Hello, my name is Fozia, and I have loved sour treats since I was a child. Whenever I ate imli (tamarind), its sharp tartness would make my eyes scrunch up, but the taste was something else! There was just one problem: if I ate a little too much, my tongue felt cut and burning.
I was always looking for a sour treat I could keep enjoying comfortably. Then I discovered lavashak. Wow, what an amazing thing! It has that same sweet and sour taste the heart craves, but it never cuts the tongue. It is soft and chewy, and it melts in your mouth.
The photo shows how I serve it now: a full lavashak box. Dark, tangy aloo bukhara lavashak rolled into pinwheels and strips, coated in khatta meetha chooran, topped with colourful gummies, with a little cup of sour lavashak sauce for dipping. The base sheet needs only two ingredients: sour plums and lemon juice.
What Is Lavashak?
Lavashak is a thin, chewy sheet of dried fruit puree, originally from Iran and Afghanistan. It is usually very sour and eaten as a snack. Lately the lavashak box has become a big trend, where rolls and strips of lavashak are coated in chooran, decorated with candies, and served with a tangy sauce.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Only 2 ingredients for the sheets: aloo bukhara and lemon juice.
- No preservatives or colours: the deep colour comes from the plums.
- Proper chatpata taste: sour, a little sweet, and finished with a coating of chooran.
- Fun to serve: the lavashak box looks amazing for guests, kids and gifts.
My Tips for Perfect Lavashak
- Strain the puree. Removing the skins gives a smooth, glossy sheet.
- Cook it thick. The puree should be as thick as ketchup before spreading, so it dries faster.
- Spread evenly, about 3 mm thick, on oiled parchment on a flat tray.
- Dry until not sticky in the middle, then peel while slightly warm.
- Coat just before serving so the chooran stays dry and powdery and the gummies do not melt.
How to Make a Lavashak Box
Cut the sheet into strips, roll some tightly and slice them into pinwheels. Dampen the outside slightly and press each piece into khatta meetha chooran so it sticks all over. You can use any chooran you like, or make your own with amchur, kala namak, a little powdered sugar and chaat masala. Arrange everything in a box, scatter gummies and sour jelly beads on top, and add a small cup of lavashak sauce in the corner. My homemade fruit juice gummies are perfect for the topping, and on a hot day serve it with a glass of falsa sharbat or my plum juice.
Sour Aloo Bukhara Lavashak (2-Ingredient Fruit Leather)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Soak the dried aloo bukhara in the hot water for 1 hour. (If using fresh sour plums, wash, remove the stones and skip the soaking.)
- Put the plums and their soaking water in a pot and simmer for 15 minutes until very soft.
- Blend until completely smooth, then pass through a sieve to remove skins and fibres.
- Return the puree to the pot, add the lemon juice and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until it becomes thick like ketchup.
- Line a flat tray with parchment paper and brush it with a drop of oil. Spread the puree evenly about 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick.
- Dry it in the oven at the lowest setting (60-75°C) for 6-8 hours, or cover with a net and dry in strong sun for 1-2 days, until it is no longer sticky in the middle.
- Peel the sheet off the paper while it is still slightly warm.
- Spread the chooran on a plate.
- Cut some of the sheet into strips and roll the rest into tight rolls. Slice the rolls into round pinwheels.
- Lightly dampen the outside with a wet finger and press each piece into the chooran so it sticks all over.
- Arrange the rolls, strips and pinwheels in a box, sprinkle a little more chooran on top, scatter the gummies and jelly beads, and add a small cup of lavashak sauce in the corner.
- Soak the lavashak scraps in the hot water for 10 minutes, then mash or blend with the salt, red chilli and lemon juice into a thick, tangy dip.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
What is lavashak?
Lavashak is a thin, chewy sheet of dried fruit puree, popular in Iran and Afghanistan. It is usually sour and tangy, and eaten as a snack.
Which fruit is best for lavashak?
Sour fruits like aloo bukhara (plums), apricots, sour cherries and green apples give the classic tart taste. Mango and strawberry make a sweeter version.
Can I use dried aloo bukhara?
Yes, that is what I use most of the time. Soak them in hot water for an hour, simmer until soft, then blend and strain.
How do I know my lavashak is dry?
It should not feel sticky when you touch it, and it should peel off the parchment paper in one sheet. If the middle is still tacky, dry it a little longer.
How do I store homemade lavashak?
Roll it up in parchment paper and keep it in an airtight jar. It stays good for about 2 weeks at room temperature, or 1 to 2 months in the fridge.
