unknown}

To prepare shark pudding, first cut the shark into small pieces and season it with salt, pepper, turmeric and other spices and boil it. After the shark meat is fully cooked, you need to shave it. Then fry onions and tomatoes in hot oil until they soften a little. After that, add the shark fish to the ingredients and cook on low heat until the flavors blend well. Some recipes add local herbs such as coriander and fenugreek to this dish.

Columba; The nutritious food of Qeshm Island

“Kolamba” is one of the traditional and hearty dishes of Qeshm Island, which is prepared with a combination of wheat, fish and aromatic vegetables, and it shows the creativity and culinary art of the people of this region in using simple and local ingredients to create a unique taste. To prepare this delicious dish, you need to put wheat seeds in boiling water and cook slowly until a thick and aromatic broth is obtained. Meanwhile, boil the fish with salt water and turmeric until the meat is soft and the bones are easy to separate. This process not only highlights the taste of the fish, but also gives a pleasant aroma to the food.

_{Photo source: hesetazegi.ir website; Photographer: Unknown}

Add the fish meat to the simmering wheat, along with chopped greens such as cilantro and dill, so that the flavors blend well together. The result of this combination is a thick and tasty food that is rich in nutrients and energy due to the use of wheat and fish.

Hamsa Alkhart; A dish made from the shells of Kish Island

“Hamse Alkhart” is one of the local dishes of Kish that you cannot find in any of the southern islands. This dish is prepared with “pearl oyster meat” which is separated from the oyster after harvesting the precious parts. After removing the edible part of the oyster, the local fishermen cook it with hot onions and a variety of tasty spices to obtain a delicious and different dish called Hamsa Alkhart.

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Hamsa al-khart is usually served with rice or bread in the best restaurants of Kish. Not to mention, by fully cooking this food, the concern about the transmission of diseases related to oysters is reduced; But if you have a sensitive stomach, it is recommended not to eat it at night. In the best Kish restaurants, this dish is served with rice or bread.

Margok Stew; Kish local food

“Margok Stew” is the best excuse to stay away from seafood in the south of the country; Of course, the spiciness of this stew is no less than Arabic food. This dish, which has its roots in the Qajar era, was first prepared in the northwestern aristocratic families of Kish, and today it has become one of the most popular dishes of the island. Margog is prepared from a combination of beans, mutton, potatoes, vegetables such as onions, garlic and leeks along with tasty spices. These ingredients are finally cooked with bean juice to get a pleasant and rich taste.

To prepare Margog stew, you must first mix cooked beans, grated potatoes and chopped vegetables with lamb meat and spices and cook well until the so-called stew fits. This dish is usually served with lavash bread and can be decorated with fresh vegetables such as leeks and parsley.

dried reflection; Qeshm special food

“Ankas” is the same as “squid” which is very popular among the people of the south and especially Qeshm Island due to its delicious taste. This special dish is prepared from dried ankas meat, which is first dried in pieces in the summer and dried in the sun for 10 days. This food is usually served in two ways: grilled and eaten. In the grilling method, dried meat should be grilled and after pounding, bring it to the table along with lemon and date palm. To experience the true taste of this dish, it is better to eat it with lemon and dates.

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To prepare the ankas feed, you must first clean the ankas and cut them into small cubes. Then put them in water with dates and boil for 20 to 30 minutes until they become soft and colorful. Fry chopped onions in oil until golden and then add boiled onion, turmeric, tomato paste, salt, pepper and spices to it and mix well. After adding a cup of water and boiling the ingredients, reduce the flame and let the food cook for 15 minutes until all the flavors are combined.

grilled fish; Authentic food of Kish Island

“Grilled fish” of Kish is one of the traditional and popular dishes of Kish Island, which has many fans among Arabic-speaking people. This dish is made from cod fish, and to cook it, you must first clean the fish and rub it with salt and black pepper with cuts on both sides. Then grill the fish on the fire in the traditional way to get an original and pleasant taste.

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Keep in mind that Samak Mashowi has a very spicy taste, and in order to get an authentic taste, you should cook it with freshly caught fish. This dish is usually served with lavash bread, fresh vegetables and lemon sauce, and it is offered as a popular dish in many restaurants on the island.

Demi Lakh Lakh fish; Traditional food of Khark Island

“Demi Lakh Lakh Fish” is not only an everyday food, but also a symbol of the simple lifestyle and connection of the people of Khark Island with the sea, and has Arabic roots. Also, the nutritious properties of fish and its combination with rice have made this dish especially popular among the residents and visitors of the island.

_{Photo source: photo.nagsh.ir site. Photographer: Unknown}

Demi Lakh Lakh Mahi is cooked using fresh fish such as “grouper”, “sangsar”, “sabiti” and fresh “sarkho”, rice, local spices, Indian stamp dissolved in water and aromatic herbs and has a special and pleasant taste. “Lakh Lakh” means “good smell” and in its preparation, you have to cook the sliced ​​fish with two glasses of water after flavoring. Cook the pre-soaked rice in the pot with the prepared ingredients and water, when the rice water is drained, arrange the fish on the rice and leave the pot to simmer.

slowness Local food of Kish Island

“Kele Kandi” is one of the local and traditional dishes of Kish Island, which is usually prepared using “golden sided sardine” or “Umeh fish”. To prepare this delicious dish, first clean the fish, cut it and put it in salt water for a few hours to remove the blood and the fishy smell. Then fry the fish in oil. Next to it, onions are slowly roasted to create a pleasant aroma.

After cooking the slow cooker, add the crushed tomatoes and bell peppers to the fish and onion mixture and fry together until a uniform and colorful mixture is obtained. In the last step, add the egg to the mixture and stir slowly until it reaches the right consistency. Kale Kandi has a distinctive and authentic taste, it is often served with local kish bread or white rice and brings a pure experience of the native cuisine of this island.

fish roe; A common food among the islands of the Persian Gulf

Fish roe is one of the original and popular dishes of the southern islands of Iran, which is prepared with a combination of fresh fish, aromatic vegetables and spicy and fragrant spices. This delicious stew, which is usually served with rice, has a sour and spicy taste, and its aroma is a symbol of the traditional cooking of southern regions. The main ingredients of fish roe include fish (grouper or lionfish), local herbs such as coriander and fenugreek, Indian stamp and spices such as turmeric, pepper and garlic. The unique taste of this dish is the result of the special harmony between the sourness of the Indian stamp and the spiciness of the spices, which is well combined with fresh fish.

_{Photo source: rastinshandiz.ir website; Photographer: Unknown}

Fish roe is very valuable in terms of food, and to prepare it, you must first divide the fresh fish into appropriate pieces and season it with a little salt and turmeric. Then fry the fish slowly until the skin turns a little golden. In the next step, fry aromatic vegetables including chopped cilantro and fenugreek along with aromatic spices in oil to release their aroma. Next, smooth and add the Indian stamp soaked in water to the stew to get the sour and special taste of roe. After boiling the ingredients, add the fried fish to the stew and let it cook with a gentle heat and the flavors will be completely combined.

Mohamar Sweet food from Kish Island

“Mohammar” is one of the traditional dishes of Kish Island and it is considered a unique choice for lovers of sweet flavors. In the preparation of this dish, rice is cooked with a significant amount of sugar, and for this reason, it has a sweet taste, an orange-like color, and a soft texture. This special cooking method makes rice a pleasant food and is different from other local dishes.

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Mohamar is usually served with fresh fish to create a pleasant balance between the sweetness of the rice and the salty taste of the fish. This food is a symbol of the taste and food culture of the people of southern Iran and it is served as a special food in ceremonies and parties.

Multiple; A symphony of flavors in Kish Island

“Marrouba” is one of the traditional dishes of Kish Island, which has many fans because of the delicious combination of fish, garlic and aromatic vegetables. This dish is prepared using fresh southern fish such as “Sabur”, “Sangsar”, “Ras” and “Grouper” and has a different and tempting flavor. The combination of garlic and aromatic herbs, such as coriander, fenugreek, dill and parsley, along with the special taste of fish, has made this dish a popular choice for lovers of special and local flavors.

_{Photo source: worldtravels.ir; Photographer: Unknown}

Mozrouba can be cooked in different ways. In the traditional method, after cleaning and removing the blades, put the fish in a pot with vegetables and garlic and cook it with water. Then, add some southern spices and let the food settle. Mazrouba can be eaten with lavash bread, local Khalifa bread or rice in the best restaurants.

shrimp bipaze; Common seafood among the islands of the Persian Gulf

“Dupiyazeh Migo” is one of the delicious and common dishes among the Persian Gulf islands, which has a special place among seafood due to its spicy taste and pleasant aroma. The basic ingredients of this dish include fresh shrimp, plenty of onions, tomato paste, garlic and southern spices such as turmeric, red and black pepper. Sometimes lime or lemon juice is used for more flavor and it is usually served with rice or bread.

To prepare two onions of shrimp, first slice the onions and fry them in oil until they are completely golden and soft. Then add the chopped garlic and spices to the onion and fry until the aroma of the spices is released. After adding the tomato paste, mix the ingredients until a uniform mixture is created. At this stage, add the cleaned shrimps to the ingredients and fry slowly until the shrimps cook and absorb the flavor of the ingredients. At the end, add some water or lemon juice until the food reaches the desired consistency.

_{Photo source: blog.okcs.com. Photographer: Unknown}

Have you ever tasted the food of the Persian Gulf islands? Which do you think is the most delicious? We are happy to share your opinion with other Kojaro audience.

_{Source of the cover photo: Irena Zehdi. Photographer: Unknown}