Rose water explained

Rose water
Type:Flavoured water
Country:Iran (Ancient Persia)
Region:Asia and Europe
Creators:-->
Main Ingredient:Rose petals
Minor Ingredient:Water
Serving Size:100 g
No Recipes:false

Rose water is a flavoured water made by steeping rose petals in water. It is the hydrosol portion of the distillate of rose petals, a by-product of the production of rose oil for use in perfume. Rose water is also used to flavour food, as a component in some cosmetic and medical preparations, and for religious purposes throughout Eurasia.

Rose syrup (not to be confused with rose hip syrup) is a syrup made from rose water, with sugar added. Gulkand in South Asia is a syrupy mashed rose mixture.

Central Iran is home to the annual Golabgiri festival each spring. Thousands of tourists visit the area to celebrate the rose harvest for the production of rosewater.[1] [2] Iran accounts for 90% of world production of rose water.[3]

History

Since ancient times, roses have been used medicinally, nutritionally, and as a source of perfume.[1]

Rose perfumes are made from rose oil, also called attar of roses, which is a mixture of volatile essential oils obtained by steam-distilling the crushed petals of roses. Rose water is a by-product of this process.[4] Before the development of the technique of distilling rose water, rose petals were already used in Persian cuisine to perfume and flavor dishes.[5] Rose water likely originated in Persia,[6] [7] [8] where it is known as gulāb (Pahlavi: گلاب), from gul (Pahlavi: گل rose) and ab (Pahlavi: آب water). The term was adopted into Medieval Greek as zoulápin.

The process of creating rose water through steam distillation was refined by Arab and Persian chemists in the medieval Islamic world, which led to more efficient and economic uses for perfumery industries.[9] The steam distillation process was used by Al-Dimashqi (1256–1327) to produce rose water on a large scale.[10]

Uses

Food

Rose water is sometimes added to lemonade. It is often added to water to mask unpleasant odours and flavours.[11]

In South Asian cuisine, rose water is a common ingredient in sweets such as laddu, gulab jamun, and peda.[12] It is also used to flavour milk, lassi, rice pudding, and other dairy dishes.

In Malaysia and Singapore, sweet red-tinted rose water is mixed with milk, making a sweet pink drink called bandung.

American and European bakers often used rose water until the 19th century, when vanilla became popular. In Yorkshire, rose water has long been used as a flavouring for the regional specialty, Yorkshire curd tart.

In Iran, it is added to tea, ice cream, cookies, and other sweets. Rosewater is also used in some savoury dishes, such as Khoresh Gheymé, Shirin Polow (cherry rice), Tahchin or during steaming of Persian rice.

In Middle Eastern cuisines, rosewater is used in various dishes, especially in sweets such as Turkish delight,[13] nougat, and baklava. Marzipan has long been flavoured with rose water.[14] In Cyprus, rose water is used to flavor a number of different desserts, including the Cypriot version of muhallebi.[15]

Rose water is frequently used as a halal substitute for red wine and other alcohols in cooking. The Premier League offer a rose water-based beverage as an alternative for champagne when awarding Muslim players.[16] In accordance with the ban on alcohol consumption in Islamic countries, rose water is used instead of champagne on the podium of the Bahrain Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.[17]

Cosmetics

In medieval Europe, rose water was used to wash hands at a meal table during feasts.[18] Rose water is a usual component of perfume. Rose water ointment is occasionally used as an emollient, and rose water is sometimes used in cosmetics such as cold creams, toners and face wash.[19]

Some people use rose water as a spray applied directly to the face as a perfume and moisturiser, especially during the winter. It is also often sprinkled in Indian weddings to welcome guests.

Religion

Rose water is used in the religious ceremonies of Christianity (in the Byzantine Rite of the Catholic Church and in Eastern Orthodox Church),[20] Zoroastrianism, and Baháʼí Faith (in Kitab-i-Aqdas 1:76).[21]

Composition

Depending on the origin and manufacturing method, rose water is obtained from the sepals and petals of Rosa × damascena through steam distillation. The following monoterpenoid and alkane components can be identified with gas chromatography: mostly citronellol, nonadecane, geraniol and phenyl ethyl alcohol, and also henicosane, 9-nonadecen, eicosane, linalool, citronellyl acetate, methyleugenol, heptadecane, pentadecane, docosane, nerol, disiloxane, octadecane, and pentacosane. Usually, phenylethyl alcohol is responsible for the typical odour of rose water but is not always present in rose water products.[22]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Encyclopedia: Encyclopaedia Iranica . GOLĀB . 24 March 2021 . en. online. 2012. Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation . XI . 2330-4804 . 58–59 .
  2. Web site: Rosewater festivals draw visitors to central Iran . Tehran Times . 1 June 2021 . en . 3 May 2018.
  3. Web site: 15 June 2019. Iran Meets 90% of Global Rosewater Demand. 16 April 2021. Financial Tribune. English.
  4. Book: Food in Medieval Times. 29. 9780313321474. Adamson. Melitta Weiss. 2004-01-01. Greenwood Publishing .
  5. Book: Adamson, Melitta Weiss. Food in Medieval Times. 2004. Greenwood Publishing Group. 978-0-313-32147-4. en. 29. Rose petals were already used in Persian cookery to perfume and flavor dishes long before the technique of distilling rose water was developed. The person commonly credited with the discovery of rose water was the tenth-century Persian physician Avicenna..
  6. Book: Adamson, Melitta Weiss. Food in Medieval Times. 2004. Greenwood Publishing Group. 978-0-313-32147-4. en. 29. Rose petals were already used in Persian cookery to perfume and flavor dishes long before the technique of distilling rose water was developed. The person commonly credited with the discovery of rose water was the tenth-century Persian physician Avicenna..
  7. Book: Marks, Gil. Gil Marks. Encyclopedia of Jewish Food. 2010. HMH. 978-0-544-18631-6. 791. In 800 CE, the Arab scholar Jabir ibn Hayyan in-vented an improved still. About two centuries later, the Bukharan-born physician ibn Sina (980-1037), whose name was latinized as Avicenna, discovered how to use the still to extract the essential oil from flower petals. This allowed for the steam distillation of floral waters, particularly rose water.
  8. Boskabady. Mohammad Hossein. Shafei. Mohammad Naser. Saberi. Zahra. Amini. Somayeh. 2011. Pharmacological Effects of Rosa Damascena. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences. 14. 4. 295–307. 2008-3866. 3586833. 23493250. The origin of Damask rose is the Middle East and some evidences indicate that the origin of rose water is Iran.
  9. [Ahmad Y. al-Hassan]
  10. Book: Hill . Donald R. . Donald R. Hill . Islamic Science and Engineering . 1993 . Edinburgh University Press . 9781474469135 . Edinburgh. p. 85–87.
  11. Web site: 2019-12-19 . All About Rose And Rose Water how to use health benefits . 2023-12-30 . iran dried fruit . en-US.
  12. Book: The Indian Cuisine. Krishna Gopal Dubey. 27 September 2010. 9788120341708. 11. PHI Learning Pvt. .
  13. Web site: Rosewater recipes. BBC Food.
  14. Book: Food in Medieval Times. 89. 9780313321474. Adamson. Melitta Weiss. 2004. Greenwood Publishing .
  15. Web site: Rodostagma - Rosewater . https://web.archive.org/web/20230423200458/https://heartlandoflegends.com/rodostagma-rosewater/ . 23 April 2023 . Heartland of Legends. 17 February 2023 .
  16. News: PL offers 'rosewater and pomegranate' drink instead of champagne to avoid offending Muslim players. 24 October 2014. Yahoo! News. 26 August 2012.
  17. News: Champagne to be sprayed on the F1 podium again after two years of sparkling wine. 2017-07-30. The Telegraph. 2020-01-14. en-GB. 0307-1235.
  18. Book: Food in Medieval Times By Melitta Weiss Adamson . 9780313321474 . 2017-02-11 . 2022-10-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221031165257/https://books.google.be/books?id=jtgud2P-EGwC&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=rosewater+wash+hands+europe&source=bl&ots=9kkNUphMWa&sig=1PuXlTDI2ZvPUv9FeLtbViCFAZU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjr8b7Bq4jSAhWDuBQKHe8FCNoQ6AEIPjAJ#v=onepage&f=false . live . Adamson . Melitta Weiss . 2004 . Greenwood Publishing .
  19. News: Rose water: Benefits, uses, and side effects. Medical News Today. 2018-07-03. en.
  20. Web site: Journey through Holy Week & Pascha. Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church. 7 June 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20120306211601/http://www.holyapostlesgo.org/HolyWeek.asp. 6 March 2012. dead.
  21. Book: Bahá'u'lláh . Kitáb-i-Aqdas . 2005 . Project Gutenburg . 23 of PDF (1:76) .
  22. Loghmani-Khouzani . H. Fini Sabzi . O. Safari . J H . 2007. Essential Oil Composition of Rosa damascena Mill Cultivated in Central Iran. Scientia Iranica. 14 . 4 . 316–319 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120320131725/http://www.scientiairanica.com/PDF/Articles/00000498/loghmani.pdf . 20 March 2012.