Goosh-e Fil

Goosh-e fil is a sweet from Iran and Afghanistan made by frying thinly rolled dough. Its Persian name means “elephant’s ear.” The name comes from its large, thin shape, but some methods cut the dough into diamonds or other shapes.

Rolled Thin and Fried

In one Iranian household’s recette (the proportions of ingredients and the method), wheat flour is mixed with eggs, milk, yogurt, butter and other ingredients to make a soft dough, which is left to rest. The dough is rolled thin, cut, rested again and then fried in oil. The freshly fried dough is dipped in syrup and the excess syrup is drained off, leaving sweetness on the surface of the thin dough. The texture in the mouth changes depending on the thickness of the dough and the concentration of the syrup.

In the method presented by Afghanaid, an aid organization for Afghanistan, a dough bound with eggs and milk is kneaded, rested and rolled out as thin as paper. One side is gathered into pleats and pinched closed, both sides are fried, and the pastry is sprinkled with powdered sugar and pistachios. The thin parts break lightly, while the gathered part keeps some thickness.

In another method written for a local audience, the fried dough is left to cool and then sprinkled with sugar and cardamom. Each of these is an individual cooking example, not a rule followed by every household.

A Sweet Pastry and Sour Doogh

In Isfahan, sweet goosh-e fil is known to be eaten with doogh, a fermented milk drink that is sour and salty. The sweet fried pastry and a cold drink are served together and can be enjoyed alternately. At a shop near Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Ali Enayati sold small plates of goosh-e fil paired with cold local doogh. Mint and rose petals are reportedly added to that drink. In Afghanistan, there are also examples of topping it with powdered sugar or crushed pistachios and eating it with tea.

Even under the same name, the finished sweet differs depending on whether its sweetness comes from syrup or from powdered sugar sprinkled on the surface. The Afghan aid organization notes that this sweet is sold at festival stalls and is also eaten in celebration of Eid at the end of Ramadan. It also appears at tea gatherings on days when people come together, such as the New Year.

Glossary