Haft mewa means seven fruits, and it is made for Nowruz: dried apricots, two kinds of raisin, dried cherries and blanched walnuts, almonds and pistachios, soaked together in cold water for two days until the water turns into a sweet, golden syrup of its own, scented with a little rosewater. No sugar goes in. The fruits change from family to family, and the dish sits somewhere between a drink and a compote. Serve it cold, in small bowls or cups, with plenty of the liquid.
Zone: Silk Road Table
INGREDIENTS
- 110 g dried apricots
- 50 g golden raisins
- 110 g dark seedless raisins
- 50 g dried cherries
- 50 g walnuts
- 50 g almonds
- 50 g pistachios
- 1 tsp rosewater (or to taste)
- cold water (to cover)
- boiling water (for the nuts)
METHOD
- Wash the apricots and both kinds of raisin, put them in a bowl and cover with cold water to about 5cm above the fruit.
- Put the walnuts, almonds and pistachios in a separate bowl and pour over boiling water. As the skins soften, peel them off. Discard the water.
- Combine the fruit, cherries and skinned nuts with the fruit’s soaking liquid. Add the rosewater, cover and refrigerate for two days, until the liquid has turned sweet and syrupy.
- Serve cold, spooned into small bowls or cups with plenty of the juice.
NOTES
UK adaptation: Unsulphured dried apricots and dried sour cherries from health food shops or Iranian grocers. Afghan green and black raisins from Afghan grocers if you can find them; otherwise golden sultanas and dark raisins. Rosewater from the baking aisle. Everything else widely available.
US adaptation: Unsulphured dried apricots and dried tart cherries. Golden and dark raisins, or Afghan raisins from Afghan grocers. Rosewater from Middle Eastern grocers. Everything else widely available.
Cook’s note: Skin the nuts after their soak in boiling water. It is slow work, but skins left on cloud the syrup and leave it faintly bitter.
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