When the first crocuses bloom in Vienna, millions of people from Tehran to Kabul and from Baku to Dushanbe begin a new year: Nowruz, the Persian New Year, falls on the first day of spring, around 20 or 21 March. It is a festival of renewal, of family visits – and of eating. Nowruz food is never random: almost every dish and every ingredient on the festive table carries a meaning. Here is what is served for the Persian New Year, and why.
What is Nowruz? The Persian New Year in brief#
"Nowruz" means "new day" in Persian. The festival is several thousand years old, older than most of the religions practised in the region today. It is celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, the Caucasus and by Kurds in many countries. UNESCO added Nowruz to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009, and in 2016 the inscription was extended to twelve countries (UNESCO decision). The United Nations also marks 21 March as the International Day of Nowruz.
The new year begins at the exact moment of the equinox – in Iran, the seconds are counted down on television. Before that comes a thorough spring clean ("khaneh tekani", "shaking the house"); afterwards, people spend two weeks visiting relatives and friends. And everywhere, there is food.
Haft Sin: the New Year table of seven "S"#
Before any Nowruz food is served, almost every Iranian home sets up the Haft Sin: a festive table with seven items whose Persian names begin with the letter "S" (sin). Each stands for a wish for the new year:
- Sabzeh – sprouted lentils or wheat, a symbol of rebirth and growth
- Samanu – a sweet pudding made from sprouted wheat, for strength and abundance
- Senjed – dried oleaster fruit, for love
- Seer – garlic, for health
- Sib – apples, for beauty
- Somagh – sumac, the colour of sunrise
- Serkeh – vinegar, for patience and old age
Often there is also a mirror, candles, painted eggs, a goldfish in a bowl, coins and a book of poems by Hafez. Little is eaten from the Haft Sin itself – it is more a still life full of hope.
The essential Nowruz food: sabzi polo ba mahi#
On New Year's Day many families serve a dish as closely tied to Nowruz as turkey is to Thanksgiving: sabzi polo ba mahi, herb rice with fish. The rice is steamed with large amounts of fresh herbs – parsley, coriander, dill and chives or garlic greens – which give it its spring-green colour. The green stands for nature awakening, the fish for abundance and good fortune.
On the Caspian coast in northern Iran it is often smoked or fried whitefish; elsewhere, whatever fish is available. If you would like to cook it at home, try our recipe for sabzi polo with grilled trout – trout is a variation that is easy to find in Austria.
Reshteh polo and kuku sabzi#
On the eve of the new year, reshteh polo – rice with toasted noodles – is traditionally served. The noodles symbolise taking the threads of one's life into one's own hands. Also popular is kuku sabzi, a thick herb omelette eaten warm or cold. You can read more about kuku sabzi and other meat-free dishes in our article on vegetarian Persian food.
Chaharshanbe Suri and Sizdah Bedar: the festivals around Nowruz#
The Persian New Year is framed by other customs. On the evening before the last Wednesday of the old year, people celebrate Chaharshanbe Suri: they jump over small fires and call out "my paleness to you, your redness to me" – the fire is meant to take away illness and sorrow and give warmth. With it comes a special mix of nuts, seeds and dried fruit called ajil.
The holidays end with Sizdah Bedar on the thirteenth day of the new year. Because thirteen is considered unlucky, the day is spent outdoors: whole families head to parks and the countryside with blankets, samovars and pots. The picnic includes ash reshteh, a thick soup with noodles, herbs and pulses. Crisp lettuce leaves dipped in sekanjabin, a syrup of vinegar, sugar and mint, are popular too. At the end, the sabzeh from the Haft Sin is thrown into running water – taking the year's bad luck with it.
Sweets for the Persian New Year#
Every Nowruz visit comes with tea and pastries. Typical are small chickpea-flour cookies (nan-e nokhodchi), delicate rice-flour cookies (nan-e berenji) with rosewater, and Persian baklava with pistachios and cardamom. For an overview, see our article on Persian sweets. Hospitality is a must during these days: every guest is offered something, usually small bowls of treats reminiscent of the mezze culture of the Middle East.
Nowruz food today: a festival that connects#
Whether in Iran or in the diaspora in Vienna, Berlin or Los Angeles, Nowruz food is for many families the strongest link to their roots. The grandmother passing on her recipe for sabzi polo ba mahi, the scent of dill and saffron in the kitchen, the doorbell ringing as relatives arrive: that is what the festival is about. And because Nowruz celebrates spring, it is a festival for anyone who wants a fresh start after winter.
A pleasant side effect: many Persian New Year dishes are light, herb-driven and colourful – exactly what you crave after months of hearty winter food. If you welcomed winter with Yalda Night, you can welcome spring with Nowruz.
Conclusion: enjoy Nowruz food at SANTOOR#
Nowruz food tells of spring, family and wishes for the new year: green herb rice, fish, herb omelette, noodle soup and sweet pastries. If you would like to experience Persian cuisine with its herbs, its saffron and its hospitality, you are warmly welcome at SANTOOR, Florianigasse 20, 1080 Vienna – open daily from 12:00 to 22:00, with a kitchen that is 100% halal. Book your table here – Nowruz Mobarak!