Khagineh (خاگینه) is another delicious and traditional member of sweet dessert in Iran. Its place of origin is west south of Iran. If we want to tell the exact location, it’s from Azarbyjaneshargi province and Tabriz city.so its original and Azari name is “Gheyganakh” (قیقاناخ). During the years, this delicious dessert has gone around Iran and has evolved into other complex looking desserts like fried into simple lace design, fried into small size of ball shape, cooked in a cake form, and form of stuffed with nuts.
However, with all these changes in its appearance and cooking form, its ingredients have remained the same. This special noble dessert is assistance in almost every dinner party. It is served in particular formal and informal ceremonies like “Ramadan,” “Shah Yalda,” and wedding ceremonies. It is also used as a meal and sometimes people have it as breakfast or evening meal.
Different type of Khagineh:
Khagineh, this sweet dessert can be cooked with several different recipes, which makes a variety of flavors. Each method has its name according to extra added material. If we want to name some of them, we can refer to these once: simple Khagineh, yogurt Khagineh (with yogurt), banana Khagineh, rolled stuffed Khagineh, Khagineh with orange taste, carrot Khagineh, walnut Khagineh, mint Khagineh and so on.
Important Nutrition facts of Khagineh:
Khagineh is so simple in the ingredients but is very nutritious. It has a very high calorie with 475 calories per 3.5 ounces. It contains a high amount of protein, and it is a good source of B6 and B12 vitamins and also selenium mineral.
A high amount of cholesterol and saturated fat is a negative point in Khagineh’s cuisine. So it is not the right choice for people with diabetes and people with high cholesterol blood. But if you use less vegetable oil in the process of preparing and frying it, it can help to reduce its harm and keep its fat at least amount. It is a good evening meal for children since they are so active and need more energy.
Vegetarian tips:
It is a beautiful dessert and meal for vegetarians because of its non-animal materials as they are flour, water, egg, sugar, Damask rose, rose water, sugar, and some other flavor. The only element that is notable for a vegan is the egg, which couldn’t be replaced with any other thing. We will be sorry that they couldn’t taste this delicious meal because of it.
Serving style of Khagineh:
We can serve Khagineh as a dessert and also as a meal for breakfast, brunch, and evening meals. So if you have it as a dessert, you are going to eat it after the main meal. But if you have it for your main meal, for breakfast, brunch or evening snack, It will be so pleasant to have it with a cup of tea or mild milk beside it. You can slice it and serve in a platter as you dress and garnish it with cinnamon and Damask rose powder of slices of pistachio or walnut or whatever you like.
What are the ingredients?
The main ingredients of Khagineh are as simple as everyone has them at home and cook it quickly. They are flour, eggs, saffron, rose water, vanilla, baking powder, and water. Other ingredients that you may use to change its taste are walnuts, cardamom, cinnamon, Damask rose. Also, you use Damask rose petals or its powder, nuts, and their powder or whatever you like for dressing and garnishing it.
Cooking process of Khagineh:
The recipe of Khagineh is straightforward and convenient. You can prepare the mixture of it only in 30min. At first, you should make the saffron syrup. You need to mix water and sugar at a saucepan and put it on a medium flame and let it boil and simmer until it thickens. Finely you put it aside to cool. You can add some rose water and saffron to syrup to make it fragrant and scented and its golden yellow color.
In the second part, you should mix eggs, flour, water, vanilla, baking powder, and cardamom and cinnamon and stir them well. Then pour oil or butter in the frying pan and put it on medium flame until it gets hot enough. Finely add your mixture to the hot oil and fry and cook it both sides golden. The cooking process lasts only 30 min, and you can serve it quickly.
Recipe:
This recipe is adequate for four people. The preparation time is about 20 minutes, and the cooking time is about 30 minutes.
Khagineh
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoon flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ cup of water
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 teaspoon bloomed saffron
- Butter or oil required enough amount
Instructions
- In the first step, you need to make a syrup for our dessert. To mix sugar and water in a saucepan and stir it until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Put it on the heat and let it boil and simmer until it thickens.
- Put it aside to cool. When t get cool, add some bloomed saffron for its golden color and rose water to make it fragrant and scented.
- Break the eggs into a bowl and stir them with a hand mixer until stiff
- Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add mixed eggs to the combination and mix them until the materials are smooth.
- Pour the oil/butter in the non-stick frying pan, which is suitable in size. Put it on medium heat until it gets warm enough.
- Add combination into the frying pan and spread it all over it.
- Let it fry and cook it until golden each side.
- Put them in a platter, slice them, pout saffron syrup on it.
- Dress it with walnut, cinnamon and pistachios powder, and Damask rose petals, and whatever you like.
Notes
Unique's advice
- Don't forget that sift the flour before adding it to the combination if you want to have a smooth mixture.
- Make sure that your syrup is cold enough before pouring it on your cooked dessert because a hot syrup can knead it.
- If you serve your dessert immediately while hot, it would be more pleasant.
