In the area of Pavia, the “culture of pig” is deep-seated: quand’s gà fam, ghe’l pän e salàm (“when you are hungry, you can have bread and salami”) is still a common saying. In the past, breed a pig meant having a life insurance and when it was killed, once a year, in order to check whether the meat prepared to make salami was good, a little part of it was used to prepare a risotto.

Known as the “king of meals”, Palov employs vegetables, rice, meat and spices, and there are up to 200 varieties. The importance of this dish for the Tajik communities is summarized in the popular saying: “If you eat Oshi Palov at someone’s house, you have to respect him/her for 40 years.” Groups of men or women prepare it either in their home or in the tea houses, while they socialize, play music or sing. The knowledge bound to the practice is handed down from generation to generation in families and cooking schools.

Gelin Budu, or “bride’s thighs” is the Turkmen-Iraqi name given to these soft and brown meat croquettes. The unique feature of this dish is the crust of rice worked with flour, that provides the croquettes with a unique taste and consistency.

Traditionally, rice was present in Norther Iran cooking and in the houses of wealthy, while in the rest of the Country bread was the main element. Nowadays, the most appreciated varieties of rice thanks to their flavour are the ones cultivated in Northern Iran. The proposed recipe is Meigoo Polow, a dish cooked in Southern Iran.