Ingredients
Juice
- 1 kgcarrots
- a squeeze of lemon or lime, optional
- a pinch of ground cinnamon, optional
Ice cream
- 4scoops bastani, Persian saffron ice cream
- or good vanilla ice cream with saffron stirred in
To finish
- ground cinnamon or nutmeg, for dusting
- chopped pistachios, optional
Equipment
- a juicer
- tall glasses
- a long spoon and a straw
Directions
- Use fresh, firm, brightly coloured carrots. Trim off the tops and any green parts. Juice them just before serving. Carrot juice loses its freshness within an hour.
- Blend the carrots with a little water. Squeeze the cloth hard to get all the juice. Discard the pulp or keep it for cooking.
- Taste it as it comes from the juicer. A squeeze of lemon lifts it if it tastes flat. Let the saffron water cool completely.
- Stir the saffron water and a little rosewater through it. Refreeze it until it is fully firm. Chill the glasses first if you have room. Pour the fresh carrot juice into tall glasses.
- Fill them about three quarters full. Leave room at the top for the ice cream. Drop two scoops of ice cream into each glass. Do not stir it into the juice.
- Dust ground cinnamon over the ice cream. Scatter chopped pistachios over the top. Serving it is done immediately.
- Put a long spoon and a straw in each glass. The juice must be fresh and the ice cream frozen.
Technique
- Bastani sonnati is the traditional Persian ice cream, flavoured with saffron and rosewater and studded with pistachios.
- It often contains frozen chips of clotted cream, which is part of what makes it distinctive.
Substitutions
- Good vanilla ice cream with saffron and rosewater stirred through it is a workable substitute.
- Bottled carrot juice can be used but is noticeably flatter than fresh.
Variations
- Some juice bars use melon or pomegranate juice instead of carrot.
- A version with a scoop of faloodeh, the frozen noodle sorbet, is also sold.
- Adding a spoonful of cream is done in some places for a richer glass.
History
Juice-bar staple in every Iranian city, eaten with a spoon and a straw at the same time.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ab-e havij bastani?
Ab-e havij bastani is a drink from Iran: fresh carrot juice with a scoop of saffron ice cream floating in it. Juice-bar staple in every Iranian city, eaten with a spoon and a straw at the same time.
How long does Ab-e havij bastani take to make?
Ab-e havij bastani takes 10 minutes of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes 2 glasses. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Ab-e havij bastani?
Yes, within limits. Good vanilla ice cream with saffron and rosewater stirred through it is a workable substitute. Bottled carrot juice can be used but is noticeably flatter than fresh.
What is the most important thing to get right in Ab-e havij bastani?
Fill them about three quarters full. Leave room at the top for the ice cream. Drop two scoops of ice cream into each glass. Do not stir it into the juice.
