سبزی

سبزی
sabzi
herbs, greens
nounA2
Quick Reference
sab-ZI
herbs, greens
A2 — Elementary
سبزی pronounced by Elyar

What it means

سبزی (sabzi) means “fresh herbs and greens”, collectively. The mixed bowl of basil, mint, tarragon, chives, and watercress that sits at every Iranian dinner table. Pure Persian, A2 vocabulary, derived from the color سبز (sabz, “green”).

How to use it

  • سبزی خوردن (sabzi-khordan) “table herbs (literally herbs-for-eating)”
  • سبزی پلو (sabzi-polo) “herb rice”
  • سبزی تازه (sabzi-ye tâze) “fresh herbs”

Common pairings

  • قورمه‌سبزی (qorme-sabzi) “Iran’s iconic herb-and-meat stew”
  • کوکوسبزی (kuku-sabzi) “herb frittata, served at Nowruz”
  • آش‌رشته (âsh-e reshte) “noodle-and-herb soup”
  • سبزی‌فروش (sabzi-forush) “greengrocer”

Cultural note

The سبزی bowl at Iranian meals is not garnish, it is part of the food. Diners take fresh sprigs of basil, tarragon, mint, and radish with their bread, cheese, and rice. سبزی پلو (herb rice) is the obligatory Nowruz New Year dish, paired with fish. The herb bowl marks the table as Iranian.

References

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The سبزی bowl at Iranian meals is not garnish, it is part of the food. Diners take fresh sprigs of basil, tarragon, mint, and radish with their bread, cheese, and rice. سبزی پلو (herb rice) is the obligatory Nowruz New Year dish, paired with fish. The herb bowl marks the table as Iranian.
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