Lashkarabad Strip · Fried Chickpea Patty
Khuzestani Falafel
Photo: Elph / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ahvaz's Lashkarabad neighborhood is nicknamed the city's 'Falafel Street' — an entire strip lined with falafel stalls so closely tied to the food that it shaped part of the district's identity.
Mashed chickpeas mixed with herbs and spices are formed into patties and deep-fried until crisp, then stuffed into bread with pickles, tomato, and tahini or a spicy sauce. Ahvaz and Abadan, home to Iran's Arab minority, are considered the country's falafel capitals, especially along the Lashkarabad strip.
Why it's made this way: Khuzestan's ethnic Arab population brought falafel-making traditions from across the neighboring Iraqi and Gulf Arab culinary world, and it became one of the clearest culinary markers separating the province from the rest of Iran.
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