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Kafbikh (
During this ceremony, the 
Another custom performed in certain parts of Iran, particularly in Khorasan, on the night of
File:Happy Yalda Night cake.jpg, Yalda cake
File:Yalda setting 2.jpg, Traditional Yalda setting
File:YaldaZibad.jpg, Traditional Yalda sweet Kafbikh
File:YaldaZibadGonabadChela.jpg, Traditional Yalda sweet Kafbikh
File:KafBeex a kind of sweet in iran.jpg, Yalda Festival in Iran featuring Kafbikh
File:Yaldā Night.png, A logo designed for Yalda
File:Fruits used in yalda at 2017.jpg, Traditional fruits on Yalda
Kafbikh (Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
: کفبیخ) is a type of traditional Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
ian sweet made in Khorasan
KhorasanDabeersiaghi, Commentary on Safarnâma-e Nâsir Khusraw, 6th Ed. Tehran, Zavvâr: 1375 (Solar Hijri Calendar) 235–236 (; , ) is a historical eastern region in the Iranian Plateau in West and Central Asia that encompasses western and no ...
, specially in the cities of Gonabad
Gonabad () is a city in the Central District of Gonabad County, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.
The city is best known as the home of the Gonabadi Dervishes and also for its '' qa ...
and Birjand
Birjand (; ) is a city in the Central District of Birjand County, South Khorasan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. The city is known for its saffron, barberry, jujube, and handmade carpet exports.
...
. It is a foodstuff eaten traditionally at Yalda
Yaldā Night () or Chelle Night (also Chellah Night, , lit. "fortieth night") is an ancient festival in Iran, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan that is celebrated on the winter solstice. This corresponds t ...
, the ancient Persian celebration of the winter solstice.
Preparation
Kaf is amarshmallow
Marshmallow (, ) is a confectionery made from sugar, water and gelatin whipped to a solid-but-soft consistency. It is used as a filling in baking or molded into shapes and coated with corn starch. This sugar confection is inspired by a medicina ...
-like sweetmeat prepared from the root of the plant ''Acanthophyllum squarrosum'', a member of the plant family Caryophyllaceae
Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family (biology), family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranth ...
. The root is cleaned and boiled for a minimum of three times, the water being discarded after each preliminary boiling, until the liquid extract has lost all trace of bitterness and acquired a sweet smell and taste.
During this ceremony, the mucilaginous
Mucilage is a thick gluey substance produced by nearly all plants and some microorganisms. These microorganisms include protists which use it for their locomotion, with the direction of their movement always opposite to that of the secretion of ...
root of the plant Chubak, or Bikh (Acanthophyllum
''Acanthophyllum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae with about 75 species, spread in the Irano-Turanian area.
Description
Small, shrubby perennial plants with spiny leaves. Flowers white or pink, sessile in solitary ...
), is soaked in water and after several boilings, is placed in a large earthenware
Earthenware is glazed or unglazed Vitrification#Ceramics, nonvitreous pottery that has normally been fired below . Basic earthenware, often called terracotta, absorbs liquids such as water. However, earthenware can be made impervious to liquids ...
pot called a Tegar. Preparation is a family affair, family members taking it in turn to whisk
A whisk is a cooking utensil which can be used to blend ingredients smooth or to incorporate air into a mixture, in a process known as '':wikt:whisk, whisking'' or '':wikt:whipping, whipping''. Most whisks consist of a long, narrow handle with ...
the root decoction
Decoction is a method of extraction by boiling herbal or plant material (which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes) to dissolve the chemicals of the material. It is the most common preparation method in various herbal medicine systems. D ...
for hours on end, using ''daste gez'' - bunches of the thin twigs of the pomegranate
The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punica, Punicoideae, that grows between tall. Rich in symbolic and mythological associations in many cultures, it is thought to have o ...
tree - until the whipped mixture sets. This whipping must be carried out in cool environment for the liquid to foam correctly and the foam produced to harden and dry. Like the nougat
Nougat refers to a variety of similar confections made from a sweet paste hardened to a chewy or crunchy consistency..
The usual version in Western and Southern Europe is made from a mousse of whipped egg white sweetened with sugar or ho ...
-like Persian sweetmeat called Gaz
Gaz may refer to:
Geography
*Gaz, Kyrgyzstan
Iran
* Gaz, Darmian, village in South Khorasan province
* Gaz, Golestan, a village in Bandar-e Gaz County
* Gaz, Hormozgan, a village in Minab County
* Gaz, Kerman, a village
* Gaz, North Khorasan, a ...
(made traditionally in Isfahan
Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...
) the prepared Kaf is sweetened by the addition of fruit juice, sugar or honey, and then decorated. Before the Kaf is sweetened youths are allowed to entertain the assembled company by throwing pieces of it at each other in a mock battle resembling a snowball fight, in which they rub the frothy confection on their opponents’ hair and faces. Guests given kaf are presented also with walnuts and pistachios (and sometimes also milk) to eat with it.
Another custom performed in certain parts of Iran, particularly in Khorasan, on the night of Yalda
Yaldā Night () or Chelle Night (also Chellah Night, , lit. "fortieth night") is an ancient festival in Iran, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan that is celebrated on the winter solstice. This corresponds t ...
(Chelleh) involves young engaged couples. The men send an edible arrangement combining seven kinds of fruits and a variety of gifts to their fiancées. In some areas, the girl and her family return the favor by sending gifts back to the young man.
Gallery
See also
*Nowruz
Nowruz (, , ()
, ()
, ()
, ()
, Kurdish language, Kurdish: ()
, ()
, ()
, ()
,
,
,
, ()
,
, ) is the Iranian or Persian New Year. Historically, it has been observed by Iranian peoples, but is now celebrated by many ...
* Yalda
Yaldā Night () or Chelle Night (also Chellah Night, , lit. "fortieth night") is an ancient festival in Iran, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan that is celebrated on the winter solstice. This corresponds t ...
* Gonabad
Gonabad () is a city in the Central District of Gonabad County, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.
The city is best known as the home of the Gonabadi Dervishes and also for its '' qa ...
* Zibad
Zibad () is a village in, and the capital of, Zibad Rural District, of Kakhk District, Gonabad County, Razavi Khorasan province, Iran.
Demographics Population
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the village's population was 868 in ...
* Jesuite
* Konditorei
A is a business that typically offers a wide variety of Pastry, pastries and typically also serves as a café#In Europe, café. (plural) are found in many countries including but not limited to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Denmar ...
* Kuo Yuan Ye Museum of Cake and Pastry
The Kuo Yuan Ye Museum of Cake and Pastry () is a pastry culture and making museum in Taiwan.
The museum has two branches in Taiwan, one in Shilin District, Taipei and another in Yangmei District, Taoyuan City.
History
In 1708, an ancestor of ...
* List of baked goods
This is a list of baked goods. Baked goods are foods made from dough or batter (cooking), batter and cooked by baking, a method of cooking food that uses prolonged dry heat, normally in an oven, but also in hot ashes, or on hot stones. The most c ...
* List of desserts
A dessert is typically the sweet Course (food), course that, after the entrée and main course, concludes a meal in the culture of many countries, particularly western world, Western culture. The course usually consists of sweet foods, but may ...
* List of food preparation utensils
A kitchen utensil is a hand-held, typically small tool that is designed for food-related functions. Food preparation utensils are a specific type of kitchen utensil, designed for use in the preparation of food. Some utensils are both food prepar ...
* List of pastries
pastry, Pastries are small buns made using a stiff dough enriched with fat. Some dishes, such as pies, are made of a pastry casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweetness, sweet or Umami, savory ingredients.
The six basi ...
* Mold (cooking implement)
A mould (British English) or mold (American English), is a container used in various techniques of food preparation to shape the finished Dish (food), dish. The term may also refer to a finished dish made in said container (e.g. a jello mold).
Typ ...
* Pan dulce (sweet bread)
Pan dulce, literally meaning "sweet bread", is the general name for a variety of Mexican pastries. They are inexpensive treats and are consumed at breakfast, ''merienda'', or dinner. The pastries originated in Mexico following the introducti ...
References
External links
* * * * * * {{Taste Gustation Festivals in Iran Persian culture