Foodie ways to see Iran

Mirza Ghasemi in Masuleh

A visit to the thousand-year-old village of Masuleh, set in the foothills of Gilan, takes one back in time to the traditions of rural Iran and the simple agrarian life that used to dominate most of the country. It is also one of the best places to sample Iran’s vegetarian cuisine, most notably the dish mirzeh ghasemi, a regional speciality of smoky aubergines, burnt over hot coals and then gently fried with tender young garlic, plump tomatoes and plenty of local olive oil.