Haft Maywa, meaning seven fruits in Dari/Farsi, is a central dish for Afghan New Years. Celebrating the start of spring, rehydrating the dried fruits and nuts is symbolic of the fresh fruits to come with the new year.
This recipe for what you can think of as an Afghan Fruit Salad of sorts is a simple one, but one that takes just a bit of patience and time. I hope you enjoy it as you celebrate Nawroz!
I get my dried fruits and nuts straight from Afghanistan by shopping Aahu Barah products— they’re available for online shopping and delivery here https://www.globalriceusa.com/shop
Haft Maywa Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups red purple raisins
2 cups green raisins
2 cups dried apricot
1 cup walnuts
1 cup almonds
1 cup pistachios
1/2 cup oleaster (sinjit)
Water
Instructions:
Wash your dried fruits and nuts separately by placing them into a strainer one at a time. Run cold water over them until any excess dirt or residue is removed. Strain the water.
Place your red purple raisins into a bowl. Add 4.5 cups of water to the raisins in the bowl. Cover with Saran Wrap and set aside on the counter in room temperature to soak overnight
Place your green raisins into a bowl. Add 4.5 cups of water to the raisins in the bowl. Cover with Saran Wrap and set aside on the counter in room temperature to soak overnight
Place your apricots into a bowl. Add enough water to completely cover the apricots in the bowl (about 3-4 cups). Cover with Saran Wrap and set aside on the counter in room temperature to soak overnight
Place your walnuts into a bowl. Add hot water (not boiling) to the walnuts in the bowl, enough to cover them completely. Repeat this step by draining the water and doing another hot water soak. After an hour, begin peeling however much excess skin comes off the walnuts. Place peeled walnuts into a bowl and cover with cold water. Cover with Saran Wrap and set aside to be added once the raisins have finished soaking.
Place your almonds into a bowl. Add hot water (not boiling) to the almonds in the bowl, enough to cover them completely. Repeat this step by draining the water and doing another hot water soak. After an hour, begin peeling the almonds so the brown exterior is removed and a white nut remains. Place peeled almonds into a clean bowl and cover with cold water. Cover with Saran Wrap and set aside to be added once the raisins have finished soaking.
Peel your pistachios from their shells. Place your pistachios into a bowl. Add hot water (not boiling) to the pistachios in the bowl, enough to cover them completely. Repeat this step by draining the water and doing another hot water soak. After an hour, begin peeling the pistachios so the exterior skin is removed and a green nut remains. Place peeled pistachios into a clean bowl and cover with cold water. Cover with Saran Wrap and set aside to be added once the raisins have finished soaking.
Wash your sinjit by placing them into a strainer. Run cold water over them until any excess dirt or residue is removed. Strain the water.
Now begin assembling your dish. Completely drain all the water from your apricots and all of the nuts. The only water we will keep are from the raisins, as the water from the other fruits and nuts will alter the sweet taste of the soaked juice from the raisins in a distasteful way.
Add your raisins and the water they have soaked in into a large serving bowl. Add in your drained apricots, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, and sinjit. Gently mix the bowl so that they are all mixed together. You can now serve your Haft Maywa. Refrigerate it when it is not being consumed, otherwise it will go bad quickly. Noshejaan