The Kurds occupy a territory in a region that falls within Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. Their cuisine is a reflection of that of the people who live around them, rather than unique to themselves.

For my quick sojourn into Kurdish cuisine, this is the recipe I made:

Fried Chicken in Broth

I know absolutely nothing about this dish, other than I found it on the website of Food and Wine magazine. It seems to come from a book by travel cookbook writer (now, that's what I should have chosen as a profession) Naomi Duguid on the cuisines of the former Persian empire. It was fairly easy to make, with ingredients I had at home. It was also very tasty, even though I forgot to add the chopped cilantro at the end. I also made a vegan version of this dish for my daughter, and she also really enjoyed it. Serve with flatbread or rice.

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Fried Chicken in Broth Ingredients 4-5 lbs bone-in chicken parts 4 tsp coarse salt 1/2 cup lemon juice olive or sunflower oil 4 onions, grated water as needed 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 bunch cilantro, chopped Directions Cut the chicken pieces into 2" portions. Place in a bowl and rub salt onto the chicken. Add lemon juice, mix well and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Remove chicken from the marinade, reserving both. Heat 1/4" of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches if necessary, add chicken pieces and fry for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned, turning occasionally. Transfer chicken to a large cooking pot. Add shredded onions, reserved marinade and enough water to barely cover the chicken. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the cumin and turmeric. Turn heat down to low and simmer, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve.

Adapted from Naomi Duguid's recipe at Food and Wine magazine

Related cuisines I've explored so far: Assyrian, Iraqi,

Ancient Persian, Iranian, Kurdish Jewish

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