Pomegranate with Golpar

Learn about the Persian spice Golpar, Persian Hogwood. Includes recipes featuring this exotic spice, including a simple dish of pomegranate with golpar. Find more of my pomegranate recipes.

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There are some things in Farsi that easy to translate into English. Then you find these Persian proverbs and sayings and they completely lose their meaning in English.

Then there are  the Persian words that have absolutely no English equivalent. But, I suppose most languages have this problem with English. And today I’m going to talk about one of those words: golpar

What is golpar?

For example, “pomegranate” in Farsi is anar (a-naar). That’s easy. And many Persians enjoy their pomegranate with the spice, golpar. But what is golpar? Most spice companies list golpar as “angelica powder.”

Wikipedia and other sources say this is not correct, that golpar is really ground seeds from Persian Hogweed (Heracleum persicum). What I do know is that Americans just don’t use this stuff. 

What does golpar taste like?

Golpar is extremely aromatic and slightly bitter. I am personally not a fan of bitter, but my husband loves this stuff.

Substitutes for golpar

Unfortunately, golpar is such a unique spice that there really isn’t a substitute for it. If you can’t find it in stores, you can find golpar here on Amazon.

How to store golpar

Store golpar in a glass jar, as it can totally overwhelm your pantry if kept in a resealable bag. And like most other spices, keep in a cool dark place.

Culinary uses of golpar

Persians like to sprinkle golpar over fava beans and torshi (pickled vegetables). My husband sprinkles it in his mashed potatoes. 

For those of you who have found golpar, here are some other recipes featuring this very magical spice:

• Lentil Salad (Salad-eh Adas) by My Persian Kitchen
• Persian Mixed Vegetable Pickle (Torshi Makhloot) by Turmeric and Saffron
• Olive, Pistachio and Pomegranate Salad by Najmieh Batmanglij
• Salt & Golpar (Golpar Namak) by My Persian Feast
• Persian Style Lentils (Adasi) by The Pomegranate Diaries
• Cooked Fava Beans (Baghali Pokhteh) by Fig and Quince
• Spiced Labneh by Veggiestan

Learn how to seed a pomegranate here.

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Yield: 2-servings

Pomegranate with Golpar

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This simple snack of pomegranate with golpar, Persian Hogwood, is a Persian favorite mixing in sweet and sour together.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pomegranate
• 1 teaspoon golpar

Instructions

1. Seed the pomegranate using these directions.
2. Divide pomegranate arils into two bowls.
3. Top pomegranate in each bowl with ½ teaspoon golpar and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1 bowl
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 117Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 4mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 6gSugar: 19gProtein: 2g