Both Greek and Persian cuisine have Mediterranean roots, but they have grown into their own unique cuisines over time. The flavors are vastly different, but what exactly sets them apart…
One might say that dishes from Greece are more grounded in tradition, while Persian cuisine is the perfect blend of old and new. Let’s take a closer look at these two classic Eastern Mediterranean countries to see what makes each cuisine so special.
Greek Food
Greek cuisine is rooted in tradition and mostly consists of meat and vegetables. A popular dish is Gyros, which is a traditional Greek pita sandwich with grilled slices of rotisserie lamb or beef, topped with tomato sauce, onion, and tzatziki sauce.
They also have many vegetarian options like spanakopita. Spanakopita is made up of layers of crispy phyllo sheets filled with spinach and feta cheese.
Persian Food
Persian cuisine has Persian roots, which is reflected in the dishes. The food is heavily influenced by Arabic cuisine, and their ingredients are often expensive and exotic.
The food from this country features rich flavor profiles from a variety of spices including cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and more. In fact, they have been using this blend of spices for centuries to add a unique flavor to their dishes.
Iran’s climate allows them to grow many different types of vegetables that may not be available in other parts of the world. This means that they can use vegetables like eggplant in a variety of ways to add flavor and texture to dishes. Sweet flavors are also a key characteristic in Persian cuisine due to the prevalence of honey and fruits such as pomegranate or apricot being used in many dishes.
Greek food is vastly different from Persian food due to the lack of seasoning in most Greek recipes. Instead, Greeks tend to rely on lemon juice for acidity and earthy flavors from root vegetables like carrots or cabbage for most dishes. Dishes from Greece might not have as many ingredients compared with those from Persia because they have a minimalistic approach when it comes to cooking with only a few ingredients at most times.
Conclusion
Greek food is often considered to be some of the best in the world. Known for their fresh ingredients, flavorful spices, and light, healthy dishes, it’s no wonder that Greeks are considered to be some of the happiest people on the planet. They also have a reputation for being the most hospitable people, which is probably why their country is home to some of the best hospitality schools in the world.
Persian food is also known for its fresh ingredients, flavorful spices, and light, healthy dishes. This cuisine has its roots in the Mediterranean region with strong influences from Central Asia. Persian cuisine is most often associated with its extensive use of various herbs either in whole or ground form, which are used to impart flavors and aromas to dishes.
Greek food might be considered better because they use lighter ingredients which are healthier for you. Persian food might be considered better because they use more spices which gives it a stronger flavor.