At an age when most are still in school, Mohammad Hosseini had already started working as the part-time help in a kitchen. It was there that the young man discovered an interest in cooking and set his heart on becoming a great chef.

The current executive chef of Shiraz Authentic Persian Cuisine, who turns 30 this year, was working at Dubai’s Intercontinental Hotel when he was offered a job by the restaurant in Singapore.

So the young chef, who hails from the Zanjan province in northwest Iran, in an area known as Iranian Azerbaijan, moved here.

Although he is experienced in Western, Arabic and Italian cooking, chef Mohammad specialises in Persian cuisine in which ingredients like parsley, cinnamon, saffron, dried limes, prunes, raisins and pomegranates are frequently used.

Chef Mohammad, who has been in Singapore for five years now, has even created a Persian version of yusheng, a staple of Chinese New Year feasting in Singapore, by including pomegranate, which symbolises happiness in his culture.

Through the many dishes he whips up in the kitchen, he hopes to share his cooking skills as well as the Persian culture with as many people as possible.

Says the chef, who gives private cooking lessons and conducted culinary workshops organised by the People’s Association in 2010, “I take my teaching seriously and would love to continue sharing the essence of Persian cooking with everyone. It’s such a wonderful experience!”

1. 1 kg boneless chicken thighs
2. 200g Greek yogurt
3. 2 yellow onions, sliced
4. 1 tsp crushed black pepper
5. ½ tsp white pepper powder
6. 1 tsp salt
7. ¾ cup olive oil
8. A little butter, melted
9. Skewers for barbecuing the chicken

Method:

1. Mix onion slices, black and white pepper together thoroughly by ‘squeezing’ the mixture in your hand.
2. Coat the chicken thighs with the yogurt.
3. Add the onion pepper mixture.
4. Add the olive oil and mix thoroughly.
5. Skewer the chicken thighs and cook over a hot grill.
6. When cooked, take them off the skewers. Dip the chicken in the melted butter, and serve with rice.

1. 750g stewing lamb or beef, cut into small pieces
2. 250g split peas
3. 3 onions, finely sliced
4. 500g potatoes, cut into small pieces
5. ½ cup cooking oil
6. 3 tsps tomato paste
7. 3 dried limes, crushed, or freshly-squeezed lime juice
8. 1 tsp mixture of turmeric and paprika
9. 1 tsp black pepper
10. 3 cups water
11. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak split peas in warm water for 2-3 hours, then drain
2. Fry onion in oil until golden
3. Add meat pieces and fry together with the onion until meat colour changes
4. Add water and bring to the boil
5. Turn heat down, and simmer for 1 ½ hours or until meat is almost cooked. Add more water if needed
6. Add potatoes, split peas, salt, pepper, turmeric and paprika mixture, and tomato paste and continue simmering until meat is cooked. Add the dried limes now if they are being used. Add more water if needed
7. If lime juice is used, add it about four minutes before you turn the flame off
8. Adjust seasoning according to taste, and serve the stew with white rice

Shiraz Authentic Persian Cuisine
Blk 3A Clarke Quay
#01-06 River Valley Road

* This article was written by Elaine Ng and first published in Singapore Magazine (Apr-Jun 2011 issue). Recipes by Mohammad Hosseini.