Tales of Saffron and Rose Water

Some of the world’s most exotic ingredients are but store-cupboard essentials in iran. Yasmin Khan journeys to the cultural hubs of isfahan and shiraz for a taste

- Yasmin Khan

The cities of Isfahan and Shiraz are the artistic and cultural hubs of Iran, famous throughout the Middle East for their unique Persian-Islamic architecture, intricate patterned tile work, ornate handicrafts, lavishly designed gardens and masterful poets, such as Hafez and Sa’adi. The region is also home to some of Persian cuisine’s most evocative ingredients. Saffron, pomegranates and roses (for rose water) are all cultivated here. Not only are these store-cupboard essentials for Iranians, but they are also used medicinally, honoured in thousand-year-old mythological stories and celebrated in ancient Persian poetry.

The food of central Iran has been shaped by its arid desert climate. In the days before refrigeration, fresh produce quickly perished, and so dried fruits and nuts were often used to enhance main courses. Today, the region’s most popular dishes include albaloo polo, rice layered with sour cherries and lamb, and shirin polo, rice studded with candied carrots, almonds, pistachios and slivers of orange zest. Sweetness is the dominant taste of the food, so it is no surprise that the country’s most sought after desserts originate in these provinces—from soft, chewy pistachio and rose water nougat, known as gaz, to Bastani sonnati, a thick, saffron custard ice cream, flecked with pistachios.