Gaz is the traditional name of Persian nougat originating from the city of Esfahan, located in the central plateau of Iran.
The name gaz is associated with gaz-angebin which translates to “sap of angebin”; a desert plant member of the Tamarisk family and native to the Zagros mountain range located to the west of the city.
The sweet, milky sap of the angebin plant is associated with manna, a food mentioned in the religious texts of the Abrahamic religions. This sap is collected annually and is combined with other ingredients including pistachio or almond kernels, rosewater and egg white. This combination of ingredients give gaz its distinctive flavour, rendering it unique when compared to European nougats.
Once collected from the mountains, the juice and sap of gaz-angebin are brought into town and placed into very large copper vessels which contain the remaining ingredients of egg white, pistachio or almond kernels, and rose water. The raw mixture is then beaten over heat until it reaches the desired consistency.
Traditionally (and still today) gaz-nougat is hand made and fashioned into individual round piece of about 2-3 inches in diameter and half an inch in thickness- packed into a box and covered with plain flour to keep the pieces from sticking to one another. They may be cut into bite-sized pieces, but are more often sold in larger sizes.
You can find authentic Persian Gaz on many Persian Restaurants in Los Angeles.
