What are the different types of Iranian appetizers?

Appetizers are small meals that are usually served before the main meals, and according to the occasion and event, and the amount of time it takes to prepare them, as well as the time of serving them, the classifications are different. The common appetizers in Iran are salads and soups, which are consumed in small quantities because if their quantities are large, people’s desire to eat the main meal will decrease.

You should know that appetizers are one of the most important parts of parties and dining tables and they should not be too enormous. Many people think that using an appetizer is to satisfy hunger, but on the contrary, this appetizer prepares the stomach for the next meal and sometimes increases the desire to eat. So the calorie of the appetizer should not be high. Also, you must consider the timing between serving the appetizer and the main dish and it should not be more than a quarter to half an hour.

As we said, the most common appetizers are salads and soups, but other small meals that are served before the main dish include French and Spanish omelets, as well as finger foods and small kebabs. Soups are usually served as appetizers, which have a lot of variety and, in addition, their nutritional value is high. Famous soups include milk soup, barley soup, mushroom soup, salmon soup, dal adas soup, celery and French onion soup.

Different types of Iranian appetizers

1.Modern appetizer

As mentioned, appetizers have a great variety, which is classified from simple to special types, and you can choose the best type of appetizer by using the raw materials you have and also the occasion you have ahead of you. Among the modern appetizers, we can mention a variety of salads, including Caesar salad, tabbouleh salad, lettuce salad with cheese, cauliflower and pomegranate salad, macaroni salad, etc. These salads are a very rich source of carbohydrates and protein and should be eaten in moderate amounts. So it is better to consider very small dishes for them.

Another modern appetizer is finger foods, which are actually small bites without the use of spoons and forks. Sometimes you can decorate a very simple piece of cheese with a very beautiful appearance and include it as a finger food in your appetizer list. Finger foods are usually available in different forms.

2.Appetizer for iftar

In the holy month of Ramadan, iftar tables are usually filled with high-calorie and varied foods, but in order to maintain your health, you should not eat heavy and high-calorie foods after a few hours of hunger. We suggest that you use simpler appetizers for iftar so that your stomach is prepared to accept different foods. Especially if you have an iftar party ahead of you, you can prepare a variety of appetizers for iftar, and we suggest a variety of soups. One of them is celery soup with chicken, which is served at formal parties and gatherings. To prepare it, you need chopped celery, chicken, chopped carrots, potatoes, onions, milk, cream, flour, salt and pepper.

3.Appetizer without oven

You don’t need to have an oven or a toaster to prepare an appetizer, and you can easily have a delicious appetizer without an oven and special tools.

For example, you can prepare a slice of toast or baguette and put some cheese, tomato, cucumber and some basil leaves in it and serve it as an appetizer. You can also prepare small bites with lavash bread and put cheese, walnuts and basil in it and serve it as a rolled food in the dish of your choice. Or cook the chicken and serve it with pieces of mushrooms and tomatoes on small skewers. Or take a small skewer and put some pickled cucumber, tomato, toast and sausage on it. You don’t need an oven to prepare any of these appetizers, and using the simplest ingredients, you can prepare very tasty appetizers and enjoy them with your guests.

4.Luxury appetizer

When it comes to luxury appetizers, you should not always go for rare and expensive items; You can prepare a luxury appetizer with simpler ingredients, but what is important is the decoration of the food and the way it is served. It is better to decorate the appetizers for your parties and luxurious gatherings in a way that has an impressive visual appeal.

5.Summer appetizer

Appetizers have different classifications, we have mentioned one of them so far, and that was the type of raw materials and the method of preparation of appetizers, which classified them from simple to special types. But if we want to consider the seasons, we can say that the appetizers are sometimes classified according to the different seasons that exist.

Some appetizers are more suitable for a certain season and are prepared more often. For example, to prepare a summer appetizer, you can make Ab Doogh Khiar, which is one of the most delicious and nutritious appetizers. Of course, some people prefer to eat this food as the main meal. But they usually use it as a summer appetizer. Because it is a cool food and quenches your thirst on hot summer days.

6.Traditional Iranian appetizer

Even though the use of appetizers is not very common in Iranian culture, Iranians have been preparing traditional Iranian appetizers for some occasions since ancient times in order to have a more colorful table. One of these traditional Iranian appetizers is an omelet, which some people even serve as the main meal.