What it means
خیس کردن (khis kardan) means to soak, to steep, or to make something thoroughly wet by leaving it submerged in water or another liquid. خیس (khis) is an inherited Persian word, traceable to Proto-Iranian *haič- (to pour), and means wet or drenched, while کردن (kardan), the all-purpose causative verb meaning to do or to make, turns the adjective into an action. The opposite is خشک کردن (khoshk kardan), to dry. In the kitchen, the phrase almost always refers to soaking dried ingredients, particularly legumes and rice, before cooking.
How to use it
- لوبیاها رو از شب قبل خیس کن. (lubiyâ-hâ ro az shab qabl khis kon.) “Soak the beans from the night before.”
- برنج رو دو ساعت خیس کردم تا نرم بشه. (berenj ro do sâat khis kardam tâ narm beshe.) “I soaked the rice for two hours so it would soften.”
- پارچه رو توی آب سرد خیس کردم. (pârche ro tui âb sard khis kardam.) “I soaked the cloth in cold water.”
- آلو رو باید یه شب خیس کنی تا پوستش بیاد. (âlu ro bâyad ye shab khis koni tâ pustesh biyâd.) “You have to soak the plum overnight so the skin comes off.”
Cultural note
Soaking is a built-in step in Persian cooking culture. Most rice-cooking traditions, including the classic chelou method, call for soaking the grains for at least two to three hours before parboiling, which produces the elongated, separate grains that define the dish. Dried chickpeas, lentils, and kidney beans for stews like ghormeh sabzi (قرمه سبزی) or abgoosht (آبگوشت) are routinely soaked overnight to shorten cooking time and improve texture.