What it means
رنده کردن (rande kardan) means to grate something, passing it against a rough surface to produce fine shreds or powder. The word رنده (rande) comes from the native Persian verb رندیدن (randidan), meaning to plane or shave a surface, rooted in Middle Persian. The noun رنده also refers to the grater itself as a kitchen tool, as well as a woodworking plane. A close synonym for finer grating is پودر کردن (pudr kardan), to powder, though رنده کردن specifically implies the physical action of grating against a surface rather than grinding.
How to use it
- هویج رو رنده کن برای سالاد. (Havij ro rande kon barâye sâlâd.) “Grate the carrot for the salad.”
- پنیر رو رنده کردم روی ماکارونی. (Panir ro rande kardam ru-ye mâkâruni.) “I grated the cheese over the pasta.”
- پوست لیمو رو رنده کن و اضافه کن. (Pust-e limu ro rande kon o ezâfe kon.) “Grate the lemon zest and add it.”
- یه کم زنجبیل تازه رنده کن. (Ye kam zanjebil-e tâze rande kon.) “Grate a little fresh ginger.”
Cultural note
Grating is a common preparation step in Persian salads and rice garnishes. Grated carrot and beet appear in mâst-o-khiâr variations and side salads, while grated hard cheese is used in Persian-style pasta dishes. In traditional Persian cooking, grating dried ingredients such as dried lemon peel or hard spice blocks was done with a simple metal رنده, a tool that has been part of Iranian kitchen equipment for centuries. Fresh ginger and turmeric root, increasingly used in home cooking, are also prepared this way.