Majida Rashid
“A fruit salad is delicious precisely because each fruit maintains its own flavor”
Sean Covey
While in many cultures fruit is usually served after a meal, Iranians welcome their guests with fruit. Every Iranian household has seasonal fruits that adorn a table in the living room.
Somehow cucumbers are also an integral part of this layout. Fruit is the first thing an Iranian host serves to their guests immediately upon their arrival. This welcoming practice is called Pazeerai. It’s as integral a part of Iranian culture as the air we breathe.
Nowadays, a lot of out of season fruits are available worldwide throughout the year. But growing up in Abbottabad, Pakistan, we could enjoy only the seasonal fruits. My favorite daily activity in winter was eating fruit in my father’s room. Father always touted how Vitamin C in oranges was beneficial to our health, especially for warding off cold and flu. Of all the fruits, I looked forward to the days when oranges were delivered. They were heated slightly during the freezing weather because there was no central heating due to the design of the house. A pot of hot water would be brought to a simmer. Then oranges were put in the water and, a little later, they would bob up and down like little buoys. Simmering brought their flesh to room temperature.
But nothing else matched my love of fruit chaat. The subtle heat of spices when mixed with various fruits creates a feast of flavors that change depending on the fruit we are munching on. It was made on occasions like Eid or for special guests. It’s best to prepare the fruit beforehand and refrigerate, separately, overnight. I avoid apples because they oxidize and bananas because of their soft texture. But it doesn’t mean one cannot use them. I also use pomegranate seeds when in season.
Watermelon ice is another fruit concoction that’s always popular with children. Juice can also be obtained by squeezing the watermelon in a sieve. I usually use a square Pyrex dish for chilling. A tiny dollop of whipped cream on top of every watermelon-ice cube makes it look beautiful.
Fruit Chaat
(Serves 3-4)
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
2-3 small guavas
1 cup each of seedless black and green grapes
3-4 peaches or nectarines
1 cup pitted cherries, quartered
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper
A pinch of salt
Juice of 1 orange
1/2 teaspoon orange rind, optional
Directions
Place the cumin seeds in a dry pan and roast over low heat until they change color. The air will be filled with their aroma.
Transfer onto a plate and let them cool.
Crush them with the back of a spoon.
Remove the seeds of the guavas cut the flesh into small pieces
Peel and quarter the peaches and cut into bite size pieces.
Quarter each grape.
Place all the fruit in a big bowl and toss well.
Mix together the crushed cumin, peppers and salt.
Stir it in the orange juice and the rind.
Pour the orange juice into the fruit bowl and mix gently.
Place in a serving bowl and serve with coffee or as a snack.
Watermelon Ice
(Serves 3-4)
Ingredients
5-6 cups small pieces of watermelon, seeded
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar (optional)
1-1/3 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup water
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Blend together half of the watermelon pieces, sugar and the lemon juice until the mixture is smooth and the sugar is dissolved.
Warm half of the water and mix in half of the gelatin until it’s dissolved. Do not boil the liquid.
Cool slightly and stir in the watermelon-lemon mixture.
Pour in a container and freeze for an hour.
Blend the rest of the watermelon and vanilla.
Prepare the remaining gelatin and mix it with the watermelon-vanilla liquid.
Cool slightly and pour over frozen watermelon-lemon gel.
If warm gelatin is mixed with cold watermelon, the mixture can become lumpy.
Freeze for another hour or until the gelatin is set.
Cut into small cubes and serve immediately.
Sean Covey
While in many cultures fruit is usually served after a meal, Iranians welcome their guests with fruit. Every Iranian household has seasonal fruits that adorn a table in the living room.
Somehow cucumbers are also an integral part of this layout. Fruit is the first thing an Iranian host serves to their guests immediately upon their arrival. This welcoming practice is called Pazeerai. It’s as integral a part of Iranian culture as the air we breathe.
Nowadays, a lot of out of season fruits are available worldwide throughout the year. But growing up in Abbottabad, Pakistan, we could enjoy only the seasonal fruits. My favorite daily activity in winter was eating fruit in my father’s room. Father always touted how Vitamin C in oranges was beneficial to our health, especially for warding off cold and flu. Of all the fruits, I looked forward to the days when oranges were delivered. They were heated slightly during the freezing weather because there was no central heating due to the design of the house. A pot of hot water would be brought to a simmer. Then oranges were put in the water and, a little later, they would bob up and down like little buoys. Simmering brought their flesh to room temperature.
But nothing else matched my love of fruit chaat. The subtle heat of spices when mixed with various fruits creates a feast of flavors that change depending on the fruit we are munching on. It was made on occasions like Eid or for special guests. It’s best to prepare the fruit beforehand and refrigerate, separately, overnight. I avoid apples because they oxidize and bananas because of their soft texture. But it doesn’t mean one cannot use them. I also use pomegranate seeds when in season.
Watermelon ice is another fruit concoction that’s always popular with children. Juice can also be obtained by squeezing the watermelon in a sieve. I usually use a square Pyrex dish for chilling. A tiny dollop of whipped cream on top of every watermelon-ice cube makes it look beautiful.
Fruit Chaat
(Serves 3-4)
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
2-3 small guavas
1 cup each of seedless black and green grapes
3-4 peaches or nectarines
1 cup pitted cherries, quartered
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper
A pinch of salt
Juice of 1 orange
1/2 teaspoon orange rind, optional
Directions
Place the cumin seeds in a dry pan and roast over low heat until they change color. The air will be filled with their aroma.
Transfer onto a plate and let them cool.
Crush them with the back of a spoon.
Remove the seeds of the guavas cut the flesh into small pieces
Peel and quarter the peaches and cut into bite size pieces.
Quarter each grape.
Place all the fruit in a big bowl and toss well.
Mix together the crushed cumin, peppers and salt.
Stir it in the orange juice and the rind.
Pour the orange juice into the fruit bowl and mix gently.
Place in a serving bowl and serve with coffee or as a snack.
Watermelon Ice
(Serves 3-4)
Ingredients
5-6 cups small pieces of watermelon, seeded
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar (optional)
1-1/3 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup water
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Blend together half of the watermelon pieces, sugar and the lemon juice until the mixture is smooth and the sugar is dissolved.
Warm half of the water and mix in half of the gelatin until it’s dissolved. Do not boil the liquid.
Cool slightly and stir in the watermelon-lemon mixture.
Pour in a container and freeze for an hour.
Blend the rest of the watermelon and vanilla.
Prepare the remaining gelatin and mix it with the watermelon-vanilla liquid.
Cool slightly and pour over frozen watermelon-lemon gel.
If warm gelatin is mixed with cold watermelon, the mixture can become lumpy.
Freeze for another hour or until the gelatin is set.
Cut into small cubes and serve immediately.
