I absolutely loved this late breakfast dish. It was satisfying, full of flavor, and much like Parisa's art palette - exploding with lots of color!

Parisa Parnian, founder of SAVAGE MUSE, is a lifestyle designer and visual artist who explores intersectional identities and community building in her various creative projects. In addition to her design work, Parisa has been creating culinary + cultural experiences thru her POP-UP DINNER series at her home/design studio in Silver Lake, Los Angeles. Find her recipe below for her delicious Persian Grain Bowl.

To learn more about the pop-up dinners and other events Parisa is planning, visit her website at savagemuse.com or her IG @savagemuse.

“This grain bowl is a great - use what you have in your kitchen - type of meal that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I was inspired to whip this dish up for Felicia when she came to stay with me in Silver Lake, Los Angeles. We enjoyed it for a late morning brunch while we talked and caught up on life.

If you don’t have time to make the Herbed Persian Rice, you can substitute any leftover cooked rice or quinoa you have sitting in your fridge and can reheat and use instead of the Persian Rice.

Nousheh Joon!”

— Parisa Parnian

COMPONENTS OF THE BOWL:

RECIPES AVAILABLE BELOW WITH AN *

*GRAIN: Herbed Persian Rice
GREENS: Trader Joe’s Cruciferous Crunch tossed/massaged in lemon juice & olive oil (or your own DIY shredded greens & veggies: kale, cabbage, carrots)
*VEGGIE SAUTÉ: Sautéed Middle-Eastern Veggies in tomato-based sauce

TOPPINGS

ASPARAGUS SPEARS (sautéed, grilled or baked-tossed in butter/oil & a sprinkle of salt)
FRESH CHOPPED HERBS: CILANTRO, MINT, BASIL
EGG (fried, poached, or however you like it)
CRUMBLED CHEESE (FETA OR GOAT CHEESE recommended)

RECIPES BELOW

HERBED PERSIAN RICE

You are basically going to cook this just like how you cook/boil a pot of basic white rice. Except you’re adding dried herbs to it at the beginning, so it cooks along with the rice to create a lovely green-speckled rice dish.

Place basmati/jasmine rice and water in a pot at a 2:1 ration (ie for one cup rice put in two cups water)
Salt to taste (recommend 1/2 tsp per 1 cup rice, more if you like it salty)
Add dried herbs and mix in with rice and water. For every cup of (dry) rice, I suggest 1/4 cup of dried herbs. Herbs to use: dill, tarragon, fenugreek, chives. Dill is the easiest to find and it tastes good all on its own in the rice dish!
Bring rice to a boil and cook according to basic rice cooking instructions.

PRO TIP: Make this rice for dinner and serve with a protein of your choice (especially yummy with fish) and double the recipe so you have enough to use in your grain bowl. This rice freezes really well. This rice also tastes really delicious with a dollop of yogurt on top!

NOTE: TO REHEAT RICE

Place in a small pot with a lid. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to the rice (enough to create steam). Reheat on med-high for 5-10 minutes- until it is soft and warmed all the way thru. Make sure you pay attention that you don’t burn the rice due to lack of water or keeping on stove too long!)

MIDDLE-EASTERN VEGGIE SAUTÉ

Chop up an assortment of veggies. Maybe start with one of each veggie. (ie zucchini, mushrooms, red/yellow/green bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic,
Sauté over med-high heat with butter or oil of your choice for about 5-7 minutes. Make sure you use enough oil/butter to cover the entire bottom of the pan. It helps to put a lid on the pan to keep the heat and moisture locked in. I tend to alternate between tossing the veggies in the pan to make sure it’s getting evenly cooked and then putting the lid on for a minute or two in between.
When the veggies look like they are close to being done/cooked, add tomato paste or tomato sauce to the mix. Start with 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and add more if you like it “saucier”
Season to taste with: garlic powder, salt, pepper, a dash of turmeric, dried herbs (dill is great here) and some red pepper flakes for a little heat.