Is there life without lavashak?

Apparently not!

Or so some of my dear Iranian friends tell me. The looks of astonishment when I asked what lavashak was, led me on a long journey of discovery to the Caspian Sea and back.

And so, what is this thing called lavashak? Well, it is quite simply a trip down memory lane.

Lavashak hanging up at roadside shop

Picture, in your mind’s eye, something looking like a giant fruit roll-up. That is lavashak. Iran produces some of the tastiest and organic fruit I have ever eaten.  Given that so much of Iran’s topography consists of arid desert or mountain ranges, it is difficult to imagine that the country produces so much wonderful fruit. But it does. And the fruit is delicious.

Apart from the largest and sweetest watermelons you are ever likely to see on the planet, Iran grows fabulous cherries (both sweet and sour), apricots, plums and pomegranates. These latter fruits are normally used to make lavashak.

An age-old process transforms these juicy fruits into a healthy and preservative-free snack.  Known locally as “fruit leather”, the key to the best sticky and lip-smacking lavashak is to use sour and tangy fruit.  Plums and sour cherries appear to be the most popular.

Lavashak is made by a time-honoured recipe of boiling then drying the fruit in the sun. And nothing could be easier in a country as sun-soaked as Iran. Such recipes have been handed down from generation to generation. It is a taste of days gone by but still enjoyed as much as ever. Best of all, it allows the fruit of the earth to be preserved and then eaten at any point in the year.

The method is not difficult.  Your fruit of choice is placed in a large pot and simmered until there is little or no juice left. Then the fruity mush is liquidized and poured into a large metal tray that has been oiled first. Deftly, you then spread the fruit mix out over the tray, cover with a piece of cheesecloth and set in the sun for several days until it is dried.  Modern cooks apparently cheat a little on this lengthy process, and cook the lavashak in the oven to help the drying process along.  And finally, when everything is ready, you need to skillfully roll it up, or fold it into little parcels and eat it.

Lavashak for sale!

And here, is where nostalgia plays its part. I was told that lavashak reminds people of holiday time and long drives to distant places.  Older people reminisce fondly about their youth, playing outdoors and eating strips of the stuff.  Exciting journeys to the seaside and to the mountains, even trips to the desert are not complete without a stop somewhere to pick up some lavashak.

Although modernity has brought with it commercial lavashak neatly packaged in brightly coloured bags, nothing can beat buying it from a roadside vendor.  Travel anywhere in Iran, and you can’t miss open trucks or little shops displaying lavashak in all its many flavours and deep rich colours.

You might want to come to Iran and taste it for yourself!

Lavashak

What you need:

Plums, apricots, cherries or sour cherries

The quantity depends on how much lavashak you want.  You could start with about 20 plums.

Oil to grease the tin tray

What to do:

Wash the fruit, take out the stones and put in a large pot.

Slowly boil until the water from the fruit has evaporated. Some recipes say to add a half-cup of water and one tablespoon of lemon juice at this stage, but the fruit should have enough water of its own. Be careful the fruit does not burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.

Use a strainer to remove skins, or put the whole lot in a food processor of liquidizer and zap it until you have a smooth puree.

Put some tin foil on top of a flat tin or cookie sheet. Grease the foil with some oil.  Pour the fruit puree onto the tray and using a spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the puree over the tray.

If you live in a place that is not too sunny, you can speed up the next part by baking the lavashak in the oven for 45 minutes to one hour at 250°F, 130°C, Gas Mark ½.

Cover the tray with some cheesecloth and leave in the sun to dry for two to four days.  Traditionally, in Iran the lavashak is left on the roof to dry.  Choose a good spot that is dust and pollution free.

After about four days, take off the cheesecloth and gently fold up the lavashak.