Vavishka

Vavishka - Bij Bij

Vavishka is a famous dish from the province of Gilan, also known as Bij Bij.

There are a number of slightly different methods to making this dish. I've chosen my favourite, with minced meat. Some methods use the sour version of chicken with pomegranate and walnut paste, and other versions add fried egg on top of the minced meat version.

Vavishka has a unique taste and it's origins are Russian hence it's name Vavishka.

This is a dry dish, not a stew and best eaten with flat bread or Persian Lavash bread.

Ingredients

500 g mince meat (beef)

2 onions diced

4 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp tomato puree

3 whole tomatoes sieved or 1 tin chopped and sieved

1 cup water

2 potatoes

1/2 cup oil

Method

Step 1

• Pour 1/4 cup oil into a large pan

• Place over medium heat

• Finely chop the onions and fry till golden brown

• Add the turmeric and fry for 30 seconds

• Add the minced meat and fry well so that the mince looses it's pinkness

• Add the rest of the dry spices and stir well

Step 2

• Add the tomato puree and stir well to dissolve in the mince

• Add the sieved tomatoes and water

• Add the crushed garlic, stir well and cover

• Keep simmering over medium heat for 30 minutes so that the water reduces significantly

Step 3

• Chop the potatoes into 1 cm squares

• Add 1/4 cup of oil to a frying pan

• Add the potatoes and fry till all sides are golden brown

• Add the potatoes to the Vavishka

• Allow the potatoes and the Vavishka to simmer for another 5 / 10 minutes

Remove from the heat and enjoy this lovely dish any time of the day with your favourite flat bread or wonderful Persian Lavash bread.

Vavishka - Bij Bij