Authentic and Unparalleled ‘Ash Danduni’ Recipe with the Most Complete List of Tips

Dandoni Soup is one of the traditional and ancient Iranian soups, alongside Ash Reshteh, and has been prepared from the past until today during the celebration of a child’s first teeth.

The Main Philosophy of Making Dandoni Soup

Dandoni Soup is an old soup that was traditionally prepared as a symbolic dish to celebrate a baby’s first tooth or the eruption of a child’s first tooth at the mother’s home. This soup is served in a family gathering for relatives and close friends.

A Few Facts About Dandoni Soup

• In recent years, the tooth celebration has become more formal and luxurious, and besides the soup, parties often include tooth-shaped cakes and themed decorations.

• Dandoni Soup is made with legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, barley, various beans, rice, wheat, meat, and shank, making it highly nutritious and beneficial.

• Like Ash Reshteh, this soup can be garnished with kashk (fermented whey), saffron kashk, fried onions, fried mint, and fried garlic.

• You can prepare this delicious soup at home outside of the celebration and enjoy its unique taste.

• Dandoni Soup has many variations because it is prepared differently in each region of Iran.

How to Make Dandoni Soup

Step 1:
Soak the legumes overnight or at least 7 hours before cooking, changing the water several times to reduce gas. Soak wheat, barley, and rice 4 hours before cooking to soften them and shorten cooking time.

Step 2:
Drain the legumes after soaking and cook each type separately, except for wheat, rice, and barley.

Step 3:
Once the legumes are fully cooked, strain the wheat, rice, and barley.

Step 4:
Peel one onion and slice it thinly.

Step 5:
Fry the onion in a pan with some oil and turmeric until golden.

Step 6:
In the pot where you will cook the soup, add the barley with water and bring it to a boil.

Step 7:
Once the barley softens slightly, add the rice to the pot.

Step 8:
After adding the rice, add the barley and stir well.

Step 9:
Add all the cooked legumes to the soup.

Step 10:
Mix one portion of meat stock with one cup of boiling water.

Step 11:
Add the meat stock to the soup. If you have meat shank or fresh meat broth, you can use it instead. Optionally, you can shred about 250 grams of meat and add it to the soup.

Step 12:
Add the fried onions to the soup and stir.

Step 13:
Add salt and pepper to taste, then cover the pot and let the soup cook thoroughly.

Step 14:
Slice another onion and fry it until golden.

Step 15:
Fry the mint in some oil until fragrant.

Step 16:
Once the soup is fully cooked, transfer it to a serving dish and garnish with kashk, fried onions, and fried mint.