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Lavashak
Sour plum fruit leather
Lavashak (لواشک): thin, tart sour-plum fruit leather
Lavashak is the sour fruit leather Iranian children buy rolled up in plastic from corner shops, and every family has a version dried at home in late summer, when tart plums and apricots are plentiful in Tehran's bazaars. Fruit is cooked down, sieved smooth, spread thin and dried until it peels off as a flexible, glossy sheet, sour enough to make you wince and very moreish. Torn into strips, it is a snack on its own or wrapped around a crisp of rice. Chef's tip: spread the purée evenly thin, about 3 mm; thick patches stay sticky while the edges go brittle.
- Total time
- 440 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb sour plums (or tart apricots)halved and stoned
- ½ cup water
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar (optional)only if the fruit is very sour
- 1 tsp sunflower oilfor the paper
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put the 2 ¼ lb sour plums (or tart apricots) and ½ cup water in a pan, cover and cook over a medium heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the fruit collapses completely.
20 minStep 3: Heat the oven to its lowest setting, about 158°F (122°F fan). Line a large baking tray (about 30 × 40 cm) with baking paper and wipe it very lightly with the 1 tsp sunflower oil.
5 minStep 4: Pour on the purée and spread it with a palette knife into an even layer about 3 mm thick, right into the corners. Common mistake: a thick middle and thin edges; tilt and tap the tray to level it.
5 minStep 5: Dry in the oven with the door slightly propped open for 6–7 hours. It is done when the surface is no longer tacky in the middle and the whole sheet peels away from the paper in one piece.
390 minStep 6: Cool, then roll up in fresh baking paper and cut into strips. Keep in an airtight jar for up to 2 months.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 60 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lavashak take?
- About 440 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 420 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
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