Village Raw - ISSUE 4

VILLAGE RAW
FOOD & DRINK
SECRETS OF A PERSIAN KITCHEN
A collection of recipes has been brewing in Atoosa Sepehr’s
East Finchley flat for over a decade – and they’ve just been
published in her debut cookbook, From a Persian Kitchen.
Words by Katrina Mirpuri. Photos by Kate Kuzminova.
Challenging the traditional expectations of an Iranian woman,
Atoosa Sepehr studied computer science and became a success
in the steel industry, where she worked as the only woman
in a predominately male environment. Her life and career took
a U-turn when, after unforeseen circumstances, she left Iran
for England – leaving her old life behind and starting afresh.
Atoosa describes her surreal first weeks in the UK with reminiscent
eyes: “When I came to London, I started missing my home
– and the only thing that made me feel at home was food”. Living
alone in East Finchley, Atoosa found comfort in cooking and
relished in recreating the flavours of Iran. “There are so many
Turkish shops and Persian shops where I can find all my ingredients,”
she says. “The only thing I still get from Iran is saffron.”
But despite London’s endless supplies, some things just aren’t
the same here: “The yoghurt in my country tastes completely
different. To get that same umami taste here, I started adding
cheese,” she explains.
As she perfected her craft, fresh aromas would dance down
the hallways of her flat – spiking the attention of her passing
neighbours, who constantly asked what she was cooking. As the
weeks went by and her neighbours begged for recipes, the idea
sparked in Atoosa to write a cookbook. The interest in her food
was overwhelming and it was then that she realised that while
London’s Iranian community is large and thriving, Persian cuisine
is a mystery to many. While flicking through the colourful
pages of her book – fittingly named From a Persian Kitchen –
she says, “Hopefully my book will bring a bit of awareness about
Persian food, because it’s really not like other Asian cuisines.”
The imagery in Atoosa’s book is vibrant and incredibly personal,
and her style comes through strongly across the pages. The
food is displayed effortlessly, with elements of still life creeping
into the pictures – vases filled with delicate flowers sit behind
loud, bright dips, and photographs of dishes rest between stills
of Iran’s landscape. You could be forgiven for thinking the pictures
are from a professional photographer but, like its recipes, they
were created in Atoosa’s flat and were all taken by Atoosa herself.
“The background in the photographs is some black slate that
I saw at my neighbour’s house. I thought it looked good, so asked
to borrow it”, she recalls, giggling at the concept. DIY is a recurring
theme in Atoosa’s life. Her self-made business background, her
cookbook and new life in England all come from a strong urge to
move forward and succeed. Having already achieved so much in
Iran, her peers were shocked when she decided to write the cookbook.
“People were like, ‘Why did you do that? You shouldn’t have
done that. It’s a shame to leave your job’.”
While moving into cookery seemed like a drastic switch at
the time, it was the change Atoosa needed to move onto the
next chapter in her life. “When I was writing the book I thought
about all the negative things you hear on the news about Iran.
I wanted to show a different side, like the beautiful food, the
people and the landscape”. Atoosa’s current success in the food
world reflects her new life, which is as bright and colourful as
the pictures in her cookbook. From a Persian Kitchen is a love
letter and a tribute to Iran. Hoping to open more eyes to Persian
cooking, Atoosa’s easy recipes are the perfect gateway to the
flavours of the east. •
This page: Barberries, pistachios and almond in saffron with
rice. Opposite page: Atoosa preparing a Persian delicacy.
You can find out more on her website: www.atoosasepehr.com. Atoosa will be signing
books at the Aylmer Pantry, Aylmer Parade, N2 0PE from 12.30pm to 1.30pm on
Saturday 15 December. For a short recipe film visit: www.villageraw.com/atoosa
22 1 23