What do you think?
Rate this book
Bottom of the Pot: Persian Recipes and Stories
Winner of the IACP 2019 First Book Award presented by The Julia Child Foundation
"Like Madhur Jaffrey and Marcella Hazan before her, Naz Deravian will introduce the pleasures and secrets of her mother culture's cooking to a broad audience that has no idea what it's been missing. America will not only fall in love with Persian cooking, it'll fall in love with Naz.” - Samin Nosrat, author of Salt, Fat, Acid, The Four Elements of Good Cooking
Naz Deravian lays out the multi-hued canvas of a Persian meal, with 100+ recipes adapted to an American home kitchen and interspersed with Naz's celebrated essays exploring the idea of home.
At eight years old, Naz Deravian left Iran with her family during the height of the 1979 Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis. Over the following ten years, they emigrated from Iran to Rome to Vancouver, carrying with them books of Persian poetry, tiny jars of saffron threads, and always, the knowledge that home can be found in a simple, perfect pot of rice. As they traverse the world in search of a place to land, Naz's family finds comfort and familiarity in pots of hearty aash, steaming pomegranate and walnut chicken, and of course, the crispy, golden jewels of rice that form a crust at the bottom of the pot. The best part, saved for last.
In Bottom of the Pot , Naz, now an award-winning writer and passionate home cook based in LA, opens up to us a world of fragrant rose petals and tart dried limes, music and poetry, and the bittersweet twin pulls of assimilation and nostalgia. In over 100 recipes, Naz introduces us to Persian food made from a global perspective, at home in an American kitchen.
"Like Madhur Jaffrey and Marcella Hazan before her, Naz Deravian will introduce the pleasures and secrets of her mother culture's cooking to a broad audience that has no idea what it's been missing. America will not only fall in love with Persian cooking, it'll fall in love with Naz.” - Samin Nosrat, author of Salt, Fat, Acid, The Four Elements of Good Cooking
Naz Deravian lays out the multi-hued canvas of a Persian meal, with 100+ recipes adapted to an American home kitchen and interspersed with Naz's celebrated essays exploring the idea of home.
At eight years old, Naz Deravian left Iran with her family during the height of the 1979 Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis. Over the following ten years, they emigrated from Iran to Rome to Vancouver, carrying with them books of Persian poetry, tiny jars of saffron threads, and always, the knowledge that home can be found in a simple, perfect pot of rice. As they traverse the world in search of a place to land, Naz's family finds comfort and familiarity in pots of hearty aash, steaming pomegranate and walnut chicken, and of course, the crispy, golden jewels of rice that form a crust at the bottom of the pot. The best part, saved for last.
In Bottom of the Pot , Naz, now an award-winning writer and passionate home cook based in LA, opens up to us a world of fragrant rose petals and tart dried limes, music and poetry, and the bittersweet twin pulls of assimilation and nostalgia. In over 100 recipes, Naz introduces us to Persian food made from a global perspective, at home in an American kitchen.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 18, 2018
190 people are currently reading
1412 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
January 21, 2020
I don't buy cookbooks because I have no room for cookbooks but I bought THIS cookbook. First of all, look at that gorgeous cover! The food photos inside are lovely, too. I've made over a dozen recipes from this so far and they were all over the top delicious. I am lucky to live near several Persian markets within walking distance, so getting all the specialty ingredients was no problem for me. Today I made a tahdig as beautiful as the one on the cover and I have never been so proud of myself in the kitchen!
December 22, 2018
This is my family's new favorite recipe book. We've been using it several times a week since we got it, and we can't get enough of it. I particularly recommend the beet and lentil soup. Some of the recipes are a bit involved, such as the tahdig, so they're best done as weekend or party dishes, but this is a beautiful book that will definitely turn you on to Persian cuisine.
February 18, 2019
This is just as much a memoir and food history account as it is a cookbook. It makes me want to make all the Persian things.
January 20, 2020
i wasn’t aware a cookbook could have the ability to make me cry, let alone more than once !! naz’ cookbook contains so much more than recipes. bottom of the pot holds numerous beautifully told stories of a childhood spent in tehran, rome, and finally vancouver. the author weaves together food, family, love, and a sense of home so effortlessly. the photos are equally as gorgeous and in combination with naz’ words, the recipes truly come alive!
additionally, i can’t wait to learn to cook some of my favorite persian foods finally !!
additionally, i can’t wait to learn to cook some of my favorite persian foods finally !!
March 3, 2020
This is a beautiful book, both in its large, elegant photographs of Persian food and also in the very touching stories about the author's family and their journey immigrating from Iran to Italy and, ultimately, Canada. It's clear how much these foods mean to the author and how they're bound up in her memories of home and lost loved ones, and even made me think about how food is intertwined in my own memories of home.
July 4, 2020
Maybe it’s odd to include a cookbook in my goodreads list, but the stories and the cultural descriptions in this one our beautiful. I couldn’t put it down. And I’ll actually cook some of the recipes sometime soon. :)
May 11, 2019
This cookbook is practically perfect in every way. And let me count the ways:
1. The photos are gorgeous. I fell in love with Persian food after half a minute of paging through it.
2. The recipes paint a picture of the seasonal and cultural context. I learn about the people and their experience, so I can feel I'm part of the experience when I make the dish.
3. The first section shows how to make all the staples, condiments, preserves, etc. used throughout the book
4. It's a sturdy case binding (stitched) that lays open without damaging the spine, instead of perfect binding where the glue cracks on your favorite recipes
1. The photos are gorgeous. I fell in love with Persian food after half a minute of paging through it.
2. The recipes paint a picture of the seasonal and cultural context. I learn about the people and their experience, so I can feel I'm part of the experience when I make the dish.
3. The first section shows how to make all the staples, condiments, preserves, etc. used throughout the book
4. It's a sturdy case binding (stitched) that lays open without damaging the spine, instead of perfect binding where the glue cracks on your favorite recipes
December 26, 2020
A lovely chronicle of Persian life and food told through the author's memories and recipes. It's not often that I read a cookbook cover to cover, but the stories woven throughout kept me hungering for more. We've made a few of the recipes already and I can't wait to cook more from this beautiful and tempting book.
May 31, 2021
A great cookbook! I enjoyed reading about the author's journey and how the food connected to her memories.
So far, I've made:
The aash-e miveh (fruit soup) which was great. I was surprised by how well these flavors all work together! And even though I use raisins in savory cooking all the time, I was still a little hesitant with the variety of dried fruits, but I should'nt've been. And it was basically all pantry items, so that's a double plus.
The Barbari bread, which was easy and quick to pull together to go with the soup and excellent as suggested with some feta and walnuts.
The leftovers, personal sized tahdig. Came out way better than I had any right to expect for the first time! Especially considering: I had to use a too big cast iron pan. I accidentally made up jasmine rice instead of basmati. I substituted straight up buttermilk for the yogurt. I had it with some pan roasted chicken and the Piaz Daagh-Seer Daagh-Na'na Daagh I had leftover from my soup adventures. It was fantastic.
The Armenian sweet bread. Another one that came out great even though this time I accidentally doubled the butter in the dough! (whoops) It was a fairly easy recipe to follow, but took quite a bit of time with all of the resting steps. Still, I'll definitely be making it again.
So far, I've made:
The aash-e miveh (fruit soup) which was great. I was surprised by how well these flavors all work together! And even though I use raisins in savory cooking all the time, I was still a little hesitant with the variety of dried fruits, but I should'nt've been. And it was basically all pantry items, so that's a double plus.
The Barbari bread, which was easy and quick to pull together to go with the soup and excellent as suggested with some feta and walnuts.
The leftovers, personal sized tahdig. Came out way better than I had any right to expect for the first time! Especially considering: I had to use a too big cast iron pan. I accidentally made up jasmine rice instead of basmati. I substituted straight up buttermilk for the yogurt. I had it with some pan roasted chicken and the Piaz Daagh-Seer Daagh-Na'na Daagh I had leftover from my soup adventures. It was fantastic.
The Armenian sweet bread. Another one that came out great even though this time I accidentally doubled the butter in the dough! (whoops) It was a fairly easy recipe to follow, but took quite a bit of time with all of the resting steps. Still, I'll definitely be making it again.
February 8, 2022
I have bookmarked several recipes to try soon. In all honesty, I want to try them all.
September 19, 2023
4 stars just for reading the stories, recipes and pictures. Now just need a few ingredients so I can actually try some out in the kitchen.
December 17, 2022
Literally love this cookbook!!! It’s gorgeous and the stories are so warm.
July 25, 2019
This is a wonderful cookbook. Naz Deravian writes beautifully. She really brings the reader right into her families kitchen, and her descriptions give a glimpse into how this food is intertwined with her life and the Persian culture it came from. She does a good job of explaining the many unfamiliar ingredients and how they impact each dish and complement each other. The recipes are very flavorful and we have enjoyed every recipe we have tried. After hearing Naz Deravian interviewed on NPR's The Splendid Table, my wife and I hosted a Persian themed dinner party using this cookbook as our inspiration. Our friends truly enjoyed the food and were very complementary of each dish we prepared. I would recommend the Thadig, Morgh ba Zardchoobeh (Everyday Tumeric Chicken), and the Koofteh Tabrizi (Stuffed Meatballs). If there is any issue it is that Persian food is heavily salted. I will have to try to adjust the recipes to reduce the amount salt to get within the Heart Healthy sodium guidelines. I definitely recommend this cookbook to anyone interested in in some amazing, flavorful Persian food!! Enjoy! :~)
July 15, 2023
I’ve now tried enough recipes to know that this book is amazing! Not only are the recipes great, but she walks you through the spirit of Persian cooking as well. She makes concessions, like providing ingredients in teaspoons, and generally using base ingredients that are easy to find in western supermarkets, so for once I can actually make these exotic dishes as indicated in the recipe.
The rice dish on the cover of the book is now a staple for special occasions, and I’m slowly adding many others to the menu. It’s more than a cookbook, it’s really an enriching experience!
The rice dish on the cover of the book is now a staple for special occasions, and I’m slowly adding many others to the menu. It’s more than a cookbook, it’s really an enriching experience!
March 25, 2020
This is a gem. I had stopped buying cookbooks as most if the recipes are online but this one I had to buy. I have cooked most of the recipes. My husband’s favorite is the nightingale ice cream, never had something like that. The flavor profile of the recipes is so different.
June 20, 2019
These recipes all look so delicious I'm gonna go broke buying all the saffron I'm going to need
July 9, 2019
The stories make it.
October 13, 2020
Gems of short stories accompanying the recipes.
January 30, 2019
Deravian immigrated to Canada from Iran in grade school. She started cooking Persian meals after college when she’d moved to LA. The book invites readers to participate in making these home cooked dishes influenced by her multicultural background into their own and encourages being flexible to “make it delicious” to each individual. She includes an appendix of needed ingredients and also suggests possible substitutions for hard to find dishes like Persian limes or verjuice. She highlights Persian food as being dominated by sour flavors and herbs. She also recommends putting herbs in the food processor, which has never seemed like a good idea to me. Instead of a nice pile of lively chopped greens, I always get mush. A large knife and a lot of practice can make short work of a pile of herbs. Spin and store unchopped clean herbs in your salad spinner if you are planning ahead.
The author describes the necessary spices, how to prepare them and how to create spice blends. She uses dried herbs that many chefs recommend only using fresh like mint.
Recipes start with their Persian name, then the name in english followed by a paragraph or two describing the dish and giving it context, then serving info and ingredients. Directions are detailed but not specific with pan sizes. A very useful make ahead, plan ahead and prep ahead section is included. Almost every recipe has a full, color page picture.
Sections are divided by how a meal would progress with appetizers at the beginning and desserts at the end. Essays describe personal stories and provide an engaging voice to the book as well as setting the scene for lively, comfortable and vibrant Persian meals. I enjoy reading her recipe intros which often offer good ideas like soaking walnuts before serving to get rid of the bitterness.
Recipes are generally simple and accessible. Most unusual ingredients will be labeled optional. Some unusual dishes like a fruit soup that includes kidney beans and apricots, garlic and grapes. If you are hoping to try the famous Persian rice dish, tahdig, she has an excellent primer.
The author describes the necessary spices, how to prepare them and how to create spice blends. She uses dried herbs that many chefs recommend only using fresh like mint.
Recipes start with their Persian name, then the name in english followed by a paragraph or two describing the dish and giving it context, then serving info and ingredients. Directions are detailed but not specific with pan sizes. A very useful make ahead, plan ahead and prep ahead section is included. Almost every recipe has a full, color page picture.
Sections are divided by how a meal would progress with appetizers at the beginning and desserts at the end. Essays describe personal stories and provide an engaging voice to the book as well as setting the scene for lively, comfortable and vibrant Persian meals. I enjoy reading her recipe intros which often offer good ideas like soaking walnuts before serving to get rid of the bitterness.
Recipes are generally simple and accessible. Most unusual ingredients will be labeled optional. Some unusual dishes like a fruit soup that includes kidney beans and apricots, garlic and grapes. If you are hoping to try the famous Persian rice dish, tahdig, she has an excellent primer.
December 23, 2019
What beautiful lyrical writing!
There are zillions of wonderful recipes and techniques as well. Suddenly, we neeeeeed to make another trip to the supermarket up north that specializes in Persian foodstuffs: golpar, musir, rose petals, dried limes....
It begins with rice. As it always has.
The unmistakable aroma of chelo—Persian steamed rice—greets me at the end of the long hallway in our Los Angeles apartment building. [...] The intoxicating scent carries a promise for all who encounter it. The very same promise that has traveled with me over three continents [...] Once again, the beat of nostalgia courses through my body. Memory tapping lightly at my door. Sometimes I grant it permission; sometimes I don't. It's a slippery slope—the unpaved road of memory. [Prologue]
There are zillions of wonderful recipes and techniques as well. Suddenly, we neeeeeed to make another trip to the supermarket up north that specializes in Persian foodstuffs: golpar, musir, rose petals, dried limes....
There comes a moment in the cooking process where you have followed the recipe exactly as written, but it still needs that extra little something. This is what my mother calls the hala khosh mazash kon, the "now make it delicious" moment. This is when you, your hand, your taste buds, your current mood, and your instincts step in and add that extra little something to bring a dish to life, to give it character. [...] If you're new to Persian food, you will come across some new information here. You'll be introduced to new spices, stories, herbs, and aromas. Read through the stories. Read through the recipes, and gather as many of the ingredients as you can. The first time around, follow the recipe as closely as you can. Treat it like a rehearsal of sorts. But at the end of that first time (or the second or third time you make the dish or a dish similar to it), relax, throw it all away, play, and make it your own. Trust that it will be okay, and you'll know what to do to "make it delicious" [Introduction]
May 28, 2021
Naz Deravian describes Persian food as being "like a love poem" and indeed this book is a book of love about Persian food. The Persian way of dining is completely different from what I have experienced and I appreciated the fact that she took time to explain things like passing trays of fresh herbs with meals and the importance of sour flavors.
Her recipes are fills with helpful tips and lots of reassurance. Recognizing that many people will never have made rice in the way she does she provides clear steps along with the promise that it is not as complicated as it sounds. Her reassurances come along with a sense of humor. In one bread recipe she tells the reader "don't be scared of the dough, remember you're much bigger than it - and it's just flour and water". It was fun because she appeared to have a sense for the knowing just the moment when a recipe might start to make me nervous.
More than just a collection of recipes, this book is an interesting read. Deravian shares not just her love for cooking and family but also stories of her childhood in Iran and her life as a refugee. She provides a compassionate look at the life of those forced to flee their homes in search of safety in foreign lands, the challenges of learning new languages, customs and foods.
Almost all of the recipes have photos which I truly appreciate in a cookbook. The recipes are written with detailed instructions that make me confident about taking on foods with which I lack familiarity. The recipes are also organized in a logical order. She includes lists of traditional pantry items, descriptions of what the less familiar items are and suggestions for places online where pantry staples can be found.
There are a handful of ingredients that are going to be tricky for people in some locations. For instance I have never seen raw green almonds anywhere and would doubt they could be available any place locally. Nonetheless most of the recipes are made from ingredients that are readily available in the average supermarket.
Her recipes include a good mix of those that can be made on a weeknight and those that might require a long weekend.
The first recipe I tried was the orange masghati on page 332. It was simple to make, delicious, and refreshing. Definitely one I will make again.
I will update this review as soon as I have a chance to prepare a few more of the recipes.
Her recipes are fills with helpful tips and lots of reassurance. Recognizing that many people will never have made rice in the way she does she provides clear steps along with the promise that it is not as complicated as it sounds. Her reassurances come along with a sense of humor. In one bread recipe she tells the reader "don't be scared of the dough, remember you're much bigger than it - and it's just flour and water". It was fun because she appeared to have a sense for the knowing just the moment when a recipe might start to make me nervous.
More than just a collection of recipes, this book is an interesting read. Deravian shares not just her love for cooking and family but also stories of her childhood in Iran and her life as a refugee. She provides a compassionate look at the life of those forced to flee their homes in search of safety in foreign lands, the challenges of learning new languages, customs and foods.
Almost all of the recipes have photos which I truly appreciate in a cookbook. The recipes are written with detailed instructions that make me confident about taking on foods with which I lack familiarity. The recipes are also organized in a logical order. She includes lists of traditional pantry items, descriptions of what the less familiar items are and suggestions for places online where pantry staples can be found.
There are a handful of ingredients that are going to be tricky for people in some locations. For instance I have never seen raw green almonds anywhere and would doubt they could be available any place locally. Nonetheless most of the recipes are made from ingredients that are readily available in the average supermarket.
Her recipes include a good mix of those that can be made on a weeknight and those that might require a long weekend.
The first recipe I tried was the orange masghati on page 332. It was simple to make, delicious, and refreshing. Definitely one I will make again.
I will update this review as soon as I have a chance to prepare a few more of the recipes.
December 31, 2020
This cookbook is as much a memoir as it is a guide: the author's family fled Iran in 1979 during the revolution, and landed in Rome and other cities before settling permanently in the U.S. Through all those years, they were comforted by the foods and recipes of Persia, and they are ably explained in this lovely book. Excellent photos and explanations give the reader a confidence to give new tastes a try, although I'm still too cowardly to attempt tahdig.
I look forward to trying the eggplant stew and the stuffed eggplant as well as a beautiful rolled cake. I can say that the butternut squash soup recipe is amazing - maple syrup is magical in this dish!
I look forward to trying the eggplant stew and the stuffed eggplant as well as a beautiful rolled cake. I can say that the butternut squash soup recipe is amazing - maple syrup is magical in this dish!
May 29, 2019
Epitomizing the best features of cookbook-as-memoir, Deravian offers stories seasoned with joy and melancholy, underscoring how food conjures home. Her wide-ranging and deeply authentic debut showcases dishes made redolent by rose petals, limes, fenugreek, and saffron. Savor the Roasted Squash and Grapes.
2019 CODES List Winners Announced
2019 CODES List Winners Announced
June 2, 2022
The first recipe I made from Bottom of the Pot was Oven-Baked Pirashki, a soft dough to encase a meat or spinach filling. The dough is beautiful and versatile, I made another recipe of the dough to make savory turnovers with my own filling variation. Perfect again. The entire book is beautifully done and its large format makes it easy to use. I'm eager to try more of Ms. Deravian's recipes.
August 7, 2025
I’m not normally one to read all the “fluff” that goes with recipes or in cookbooks these days. I’m the person they made the “jump to the recipe” button for. But in the last year I read two books about displaced Iranian refugees and in both there was much discussion about Persian cooking. So I bought this cookbook and have made several recipes and read it completely. What a delight!!
Read
May 12, 2021Really beautiful introduction to her family and cuisine. Everything I have cooked from this book has been excellent. The Chelo ba Tahdig recipe was so good that my first attempt at Tahdig ever actually worked out!
September 3, 2021
There are some lovely memoirist essays here on Persian cooking, movement between cultures, and the efforts to keep culinary practices alive. The essays remind me a bit of M.F.K. Fisher in that they are deeply connected to memory and attuned to the sensory experience of Persian cuisine.
February 26, 2023
While I haven't made any of the recipes yet, I really enjoyed reading this cookbook for some insight into Persian culture. There are substitutions listed for items that may be difficult to find and options for more vegetarian friendly meals.
January 28, 2024
Took a while to read. Found the memories and recipes interesting. Doubt if I am going to prepare any of the dishes. It was interesting to see the ingredients. A few recipes are possible to make without finding a Persian market.
March 1, 2019
A savoury memoir and recipe book. In my quest to cooking perfect basmati rice Deravian has some good suggestions.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews