When spring arrives, Iranians set the Haft Seen and cook celebratory meals for welcoming the new season. In Farsi, Nowruz means "new day," and is marked by rituals like eating traditional foods and even spring cleaning.

When you're ready to plan your Nowruz menu, start with this classic Persian marinated olive dish. It's served alongside main courses or as an appetizer or snack, and is loaded with crunchy walnuts and pomegranate seeds, minced garlic and fresh herbs. But the real game changer is pomegranate molasses. This tangy, tart condiment (which is also great in salad dressings, marinades, drinks, and many other preparations) rounds out and elevates all the other ingredients. Zeytoon Parvardeh is traditionally made with local herbs, such as choochagh, which grows wild in the fields of Gilan province in northern Iran. Mint and cilantro make a good substitute.

Nuts and dried fruit are traditional snacks in Iran, and ajil is essentially a Persian trail mix that’s especially popular during the new year festivities. Here are two of the many types of ajil: salty and sweet. The nuts can be shelled or unshelled, but are usually unsalted.

A classic Iranian recipe, joojeh kababs are boneless chicken pieces marinated in a saffron-lemon mixture, then grilled to tender and juicy perfection, thanks to the yogurt in the marinade. It’s common for Iranians to enjoy them on the thirteenth day of Nowruz — also known as Sizdah Bedar — at picnics to end the Nowruz festivities, or on weekends, served with rice, grilled tomatoes and peppers.

For Iranians, the herb platter known as sabzi khordan is a delicious, refreshing companion to any meal, served as an appetizer or with the main course. The herbs can vary, depending on one’s preferences and availability, but in Iran, the most common choices are mint, basil and Persian cress. (You can substitute the latter with arugula.) This herb platter is also a common component of Armenian, Azerbaijani and Kurdish cuisines.