Mahyawa or mehyawa () is an

Iranian cuisine Iranian cuisine comprises the culinary traditions of Iran. Due to the historically common usage of the term "Name of Iran, Persia" to refer to Iran in the Western world,Yarshater, EhsaPersia or Iran, Persian or Farsi, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. ...

tangy

sauce In cooking, a sauce is a liquid, cream, or semi- solid food, served on or used in preparing other foods. Most sauces are not normally consumed by themselves; they add flavour, texture, and visual appeal to a dish. ''Sauce'' is a French wor ...

made out of fermented fish. Mahyawa is often sold at bakeries and by street vendors in the southern parts of Iran, especially Hormozgan, Bushehr and the southern parts of

Fars province Fars Province or Pars Province, also known as Persis or Farsistan (فارسستان), is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Shiraz. Pars province has an area of 122,400 km2 and is located in Iran's southwest, i ...

, and some of the GCC Countries, in clear bottles, showing the brown-colored sauce.

Etymology

The name (Mahyaweh;ماهی‌آوه) is derived from Mahweh (مهوه) which in Achomi language means Mah (ِمَه;mah or ماهی;mahi) for “fish” and Aweh (آوَه) or Ow (آو) for “water”.

History

Mahyawa (in or ) is a famous dish widely consumed in Southern Iran, the southern regions of

Fars Province Fars Province or Pars Province, also known as Persis or Farsistan (فارسستان), is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Shiraz. Pars province has an area of 122,400 km2 and is located in Iran's southwest, i ...

and Hormozgan, as well the rest of the

Gulf A gulf is a large inlet from an ocean or their seas into a landmass, larger and typically (though not always) with a narrower opening than a bay (geography), bay. The term was used traditionally for large, highly indented navigable bodies of s ...

especially the GCC countries, which has been introduced there by the it was brought by the migration of the Achums (known locally as the Huwala and Ajam communities or more commonly “Khodmooni”). They claim it was invented by

Avicenna Ibn Sina ( – 22 June 1037), commonly known in the West as Avicenna ( ), was a preeminent philosopher and physician of the Muslim world, flourishing during the Islamic Golden Age, serving in the courts of various Iranian peoples, Iranian ...

, and according to others it was prepared by

Bozorgmehr Bozorgmehr-e Bokhtagan (Middle Persian: ''Wuzurgmihr ī Bōkhtagān''), also known as Burzmihr, Dadmihr and Dadburzmihr, was an Iranian peoples, Iranian sage and dignitary from the House of Karen, Karen family, who served as minister (''Wuzurg fr ...

the minister of Anoushirvan, and they believe that eating Mahweh/Mahyaweh, which also contains mustard, prevents skin disease ( Vitiligo).

Benefits

Mahyawa contains

phosphorus Phosphorus is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol P and atomic number 15. All elemental forms of phosphorus are highly Reactivity (chemistry), reactive and are therefore never found in nature. They can nevertheless be prepared ar ...

and

calcium Calcium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to it ...

, in addition to many

vitamins Vitamins are organic molecules (or a set of closely related molecules called vitamers) that are essential to an organism in small quantities for proper metabolic function. Essential nutrients cannot be synthesized in the organism in suff ...

. Among its benefits is that it helps reduce the effects of bronchial asthma and enhances mental strength. Fish is also known as "food for the brain." Research has shown that fish is brain food due to its high

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...

content. Fish oil has the ability to relieve rheumatic pain and

joint stiffness Joint stiffness may be either the symptom of pain on moving a joint, the symptom of loss of range of motion or the physical sign of reduced range of motion. * Pain on movement is commonly caused by osteoarthritis, often in quite minor degrees, ...

, and it also contains

vitamin D Vitamin D is a group of structurally related, fat-soluble compounds responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, along with numerous other biological functions. In humans, the most important compo ...

. Additionally, it helps reduce the risk of poisoning from toxic substances like mercury. It lowers the risk of death from

heart disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases (e.g. angina pectoris, angina, myocardial infarction, heart attack), heart failure, ...

by 30%, reduces the symptoms of

rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects synovial joint, joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and h ...

, relieves migraine pain, prevents cancerous tumors (as tested on lab animals), and regulates the function of

anti-inflammatory Anti-inflammatory is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation, fever or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs, also called anti-inflammatories, make up about half of analgesics. These drugs reduce pain by inhibiting mechan ...

substances.

Preparing and serving

Mahyawa (or Mahyaweh) is a traditional fermented

fish sauce Fish sauce is a liquid condiment made from fish or krill that have been coated in salt and fermented for up to two years. It is used as a staple seasoning in East Asian cuisine and Southeast Asian cuisine, particularly Myanmar, Cambodia, L ...

made primarily from dried, salted anchovies (known in Bahrani Arabic as "matoot") which are less than 10 cm in length, and a blend of aromatic spices. The fish should ideally be sun-dried, with heads removed before grinding into a fine powder. The spice mix typically includes coriander seeds (toasted until slightly browned),

fennel Fennel (''Foeniculum vulgare'') is a flowering plant species in the carrot family. It is a hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves. It is indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean but has become widely naturalized ...

or anise seeds (حبه حلوه), cumin (ground), and mustard seeds (which can be added whole or ground). Some versions also include coarse salt, white vinegar, lemon juice, and

water Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...

to help ferment the mixture. To prepare it, mix 1 kg of dried anchovy fish with about 250g each of coriander, anise, and mustard seeds, 1 cup of ground cumin, 2 cups of coarse salt, 1 cup of white vinegar, ½ cup of lemon juice, and around 3 litters of water. Heat the liquid ingredients with the salt until hot (without boiling), then add the ground fish and spices. Stir for about 7 minutes, then let it cool. Pour the mixture into a jar, cover with a clean cloth and loose lid, and leave it to ferment in the sun for 2–3 weeks, stirring with a wooden spoon every few days. Once fermentation is complete, store it in a cool place. Mahyawa can vary slightly in ingredients depending on regional or family traditions—some recipes may favor fennel over anise, or use different ratios of spices. It is typically served on top of a wafer thin crispy flat bread local Saj bread (known as Regag) or Tumushi, and Falazi.

Etymology

History

Benefits

Preparing and serving

References

Notes

See also