Winter street food In Iran.

Walking through the streets of Iran in the afternoon is a popular activity for many travelers. In the night, monuments and museums are closed and the streets are crowded by the locals who are shopping and having fun especially in cities like Tehran and Shiraz with an alive nightlife.

Besides having a long walk and meeting the locals you can offer yourself a warm and delicious light snack usually found on downtown streets. Many kinds of street food are served on streets of Iran in different seasons of the year. Winter brings its own street food as well:

Ash:

No, of course it doesn’t mean dust and cinder! Ash is Iranian vegetable soup and is made in many diverse ways. I can count more than 20 types of Ash, cooked in different cities of Iran. “Ash Reshteh”, made with vegetables, beans and a kind of noodle and served while it is hot and steaming is the queen of winter street foods in Iran! If you were in Shiraz, trust me and taste “Ash Kardeh”, which is made with a sour wild plant called Kardeh.

Ash Reshteh.

Laboo:

Laboo is the beet roots which is boiled and then smoked on fire. The smoky taste of Laboo makes this sweet snack more exclusive and unforgettable. The vendors serve the fragrant purple Laboo while it is steamy and warm.

Laboo on the streets of Iran.

Shalgham:

For Iranian moms, Shalgham (boiled turnip) is a precious gift during winter! They believe that Shalgham magically cures any kind of tough flue. Shalgham almost tastes like cabbage and is a great snack after a long walk in a cold winter night. By the way, don’t forget to add black pepper to your Shalgham!

Chai (tea):

Oh, dear tea! Chai is absolutely the most popular Iranian drink, welcomed at any time of day and night and found in every corner of the city from the offices to family gatherings and of course on the streets. If you are so lucky you will have a cup of tea brewed on fire known as “Chai Doodi” (smoky tea).

So, what is more fun than spending an hour among the warm hearted Iranians in a cold winter night and having some Iranian winter street food?