Served chilled (or with some crushed ice) and garnished with fresh mint, paloodeh is oh-so easy to make and nutritious! Paloodeh Fâloodeh فالودهĪh, here’s the one that may be more familiar to you- fâloodeh, semi –frozen vermicelli noodles bathing in rosewater syrup and served with fresh lime juice and/or sour cherry syrup. This cantaloupe cooler is made with grated or pureed cantaloupe (depending on whether or not you like texture- I do!), sugar or honey (optional, since you could just as easily enjoy the natural sweetness of the melon), and a splash of rosewater (obviously, because this is Persian). Iran has such a variety of sweet and juicy melons that it only makes sense that paloodeh (not to be mistaken with faloodeh) is one of the summer thirst quenchers. Drink kiosk on 30 Tir Street in Tehran Pâloodeh پالوده And no matter how badly the heat is dragging you down, one of these two is sure to bless you with a second wind. In Iran, you’ll find ice cream/juice stands offering khâkshir and tokhme sharbati (or a combination) for a quick pick-me-up as you go about your day. These days, we know these mini black seeds (which I’ve also seen translated as “basil seeds”) as a superfood that pack quite the nutritional punch! Like khâkshir, tokhme sharbati are combined with sweetened water (until they form a gel), some rosewater, and a hint of lime juice. A traditional Iranian summer drink with khakshir seeds Tokhme sharbati تخم شربتیīack when all we knew about chia seeds in the US was related to Chia Pets, Iranians were steeped in tradition with tokhme sharbati. I honestly don’t know which one is correct.) Khâkshir is best known for preventing dehydration, but the seeds are insistent upon settling at the bottom of the glass, so you have to constantly stir and drink. (I’ve seen khâkshir translated as teff, mugwort, London rocket, and flixweed, depending on the source. Instead, it’s a wonderfully thirst-quenching refreshment made with sweetened water, a splash of rosewater, and its namesake tiny brown seeds. Khâkshir is literally “dirt milk,” but rest assured it consists of neither dirt nor milk. (I’m sure there are some Iranians out there gasping that I ate this for dinner, but what can I say? Chasbid!) Kahu sekanjabin Khâkshir خاکشیر This is a lazy summer afternoon ritual in Iran (and on sizdeh bedar)! Just a few days ago, after an exhausting day of bouncing around all over downtown Tehran in the heat and traffic, I came home to kâhu sekanjabin as the perfect cooling, light dinner. Instead of mixing it with water and cucumbers, dip some crisp romaine lettuce hearts into it. The sekanjabin syrup doubles as a dip here. Khiar sekanjabin is a cool drink to try in Iran in the summer Kâhu sekanjabin کاهو سکنجبین Add some grated, peeled cucumber, water, ice, and fresh mint, and you’ve got yourself the ultimate summer refresher. These days, you can even buy ready-made sekanjabin syrup from the grocery store. The syrup is made up of water, mint extract, honey (or sugar), and white vinegar (to balance out the sweetness). This sweet and sour cucumber cooler is another summer favorite. Clay pots of âb doogh khiâr at Tehran’s Friday Bazaar Khiâr sekanjabin خیار سکنجبین The coolness will be radiating from your gut to the point where you’ll be untouchable to the heat. And let me tell you- it’s like having A/C inside your body. To make it more filling, we’d tear pieces of bread into it (a process in Persian called tilit). This was something my mom always used to prepare for lunch in the summer. Âb doogh khiâr translates as “water- doogh -cucumber.” It’s essentially a delicious cold cucumber soup made with watered-down yogurt, diced cucumbers, sweet raisins, chopped walnuts, dried rose petals, and plenty of fresh and dried herbs (you could add ice cubes to make it colder). The best part is they’re all a breeze to make no matter what part of the world you’re in! Âb doogh khiâr آب دوغ خیار So check out exactly what to eat and drink in Iran to keep you cool as a cucumber in the summer. If you’re anything like me, when it comes time to eat, you’ll shun heavy and hot dishes like chelow kebab and dizi and instead opt for something lighter or load up on fresh fruit. If you’re planning to visit Iran at this time, be prepared for the heat to drain you as you explore the narrow, mud-brick alleys of Yazd or go back in time to the ancient Persian Empire in Persepolis. Summer is rapidly approaching, and even though I’m not fully prepared to make it through Tehran’s brutal heat again, I know I’ve at least got plenty of food and drink to keep me cool and hydrated.
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