Iranian Shishlik is delicious and healthy
Tourists who travel to Iran from around the world enjoy delicious Persian food. In fact, tasty Persian cuisine is among the tourist attractions of the county. Iranian kebob is one of the favorite dishes of foreign tourists.
Shishlik kebob ranks among superb dishes in Iran. It is prepared from lamb ribs. Before being skewered on a barbeque grill, it is marinated in onions, spices and different sorts of sauces that penetrate the meat and tenderize it.
Restaurants in the neighborhoods of Shandiz and Torghabeh, in the northeastern city of Mashhad in Khorasan Razavi Province, are famous for Shishlik dishes.
A tourism expert has told ISNA that in 2009, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts called for the registration of Shishlik on UNESCO’s Cultural Heritage List. Mohammad Rahimi Khosh explained why Shishlik is yummy.
“Those who have tasted this dish in Shandiz and Torghabeh believe that its taste and flavor cannot be found anywhere else. This is because of the ingredients used to prepare it. Even the charcoal affects the taste of Shishlik. The charcoal used for barbecuing Shishlik is from the wood of cherry and apricot trees. This causes that special smell and taste to be transferred from the charcoal to the kebob, and make it different from other dishes,” he said.
He added that Shishlik is among the tangible culture heritages of Shandiz and Torghabeh regions.
Rahimi Khosh said, unlike beef, mutton is one of the softest meats because sheep has high mobility.
He also touched upon the medical properties of lamb ribs.
“With regard to the medicinal and medical properties of lamb ribs, in Europe, which was the cradle of Aryan civilization, countries like France and Germany used lamb ribs as soup for children suffering from indigestion. People who have jaundice and weak immune systems use this food as an effective medicine as well.”
“As you know, the chest protects vital organs such as the heart, lungs, liver and, to some extent, the spleen. The body regularly cleans and strengthens the tissue surrounding these organs. Therefore, lam ribs are full of minerals, vitamins and fat that is useful for the body,” he concluded.