Torshi Bandari

Torshi Bandari is a delicious and popular Iranian pickle. It contains tomato paste and tamarind that give it a unique taste, different from any other torshi.

This torshi originates from the south of Iran, where people love spicy foods. If you’ve ever tried this pickle, you’d know it’s spicier than usual.

“Bandar” means seaport, and there are cities in Iran that are by the sea and ports (Like Bushehr, Bandar Mah-shahr, Abadan, Bandar Abbas). The peoples in these cities have their own delicious recipes.

The ingredients used in this recipe are pretty common and easy to find. The recipe consists of simple steps so it’s easy to make. Read on!

What’s the difference between torshi bandari and torshi makhloot?

Torshi bandari is red because it contains tomato paste. There’s also tamarind in it which gives it a very unique taste, different from other Iranian pickles. In Hafte bijar and torshi makhloot, the ingredients aren’t minced, and the color of those pickles isn’t red either.

How to make torshi bandari?

To make this delicious torshi, follow these steps:

Step 1- Wash and dry the ingredients

Separate the cauliflower curds and wash them. Let them dry.

Wash the carrots, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, and celery. Leave them all to dry.

Peel the garlic cloves and wash them. Let them dry too. You can sieve the ingredients or lay them on a towel for faster drying.

Wash the jar you’ll be storing your torshi in and dry it up. The jar should be free of any moisture or the pickle will quickly mold.

Step 2- Prepare the shallots

Soak the dry shallots in boiling water for an hour. Sieve them and let the excess water out. If you’re using fresh shallots, peel them and wash them. Let them dry.

Step 3- cut the ingredients

The ingredients should be minced, and cut into completely small pieces. Fine dice the carrots and onions. You don’t need to peel them. However, if the skins are too thick, peel them.

Dice the eggplants with or without skin.

Separate the leaves and stems of the celery and mince them all. Fine dice the shallots and garlic.

If the peppers are thin and slender, use them as a whole. You can cut them into rondelles too if you prefer a spicier taste.

Step 4- Boil the ingredients

Tomato paste or tamarind is usually used in Persian bandari pickle. You don’t have to use both of them together.
However, if you want to use tamarind: Mix the tamarind with 2 cups of vinegar and stir. Sieve the mixture and take the tamarind cores out. Put the liquid mixture of tamarind and vinegar aside.

Boil some vinegar. Add the carrots and eggplants. Let them simmer for 1-2 minutes until they soften.

Add the rest of the chopped ingredients to the vinegar and let them boil for a minute. Since they’re minced, you shouldn’t boil them for too long, or else they get mushy.

Add tomato paste, and the tamarin diluted with vinegar to the ingredients. Add dried herbs, salt, turmeric, pepper, spices, and if you’d like, the black seeds and coriander seeds. Mix the ingredients well.

You can also finish it off with some pomegranate paste if you want to. Turn the heat off and let the mixture cool off.

Step 5- Pour everything into a jar

Pour the final mixture into a jar. The vinegar should cover everything, so add some if needed. If the ingredients are not in contact with vinegar, they will mold.

Close the lid tightly to avoid air seeping into the jar. In the end, keep the jar in a dark and cool place for a week, away from direct sunlight.

Once you open the lid, store the jar in the fridge to avoid molding. Vegetable pickles with tomato paste are susceptible to molding outside the fridge.

Tips

• You can use a combination of vinegar and water. For example, 3 cup vinegar + 3 cup water.
• You can use one cup of sour pomegranate paste instead of tamarind.
• You can sauté the coriander seeds for one minute in a pan to get rid of the raw taste and aroma. Be careful not to burn them!
• Using a lot of dried vegetables causes the beautiful color of the tomato paste to change and become discolored. That’s why I used 2 tablespoons of dried herbs.
• Any pickle with tomato paste should be stored in the fridge once the jar is opened. Tomato paste makes them susceptible to molding.

Conclusion

Torshi is one of the most popular side dishes. Iranians consume a lot of this side dish and have a variety of them. I suggest you read up on different torshi recipes and make them yourself.

Torshi Bandari is one of the most famous vegetable pickles out there. It’s easy to make, and the taste of tamarind alongside tomato paste is mouthwatering.

Torshi kalam is another Persian pickle that you need cabbage and carrots to make. It is delicious and inexpensive to make.

Make sure to try this torshi and share your experience in the comments with me!