Iranian raisin
General history of raisins
In this article, we will have an introduction to the history of Iranian raisin, its varieties,
and consumption. Until the 20th century, Turkey, Iran, and Greece were the main producers
of raisins, and in the middle of the 20th century, America and
Australia were the second-largest producers in the world.
It is also interesting to know that the grape from which raisins were made for the first time
was cultivated in Egypt and Iran around 2000 BC, and it is mentioned in the books of the
Old Testament, the Bible, and the Quran. At the beginning of the appearance of raisins, the
Romans and Greeks decorated their religious places with grapes and gave raisins as
rewards to the winners of sports matches.
Interesting ways of using Iranian raisin
Iranian raisin in the market is usually ready-to-eat and you can also eat them alone as a
snack or with rice, a variety of condiments, salad, and hot and cold cereals such as
oatmeal or granola (granola is a healthy and nutritious snack or breakfast that you can
prepare from the combination of oats filled with honey or brown sugar) and all kinds of
puddings as a complete meal. Moreover, Iranians usually eat Iranian raisin mixed with nuts
such as walnuts and cashew.
When you add them to baked goods such as cookies, cakes, and pastries,
you retain moisture in the final product. Besides, you can add them to any cooked
or cold food, salads, and vegetables.
How to keep this amazing fruit properly?
It is better to keep raisins in a dry, cool place, in closed and dark containers to preserve
their moisture. If you put them in the refrigerator or freezer, you can keep them fresh for up to a year. However, be careful not to keep them in cabinets near the stove,
as this will cause them to lose moisture faster.
More on the types and production of Iranian raisin
As mentioned before, they are usually from drying different types of grapes in the sun; it is small and
sweet and has a wrinkled texture. Preparation of them has existed since ancient times
and evidence of its production was in the writings of the ancient Egyptians. Currently, sellers sell more than 227 million kilograms of raisins annually in the United States, Iran,
and many other countries. Moreover, this amount will increase, as people
use them as healthy snacks.
