Piyaz — Iran

Piyaz, from the Persian and Turkish word for onion, describes a family of cold bean salads eaten as part of a meze or side-dish spread. Boiled beans are combined with raw onion and a tart dressing, and the balance of herbs, nuts and souring agents varies from one country to the next. This entry is reported from Iran, where the dish draws on the wider Persian pantry: pomegranate molasses and walnuts appear alongside the onion and beans, and fresh herbs such as mint or dill are often folded in more generously than in neighbouring versions. It is usually served as a side alongside grilled meats or rice. White or red kidney beans are boiled until tender and cooled, then tossed with finely sliced onion, chopped walnuts and a handful of fresh herbs. The dressing combines olive oil, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses, giving the salad a tangy, slightly sweet edge, and a light dusting of sumac is added at the end. What distinguishes this version is its use of pomegranate molasses and walnuts alongside the beans and onion, in place of the tahini sauces or plain lemon-and-sumac dressings found in other versions of the same dish. These differences describe separate ways of preparing piyaz across the region rather than competing claims on the same recipe.