Description

Rose water has a very distinctive flavour and is used heavily inPersian andMesopotamian cuisine—especially in sweets such as nougat, raahat and baklava. For example, rose water is used to give some types ofloukoum (or "Turkish Delight") their distinctive flavours. Beside its usage in food, it is also used as aperfume, especially in religious ceremonies (bothMuslim andZoroastrian).

The Cypriot version ofmahleb uses rosewater.[InIran, it is also added totea,ice cream,cookies and other sweets in small quantities, and in theArab world andIndia it is used to flavourmilk and dairy-based dishes such asrice pudding. It is also a key ingredient in sweetlassi, a drink made fromyogurt,sugar and variousfruit juices, and is also used to makejallab. InMalaysia andSingapore, rose water is mixed with milk, sugar and pink food colouring to make a sweet drink calledbandung. Rose water is frequently used as ahalal substitute for red wine and other alcohols in cooking.