Sofreh: Persian Dishes for Gathering with Nader Mehravari

NOTE: iphone and ipad users, CLICK HERE to register for class.

What’s on the Menu:

• Beet Borani (Yogurt and Beet Starter)
• Salad-o-Olivieh (Chicken, Potato & Egg Salad)
• Masghati (Rose and Cardamom Sweets)

Join guest teacher, Persian culinary expert, food science nerd and experienced home cook Nader Mehravari for a class that embodies the spirit of a “sofreh,” a traditional gathering of people around a spread of Persian dishes. We can’t have a sofreh-inspired cooking class without a borani, which is a blanket term for recipes that combine vegetables with yogurt and spices. Our borani features beets, resulting in a vibrantly pink dish that asks to be served with lavash or other flatbreads. Then we’ll make salad-e-olivieh, a combined chicken, potato and egg salad with a tangled past and a name that has nothing to do with olives. Picnic-friendly and bursting with creamy potatoes, punchy pickles and good olive oil, salad-e-olivieh is a dish that lends itself to creative culinary artistry, so we’ll give you inspiration to decorate it to your liking. For dessert, we’re making masghati, which you can think of as a Persian parallel to Turkish lokum (Turkish Delight) that is softer and less sweet. As we make it, you’ll learn about the science of wheat starch and how it gelatinizes to achieve the perfect texture that characterizes a good batch of masghati. We’ll infuse ours with rosewater and cardamom, but it can also be made with saffron and an array of other spices. You’ll come away from this class with a rainbow of dishes that represent many hundreds of years of Persian culinary history.

About Nader: For over 40 years, Nader Mehravari has immersed himself in the practical culinary traditions of the people of Iran and the larger Persianate societies around the world, actively bringing those traditions to life in the kitchen while exploring their associated historical, cultural, and social dimensions. While mastering and recreating traditional Persian dishes in a typical modern western home kitchen, he has been carefully documenting the methods behind individual and categories of dishes. He is working towards an innovative Persian cookery book where accurate historical information and modern food science principles are applied for modern western home kitchens, makingthese dishes both accessible and authentic, while teaching the foundational techniques of Persian cookery.

Thank you to the 2025 Annual Sponsors of the Cooking School, who make our livestream events possible:

• Coccinella, whose Oleavia Extra-Virgin Olive Oils are made with olives that are harvested early, hand-picked and cold-pressed to ensure impeccable flavor. Use code MILK STREET to get 20% off your first order: https://www.coccinellastore.com/oleavia-evoo
• Copper, which makes battery-equipped induction ranges that power premium cooking experiences and store renewable energy — without the need for complex, expensive electrical upgrades. Learn more: t.ly/cU1pO
• Vermicular. With 80+ years of Japanese craftsmanship and heating innovation, they craft thoughtfully designed cast iron cookware that inspires chefs of all levels. Use code COOKLIGHT for 10% off their products at the Milk Street Store: t.ly/mu01T
• Work Sharp, which makes sharpening products that are fast, easy to use and work every time. Find their products on the Milk Street Store and use code SHARPSMART for 10% off: t.ly/SSsSz
• Wulf’s Fish and Savenor’s Market. Together, Wulf’s and Savenor’s provide premium seafood and gourmet meat to chefs and home cooks across the country. Use code MILKSTREET for 20% off orders from Wulf’s (t.ly/REVSO) and Savenor’s (t.ly/CRwjA).

If you have any questions about this class, please don't hesitate to get in touch via cookingschool@177milkstreet.com.

This event has limited spots and you must register in advance via Eventbrite in order to attend. One sign-up covers one device. Payments for Milk Street livestream events are non-refundable. If you find yourself unable to attend, you may transfer the ticket to someone else, but we are unable to refund fees and all payments are final.

Closed Captioning is available for all Milk Street virtual events.

Immediately after registering, you will get a confirmation email that contains the Zoom meeting log-in information. One week prior to the class (or within 48 hours, if you register less than one week in advance), you will receive instructions on how to prepare ingredients and equipment in order to cook along, if you choose.

After class, you will receive a recording of the event, as links to any additional recipes and resources that may come up. NOTE:The recording link is only available online for one month following each event. If you’d like to have access to the recording for longer than that, you'll need to save the recording locally by clicking on “download” on the top right corner of the recording page.

Proceeds from livestream cooking classes and workshops support Milk Street's non-profit work with The Big Sisters Association of Great Boston, The Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester, FoodCorps and other partners.

Bonus: All attendees of this class will receive a one-time 20% off coupon to the Milk Street Store after class.