Abbas Kiarostami at the table

In Iran, one does not set a table but a sofreh: a cloth spread on the floor or table, upon which all dishes arrive at the same time. Rice (chelo) sits at the center, surrounded by stews (khoresht), fresh herbs (sabzi khordan), yogurt, pickles (torshi), and flatbread. Everyone serves themselves freely, shares, and talks at length: the sofreh is as much a place for conversation as it is a meal. Tea always concludes the moment.

Tahdig ("bottom of the pot") is the golden, crispy rice crust that forms at the bottom of the pot. It is the coveted treasure of every Iranian sofreh, an art of patience and low heat that Kiarostami, attentive to the minute gestures of daily life, would have appreciated like a perfectly framed shot.