What it means
کلم (kalam) is the standard Persian word for cabbage. The word has a long borrowing history confirmed by Wiktionary: it derives from Ancient Greek κράμβη (krámbe, cabbage) via Middle Persian kalamb, entering modern Persian as کلم. In everyday use, کلم on its own usually means white or green cabbage. Iranians specify further when needed: کلم قرمز (kalam-e ghermez) for red cabbage, کلم پیچ (kalam-pich) for Savoy or leafy cabbage, and گلکلم (gol-kalam) for cauliflower and کلم بروکلی (kalam-e brokoli) for broccoli, both of which use کلم as a base.
How to use it
- کلم رو نگینی خرد کن. (Kalam ro nagini khord kon.) “Dice the cabbage into small cubes.”
- سالاد کلم درست کردیم. (Salâd-e kalam dorost kardim.) “We made a cabbage salad.”
- گلکلم یا کلم بروکلی داری؟ (Gol-kalam yâ kalam-e brokoli dâri?) “Do you have cauliflower or broccoli?”
- دلمهی کلم خیلی خوشمزهست. (Dolme-ye kalam kheyli khoshmaze-st.) “Stuffed cabbage leaves are really tasty.”
Cultural note
Cabbage is a practical staple in Iranian winter cooking. Stuffed cabbage leaves, دلمهی کلم (dolme-ye kalam), are a popular dish in which leaves are filled with a mixture of rice, herbs, and sometimes meat, then simmered in a sweet-sour sauce. Cabbage also appears raw in salads alongside other winter vegetables. Cauliflower (گلکلم) is perhaps even more widely used in Persian cooking, often fried in turmeric and served as a side dish or incorporated into khoresh stews.