From our family to your table

I grew up in the kitchen with my mom watching, tasting, and learning by osmosis. Years later, I truly began to develop my own cooking voice in two distinct periods.

Phase One: Cooking for and with Josh

When I met my now-husband Josh, cooking quickly became one of the ways we showed love to each other. I even asked him on our first date if he liked to cook! We experimented in the kitchen, took joy in making meals together, and built so many early memories around food. In San Francisco, time and space were limited most nights. We got home late and relied on takeout or meals we had prepared, but we still carved out moments to cook something special. On our third date we attempted to cook a Thai curry together. Though it was our first time in the kitchen together we seamlessly danced around each other as we chopped, sautéed, and crafted the most delicious curry. As we sat down to enjoy our first meal we cooked I remember thinking I could get used to doing this together.

A few years later we moved to San Diego and suddenly had not only space but land to plant and grow anything we wanted, everything shifted. We planted over 30 fruit trees, bought a deep freezer, and stocked our kitchen so we could always cook with abundance. Cooking became not only an act of love between us, but the rhythm of our daily life.

Phase Two: Returning to my roots with my mom and The Vegan Persian Kitchen

The second phase of my cooking journey began with this very cookbook. Persian food was always at the center of my childhood table, and I deeply missed it when I moved away. Working on this book gave me the chance to revisit those flavors, recreate family recipes, and sit alongside my mom again this time not just as her helper, but as her partner in the kitchen.

I learned how to cook dishes I never attempted before, like ash reshte, a time-intensive, herb-filled noodle soup. Soon I was making it over and over, tweaking until it tasted just right. Josh never tired of the experiments and happily ate every bite. With each recipe, I felt closer both to my roots and to the act of cooking as a craft.

My mom and I would spend many hours (sometimes 12 hours or more in one day) which turned into days, weeks, and months in the kitchen cooking non-stop. We tested each recipe over a dozen times, perfecting it just a little bit more as a result. It was exhausting but also so incredibly satisfying to craft the most delicious Persian dish and share it with our family and friends.

We agreed that we wanted everyone to have and share our recipes. We believe recipes are meant to be shared, cooked, and enjoyed over and over again. Nothing would make me happier than knowing our recipes are being made in other kitchens and passed along. Food is meant to be shared, and mealtime has a way of bringing people together in the most special way.

Cooking Persian food might feel intimidating at first. It often involves many steps and layers. But anyone can do it. The key is to break the process into parts instead of trying to tackle everything at once. Approached this way, what once seemed overwhelming becomes manageable and even fun, and each step brings you closer to a dish that feels truly special.

We cook with the seasons, harvest from our land, and pass down recipes that feel both timeless and alive. Some of my most cherished memories are sitting in the orchard at sunset, surrounded by family and friends, sharing meals that connect us to tradition and to each other. My hope is that the recipes in this book bring that same warmth to your table and that you pass them on to those you love.