About 30,000 years ago
in Europe, flour was processed into unleavened bread. A substance was used in
the dough, causing a foaming action that lightened and softened the bread. By
10,000 years ago, with the domestication of wheat and barley, bread became a
staple food in the diet of people in the Fertile Crescent. From there,
wheat-based agriculture spread to Europe, North Africa, and the Indian
Subcontinent. In the eastern parts of Asia, rice was made into bread, as was
maize in the Americas and sorghum (from the grass family) in sub-Saharan
Africa.
The Fertile Crescent. Photo: Encyclopedia Britannica |
Villagers Harvesting Wheat in Iraq. Photo: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast- crisis-wheat-idUSKCN0HP12J20140930 |
The dependence on bread
marked a major turning point in human history. By creating this alternative
agricultural system, societies were able to sustain much larger populations,
abandon their foraging and hunter-gathering ways, and become farmers. This led
to economic specialization, social complexity, and the rise of civilized states.
The earliest archaeological
evidence of the development of raised bread, either through the use of yeast or
the adding of gas to the dough during baking, is from Ancient Egypt.
The original bread, made around 30,000 years ago, was made by combining roasted and ground cereal with water to create a grain paste and then cooking it. To this day, the descendants of these first breads are still being made all over the world with various kinds of grains. Some examples are the Armenian/Iranian lavash, Iranian sangak and taftoon, Mexican tortilla, Indian chapatti, roti, and naan, Scottish oatcake, North American johnnycake, Jewish matzo, Middle Eastern pita, and Ethiopian injera.
North American Johnnycake, Which is Not a Cake, But a Bread. Photo: http://eatingtheirwords.blogspot.com/2010/04/little-house-in-big-woods-johnny-cake.html |
Scottish Oatcakes. Photo: http://www.smokedsalmon.co.uk/shop-baker-scottish-oatcakes+pp+ns_baoa |
The Breads of Iran
Some of the Breads of Iran. Photo: https://mosta6il.wordpress.com/2013/02/27/ caveman-in-mashhad-bread-nostalgia/ |
Sangak:
Sangak bread, first
mentioned in the 11th century, is a triangular, leavened flatbread
made with whole wheat and sometimes topped with poppy seeds or sesame seeds.
Sangak is baked on a bed of small river stones in an oven. Its name means Little Stone in Persian; sang meaning
stone and the added ak suggests the diminutive of the noun/adjective. This is similar
to the Spanish usage of ito/ita: Juan, Juanito; poco, poquito. Sangak is also
consumed in Azerbaijan.
Sangak Bread Baking on Small River Stones Photo: Hossein Zohrevand |
Sangak was the bread of the army, with each soldier carrying a small amount of pebbles with them. At camp, these pebbles were put together to create the oven and the bread was baked for the entire army. Once the bread was baked, it was eaten with lamb kababs, with the meat rolled into the bread. Sangak is one of the favorite breads of Iran and is consumed every day, especially for breakfast.
Sangak and Kabab Photo: http://www.iranchamber.com/recipes/meat/kabab_koobideh.php |
Sangak Bread and Fried Eggs. Photo: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/a9/71/ be/a971becf44f361c28e5eb7afca337ca2.jpg |
Traditional Iranian Breakfast. Photo: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ b9/bd/d0/b9bdd0a8bfcfe16d252f157a5a4c732d.jpg |
Lavash:
Lavash is a soft, thin
unleavened flatbread made in a traditional oven called tanoor and made with
flour, water, and salt. The thickness of the bread depends on how thick or thin it is
rolled. The dough is rolled out flat and then slapped against the hot walls of
a clay oven. The bread is very flexible when fresh and makes excellent wrap
sandwiches. Lavash dries up quickly and loses its softness. It is then stored
and used over a long period of time, especially during Eucharist (Holly
Comunion) traditions by the Armenian Apostolic Church. It can be sprinkled with
water to soften again.
Lavash Bread. Photo: http://hubpages.com/food/FlatBread-Recipe-Armenian-Lavash |
Lavash is eaten not only
in Iran, but all over the Caucasus (the area between the Black Sea and the
Caspian Sea), Western Asia, and the areas surrounding the Caspian Sea. It is
the most popular bread in Iran, Armenia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan.
Lavash bread has strong
roots in Iran and Armenia, and is usually called Armenian Flatbread.
Women Baking Lavash Bread in Armenia. Photo: http://travels21.com/news/food_wine_experiences_in_armenia/2015-01-29-7 |
Barbari
Barbari bread is made
with wheat, water, salt, and sourdough culture and is between 27 to 31 inches
long and 10 to 11 inches wide. The dough is rolled out and then the surface of
the dough is pressed down with the tip of the fingers and baked in a
brick, stone, or clay oven.
Barbari has
a crisp top and bottom with soft baked dough in the middle and is an excellent
base for thick pizza.
Barbari is served with feta cheese and Sabzi Khordan which, in Persian, literally means Green Eating. Sabzi Khordan consists of vegetable greens and herbs such as mint, scallion, basil, parsley, radish, dill, coriander leaves, tarragon, and Persian shallot. Sabzi Khordan comes as a side dish served prior to the serving of the main course.
Barbari bread is also one of the popular traditional breads, consumed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Barbari Bread is Made by Pressing Down With the Tip of the Fingers.
Photo: IRNA Islamic Republic
News Agency
|
Barbari Breads Baking in the Oven. Photo: IRNA Islamic Republic News Agency |
Barbari Bread at a Bakery. Photo: https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=28933.0 |
Barbari Bakers. Photo: https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=28933.0 |
Barbari Pizza. Photo: http://nancys-notebook.blogspot.com/2011/03/barbari-bread-pizza.html |
Barbari is served with feta cheese and Sabzi Khordan which, in Persian, literally means Green Eating. Sabzi Khordan consists of vegetable greens and herbs such as mint, scallion, basil, parsley, radish, dill, coriander leaves, tarragon, and Persian shallot. Sabzi Khordan comes as a side dish served prior to the serving of the main course.
Sabzi Khordan or "Green Eating". Photo: http://www.bottomofthepot.com/2013/08/a-platter-of-fresh-herbs-balancing-act.html |
Barbari Bread and Sabzi Khordan. Photo: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2b/d8/61/2bd861878347377786306d9b9f59b90a.jpg |
Barbari bread is also one of the popular traditional breads, consumed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Traditional Iranian Breakfast with Barbari Bread. Photo: http://persianmama.com/ |
Another Traditional Iranian Breakfast with Barbari Bread. Photo: http://persianmama.com/ |
Taftoon
Taftoon is a leavened
flour bread made with milk, yoghurt, eggs, saffron, cardamom, and decorated
with poppy seeds. It is usually round and baked in a traditional oven. Taftoon
is eaten in Pakistan and northern India also.
Taftoon Bread. Photo: http://persiandelightuk.com/category/beverages/ |
Taftoon Bread and Kashke Bademjoon, an Iranian Eggplant Dish. Photo: http://persiandelightuk.com/category/beverages/ |
Noon Shirmal
Noon Shirmal literally
means Rubbed Milk Bread in Persian. It is a sweet bread made with flour, yeast,
warm milk, sugar and saffron with slight regional variations in its
preparation. Due to the variation in preparation, Noon Shirmal is often taken
as a souvenir when traveling between regions in Iran. Shirmal resembles Danish
pastry, Jewish challah bread, and French brioche. It is made round and
rectangular.
Noon Shirmal is also
made in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.
These are the most popular breads in Iran. However, there are many other kinds of breads which are exclusive to certain regions and to certain tribes. Now if this blog is making you crave for some Iranian bread but you don't live in Iran, you're in luck if you live in Los Angeles, Washington DC, New York City, London, or Paris. If not, you can always order online..... Happy Bread Eating!
Rectangular Noon Shirmal, Photo: http://www.aashpazi.com/shirmal-bread |
Round Noon Shirmal. Photo: http://www.boldsky.com/cookery/vegetarian/maincourse/indian- breads/sheermal-ramzan-special-sweet-bread-recipe-041541.html |
Jewish Challah Bread. Photo: https://beccabakesblog.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/my-first-attempt-bread-challah/ |
French Brioche. Photo: http://pastryandsports.blogspot.com/2013/07/brioche-tete-brioche-longue.html |
These are the most popular breads in Iran. However, there are many other kinds of breads which are exclusive to certain regions and to certain tribes. Now if this blog is making you crave for some Iranian bread but you don't live in Iran, you're in luck if you live in Los Angeles, Washington DC, New York City, London, or Paris. If not, you can always order online..... Happy Bread Eating!
Now my mouth is watering!
ReplyDeleteWaaaa so much deliciousness!
ReplyDeleteSangak *drool*
ReplyDelete