Dizy (Abgoosht), the most popular Iranian traditional food around the world

[Amin_Mostafavi]

Dizi in the stone pot

The Dizi, or Dizi Sangi (Dizi in the stone pot) or Abgoosht (Ab means water and Goosht means meat), is one of the most popular of our favorite foods in Iran, a food that brings all family members together. In some places, they call it Piti too. Dizi is one of the foods that had to be eaten on Friday (weekend in Iran) or on holidays. And then sat down side by side and drink a cup of tea. Dizi is cooked and served in different containers. However, that Dizi which is cooked in the stone pot has a special taste. Now, I prepared the following story about Dizi - which is a native of Iran's local cuisine- and even tell you how to cook it.

 Dizi, even among foreign tourists who come to Iran, has become one of the most attractive traditional foods in Iran to learn certain traditions of eating Abgoosht.

 

What is Dizi Sangi?

Dizi (Abgoosht) is a watery food that is made of meat and tail fat, onions, potatoes, and legumes. In many restaurants, especially on holidays, you can see a lot of customers waiting to bring them Dizi. If you go to Mashhad and its recreation areas like Shandiz or ،Torghabeh, Dizi is brought you in the Harkareh pots. In some restaurants for cooking Dizi, they use pottery vessels or sometimes aluminum containers. However, it is said that the most delicious of them are found among stone pots. 

Recipe of preparation

Ābgoosht is usually made with lamb, chickpeas, white beans, onion, potatoes, tomatoes, turmeric, and dried lime. Other variations exist in the beans used, such as kidney beans and black-eyed peas. The ingredients are combined together and cooked until done, at which point the dish is strained. The solids are mashed as Gusht Kubideh (Persian: گوشت کوبیده‎, literally "mashed meat") and served with the broth, but in a separate dish, along with flatbread. It is a form of Piti, which encompasses many similar dishes in the region.

How to Serve Dizi

This traditional Persian dish has to be served hot, otherwise, you spoil its taste. The other point is that you should serve the broth and the paste in separate dishes – the broth in a bowl with crumbled tarragon leaves sprinkled on the top, and the paste on a plate garnished with fresh mint leaves.

An interesting part of serving this food for guests is to let them mash the ingredients themselves, and it’s what happens in almost all traditional restaurants in Iran. While serving Dizi, the waiters offer guests meat smashers to crush the ingredients if they like to have it in the form of a paste. This is only an offer because some people prefer it unmashed.

You should have the broth first in your preferred way. To get started, tear a sheet of bread into small pieces and soak them in the broth. Then use a spoon to stir it a bit and eat this delectable mixture. What you make with your broth is called Terid in Persian. Afterward, go for the paste. Spoon a small amount onto a piece of bread and put it in your mouth. Bon appetite!

The Kind of bread commonly preferred with Dizi is Sangak, an Iranian traditional bread. Iranians serve table vegetables, sliced raw onion, yogurt, and various kinds of pickles alongside this traditional Persian dish. And to drink, Doogh (Iranian yogurt drink) is the best and most common option.

Table vegetables are the best side dish you can have with this food because they help it get easily digested. You can season table vegetables and sliced onions with a little bit of lime juice and salt. 

If you decide to visit Iran, Never forget to taste a delicious Dizi (Abgoosht) in a traditional restaurant. Here, is the location of some famous traditional restaurants which serve Dizi in Tehran:

https://goo.gl/maps/XBXvnaqyCm9xXyL87

I hope you eat or cook this nutritious Persian food and enjoy its unforgettable taste.