Saffron: Tales from the Persian Kitchen

Today we're going to talk about local food from a land far away, a place that usually only makes the headlines for the wrong reasons.

My friend Yasmin Khan, a 32-year-old writer and campaigner living in London, has set out to make an Iranian cookbook and accompanying documentary showcasing a different side to contemporary Iran - journeying through the country and using food as a medium to reveal the truth about its culture and people.

Yasmin hopes to put together traditional cuisine, including recipes from her 77-year-old grandmother who lives on a rice farm, alongside those from ordinary working Iranians. She wants to show us the real people behind the headlines, and in cooking with them, also share their stories.

In order to make her dream a reality, Yasmin wants to make a TV pilot and travel through Iran with a professional photographer collecting recipes and stories. But she needs a little help to make this happen.

Yasmin Khan

She explains: "Ask the average person in the West what they think of Iran and chances are they'll mention bombs, nukes, war. And that's just if you get them on a good day. 

"I'd like to show you a different side of Iran. A side that entices you with its delicious and sophisticated cuisine; that takes your breath away with its dramatic landscapes of desert, tropical forests and snow-capped mountains; that touches your soul through the poetry of Rumi and Hafez and dazzles you with its intricate, beautiful architecture. 

"At a time of increased military tensions, a project which humanises Iranian people, dispels stereotypes, gives a voice to a people rarely seen or hear in the Western media and promotes cross-cultural understanding could not be more important. Saffron aims to do just this, guiding readers on a fascinating journey into the hearts (and stomachs) of Iranians today."

Yasmin has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise the £8,500 needed to get the project under way. Kickstarter is a really interesting idea - basically supporters can pledge as much or as little help as they can via the project's website, BUT Yasmin has a time limit to reach her goal and if she doesn't hit her target she won't get any of the money that has been pledged. 

With 21 days still to go she's already banked an impressive £5,522. Unsurprising really, Yasmin has an impressive campaigning background, having played a role in the campaign for justice for Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian man shot dead by London police in Stockwell tube station in July 2005.

But with £2,978 still to go, she still needs a little help. Please visit her Kickstarter page  or Facebook page to watch a video where she explains herself why the project is so important, and find out how you can back it. Even if it's only by forwarding the details to any family, friends or colleagues who might be interested. If 2,978 more people only pledge £1 (the minimum donation) she'll have nailed it.