Food & Dining 
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sketches from chefs of plates
sketches from chefs of plates
Parivash Rohani makes her father, Rahmatollah Manouchehri, a plate of traditional Nowruz food. Nowruz – which translates to "New Day" – originated in Iran centuries ago and begins on or around the spring equinox.
Rohani flips through an Iranian cookbook her mother gave her years ago.
Nasser Rohani, Parivash Rohani's husband, breaks eggs into the mixture for kookoo sabzi, an herb-egg dish.
Rohani has her husband taste-test rice while cooking a Nowruz meal.
Nasser Rohani scoops out some fesenjan, a chicken and pomegranate dish, on to his plate. The National Iranian American Council estimates 228 Iranian-Americans live in Maine. Of those, Nasser Rohani estimates just 50 are Baha'is.
Rohani portions out batter for kookoo sabzi into a muffin tin. Persian New Year festivities last for 13 days.
The Rohanis' meal celebrating Nowruz includes an herb-egg dish, kookoo sabzi, bottom right corner, and fesenjan, a chicken in pomegranate sauce dish, top center.
The Rohanis have not lived in Iran since the 1970s, but they still celebrate Nowruz as a religious holiday that is an important part of their Baha'i faith.
