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Kermanshah souvenirs: A Game of Color, Taste and Motif
According to historical documents, Kermanshah is one of the first centers of human civilization. Because Kermanshah is located on critical communication highways such as the Shahi Road and the Silk Road, it has always been important. This province has always been one of the popular tourist destinations in Iran due to its variety of weather and also due to having many cultural and historical attractions. It is estimated that there are more than 3,000 historical heritages in this province, 716 of which have been registered as Iran’s National Heritage and one of them is registered as one of the World’s Heritages. There are also various souvenirs in Kermanshah, including handicrafts and edibles, which you can buy for your friends as souvenirs and souvenirs of your trip. After all, buying souvenirs is one of the inseparable parts of travel. In this article, we are going to introduce Kermanshah souvenirs.
Edible Souvenirs of Kermanshah
Due to its many natural and ancient tourist attractions, Kermanshah is a city that most people who are interested in tourism have either experienced a trip to or have included in their plans. Buying souvenirs is always a pleasant and lovely part of any trip, especially the edible ones. Delicious edibles of Kermanshah are popular among Iranian and foreign travelers and tourists. In this section, we will introduce edible souvenirs of Kermanshah.
Kaak Sweets: One of the Most Delicious Souvenirs of Kermanshah
Kaak, which can be found in most cities of Iran, is one of the most famous souvenirs of Kermanshah. This delicious sweet is considered a common souvenir between the people of Kermanshah and Shiraz, with the only difference being that the people of Shiraz call it Yukheh. Kaak sweets are cooked with a kind of dough that requires a lot of cardamom and rose water. The doughs are turned into thin sheets and wrapped around each other. You can use coconut, pistachio, or almond powder to decorate the sweet. This delicious sweet has recently been registered in the list of Intangible Heritages of the country.
Date Bread: the Most Nutritious Souvenir of Kermanshah
Date bread is one of the most delicious foods of Kermanshah, which has many fans throughout Iran. It is called Nan Khaneqi in Kermanshah. People who have eaten date bread believe that it is the best sweet they have ever tasted. Date bread can be found in abundance in every corner of Kermanshah.
This delicious and nourishing food contains walnut kernels, dates, rose water, butter, and wheat flour. Most of the ingredients needed to bake date bread, including date, are native to Kermanshah, and for this reason, many people work directly and indirectly for its production workshops.
In addition to its connection with nutrition and health, date bread is known as one of the famous souvenirs of Kermanshah, passed down from generation to generation, and is still present as an important element in celebrations and special occasions. We suggest that you buy a few more packages of date bread when you travel to Kermanshah and give them as souvenirs to your friends. You can eat this dish with your family with tea and enjoy its unique taste.
Kermanshah’s Nan-e Berenji
It might be interesting to you that Nan-e Berenji (Rice Bread) is about 150 years old. The evidence shows that it was very popular during the Qajar era and was considered a souvenir of this city. This popular food is cooked in many cities in Iran, but its origin is in Kermanshah. Nan-e Berenji is offered in two types, plain and saffron. When you want to eat this sweet, be very careful, if you press it with a hard hand, it will crumble completely. Nan-e Berenji is mostly used in happy ceremonies and family parties.
Clarified Butter: One of the Best Souvenirs of Kermanshah
The weather in Kermanshah is very good, for this reason, animal husbandry and agriculture are one of the main jobs in it. When the farmers milk their animals, they stir it enough to separate the fat. After that, this fat is poured as oil into a container and heated.
The time to heat it is very long, they do this until the clarified butter or Kermanshahi oil is ready. Extracting oil from milk is a business, it only comes from the hands of the natives of Kermanshah. These people have been familiar with doing this since childhood. Note that stirring the milk should be done in a special container. Clarified butter is one of the most original souvenirs of Kermanshah. This oil has high cholesterol, and for this reason, doctors prohibit the elderly and those with high blood fat from consuming it.
Kermanshah’s Sugar Bread
Clarified butter is used to prepare most Kermanshah souvenirs. This oil is very nutritious and gives a unique taste to foods. Sugar bread is one of the foods prepared with this oil. This sweet is cooked with a combination of eggs, flour, powdered sugar, Kermanshahi oil (clarified butter), infused saffron, and cardamom.
Kermanshah Beji Cookie
Beji is mostly cooked in the provinces of Kurdistan, Ilam, Lorestan, and Kermanshah. It has a very long shelf life and for this reason, it is considered one of the best foods for traveling. There is no special season for consuming this cookie and you can cook and eat it in 4 seasons of the year. Wheat flour, animal oil, sugar, ground fennel, milk, and frying oil are among the basic ingredients of Beji cookies. To make these sweets softer, you should put them in the pot after baking and close the door.
Borsaq Bread of Kermanshah
Undoubtedly, the most popular souvenir of any region is its bread. Borsaq is a fragrant and delicious bread that everyone will love. This Kermanshah souvenir is cooked by the women artists of this city and has a unique taste. Barsaq is known as native bread in other parts of the country, such as Lorestan and Kurdistan. This bread is sweet and oily and can be a delicious and healthy evening meal for friends and family gatherings. Its ingredients are clarified butter, salt, turmeric, milk, sugar, eggs, and flour. This bread is very light and nutritious at the same time.
Qavut: the Most Nutritious Souvenir of Kermanshah
After the birth of their child, the people of Kermanshah offer this nutritious food along with fruits and sweets to the guests. Usually, this powder is poured into small ice cream containers and given to the guests. Qavut consists of a combination of ingredients such as chickpea flour, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, purslane seeds, black seeds, flax seeds, coffee, lettuce seeds, etc.
The milled combination of these materials makes Qavut like a bomb of energy! The people of this city add pistachio and almond powder to the mentioned ingredients and give it to the child’s mother. If you increase the amount of one of the powders of this food, its color will change. For example, by adding a lot of pistachio powder, Qavut takes on a green color, and if you increase the amount of cocoa powder or coffee, its color will turn brown.
Handicraft Souvenirs of Kermanshah
Most of Iran’s handicrafts are found in Kermanshah. The natives of this city can produce carpets, and, wave-weaving, tape-weaving, leather-making, etc. Kermanshah souvenirs are of high quality and are among the best handmade products in the country. In the following, you will get to know some of the handicrafts of Kermanshah.
Kermanshah Rugs and Jajims
The natives of many villages and cities of Iran have been engaged in rug and Jajim weaving. Kermanshah is one of the regions of the country where this art is still popular. Some residents of this province are doing this authentic Iranian art at home and in workshops. The rugs woven by the people of Kermanshah are very beautiful and well-patterned and have many fans. Currently, there are rug production facilities in many villages of Dinoor, Bisotun, Sahneh, and Kangavar.
Rugs and Jajims are two of the original and valuable souvenirs of Kermanshah. Kermanshah rugs are woven with unique designs and motifs that are often inspired by local and cultural elements. In the production of these rugs, in addition to their beautiful appearance, they use the quality of the texture and valuable raw materials such as wool and cotton, which gives them more durability and resistance.
Kermanshah Jajim is also produced with colorful combinations and various designs and is used as an ornament in homes. These works of art not only represent the ability of the weavers of this region in handicrafts but are considered a long-standing art to convey the culture and history of this region.
Musical Instruments of Kermanshah
Another souvenir of Kermanshah is the instruments made there. Musical instruments such as Tombak, Daf, Santoor, etc. are produced in this city. You can buy these instruments at reasonable prices and good quality in Kermanshah. Most of the instruments available in Kermanshah stores are handmade and made using local woods.
Kermanshah Moj-Bafi
One of the valuable handicrafts of Kermanshah is Moj-Bafi (Wave Weaving) which is like Kilim and is considered a unique souvenir of the culture of this region. This art was formed decades ago in the rural areas and cities of Kermanshah and is known as a symbol of the creativity and industry of the people of this region. In this art, wool or cotton fabrics are woven in different colors and by combining them, beautiful and unique designs and patterns are created. Moj-Bafi is also displayed as one of the cultural and artistic symbols of Kermanshah in various exhibitions, and in addition to its apparent value, it has a direct connection with the history and identity of this region.
Handicrafts with this type of texture are mostly produced in the form of carpets, rugs, and curtains. Most of the producers produce Moj-Bafi products for the natives of Kermanshah. Moj-Bafi in essence means bed-wrapping which is produced using wool. The production workshops of these Kermanshah souvenirs are mostly located in the cities of Avroman, Javanrood, Islamabad Gharb, and Gilan Gharb. By visiting the local markets of Kermanshah, you can buy Moj-Bafi products.
Kermanshah Chapaq-Bafi
Chapaq-Bafi (Chapaq-weaving) is one of the authentic and unique handicrafts of Kermanshah culture. In this art, patterned mats are woven from woolen or cotton fabrics, which is called Chapaq. The Chapaqs of Kermanshah portray a view of the art and creativity of the people of this region by weaving patterns, designs, and various colors. Kermanshah Chapaq patterns are inspired by local, cultural, and natural elements that make these works represent the values and beauties of the region. In addition to its cultural and artistic importance, Chapaq-Bafi is known as one of the popular souvenirs of the region.
This art is specific to the natives of Kermanshah and cannot be seen in other parts of the country. Woven products are made using straw. As you know, the nomads live in tents and the walls of the tents are decorated using empty reeds. In the local language, these reeds are called Chapaq.
Artists make beautiful objects by using several straws and thread passing through them. The color of the yarns in the weaving causes the formation of different designs and patterns. Making the products of this art requires a lot of patience, the more time I spend on making them, the more delicate the made things will be. Chapaq-Bafi is even used for fences for livestock.
Kermanshah Giveh-Bafi
Many people still use Giveh as everyday shoes. This shoe is one of the souvenirs of Kermanshah that can be found in this city. It can be said that this province is one of the few regions in the country where you can buy handmade Giveh. These durable shoes are also made in other provinces such as Isfahan and Fars.
Unfortunately, Giveh-Bafi currently has few fans and has been completely forgotten in most parts of the country. There are 5 Givehs in Kermanshah. To name them, we can refer to rubber Giveh, Ajideh Giveh, silk Giveh, cloth Giveh, and leather Giveh. Many tourists buy these shoes to use as decoration. We suggest you buy them and give Giveh-Bafi a new life.
Kermanshah Leather Making
Due to the unique geographical conditions of Kermanshah, leather making is done in this area. From the past few years until now, Kermanshah has been known as one of the main cities of this art. Currently, the women of Kermanshah have chosen leather making as a job and are doing it. Kermanshah leather is famous in all cities of Iran. All kinds of saddles, bags, shoes, and other leather products are made in this city. The leather used in the products of this region is of very high quality and the sellers will assure you that you will not regret buying it.
Kermanshah Souvenirs Are What All Travelers Love!
One of the main parts of every trip is buying souvenirs, which brings back travel memories. In this article, you got acquainted with the edible and handicraft handicrafts of Kermanshah. Kermanshah souvenirs, like those of other cities of Iran, represent the cultural and artistic diversity of the region, and the art and efforts of local artists can be seen in them.
