Lavash (; ) is a thin flatbread made of leavened or unleavened wheat dough, baked in a tandoor (a type of clay oven) or on a saj griddle. Some forms are sourdough fermented with dough from previous batches. Lavash cooks very quickly in a tandoor, being placed on the sides using a cushion. It is large and thin, though there are many variations in size and shape. It is soft when fresh but is often dried. Lavash is common to the cuisines of South Caucasus and West Asia. It is a staple food in Armenia, eastern Georgia, and parts of Iran.
Soft lavash can be used for wraps, which use ingredients such as kebabs, barbecued meat, or cheese. It may also be served with dip or with stew to be eaten by hand. Lavash is often prepared in large batches. It lasts months once dried and can be hydrated to restore softness. Dried lavash is sometimes broken up and eaten in dishes such as the Armenian stew khash.
Lavash originated in ancient times, with several countries claiming its origin. In the modern day, lavash is widespread in many parts of Asia between Turkey and Kashmir, and also exists in other regions where it was introduced by Armenian immigrants. It is served at many restaurants, as well as at weddings. In Armenian culture, the preparation of lavash by women is a community event. The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List inscribed lavash "as an expression of culture in Armenia" in 2014. This was controversial in other countries in the region, and a separate listing regarding the culture of lavash and other flatbreads in Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey was inscribed in 2016.
Etymology
The word lavash entered English partly from Armenian (, ), Persian (, ), and Turkish (). Similar names are used in many Asian languages, including Georgian (), Azerbaijani (), Tatar (), Turkmen (), and Pashto (). Lavash is the most common name for the bread in American English; the spellings lavosh, lahvosh, lawaash, and lawasha are also used. Other English terms include cracker bread, Armenian cracker bread, mountain bread, and paraki. The Arabic equivalent is called , or in Lebanon.
The etymology of lavash is unknown. A widely held theory states that the word spread to other languages from Persian. Sevan Nişanyan connects the Persian word for lavash to the Aramaic root meaning 'to knead' and recorded al-Faraj ba'd ash-Shiddah from 1451 as the oldest text to use the term in Turkish. Hrach Martirosyan tentatively connects the Armenian word with words derived from Proto-Armenian 'flat'.
Preparation
thumb|thumbtime=84|Making lavash in a small restaurant in [[Yerevan, Armenia]]
Lavash is made with wheat flour—usually white flour—kneaded with water and salt, forming a stiff dough. High-extraction flour is typically used, at about 80–82% extraction. Leavened and unleavened forms of lavash exist. It may be leavened with yeast or with a sourdough starter known in Armenian as , Then, it may be rolled with a spiked rolling pin that forms indentations.
The dough is slapped against the hot walls of a tandoor (also known as tonir or tanoor), a type of clay oven. To place the dough in the oven, it is stretched over a round cushion with a handle, functioning as a peel. For soft lavash, the bread is removed from heat immediately after the bottom begins to brown, then finished with water and covered with cloth or plastic. Hard and soft lavash may also differ in thickness. The soft form is easier to use when making wrap sandwiches.
Serving
thumb|upright=0.5|alt=Skewered kebabs placed on a rectangular lavash, served as part of a meal.|Lavash is used for [[wrap (sandwich)|wraps with toppings such as kebabs.]]
Lavash is often prepared and stored in large batches. The dryness of lavash makes it very shelf-stable; dried lavash lasts three to six months. It is sprinkled or soaked with water to make it softer again,
Lavash can be used to wrap around and pick up accompanying dishes, such as stew. This is typical in parts of the Iranian plateau, where it is considered the central part of the meal. It may also be served with dips, such as hummus or muhammara.
Nutrition and properties
Based on various bakery samples from Iran, lavash contains about 61–62% carbohydrates, 21%–25% water, 8.7%–8.9% protein, 1–4% ash, and 0.4%–0.8% fat. A 100 g serving contains 291 dietary calories. The glycemic index is about 72, lower than that of breads with higher baking times as there is less time for starch gelatinization.
The sodium content of lavash in Iran is about 1.1%, higher than recommendations, while lavash has a lower sodium content than other breads in Turkey. Lavash is high in iron, with about 3.8 mg per 100 g serving, and low in zinc, with about 0.6 mg per 100 g serving. Yeast in lavash increases breakdown of phytic acid, thus increasing the ability to absorb nutrients. Using baking soda results in worse nutritional value.
According to a study by H. A. Faridi et al, the ideal flour for Iranian breads such as lavash is made from soft wheat containing 9.8% protein. Commercial flour blends designed for lavash in Iran contain, on average, 13% moisture, with the remaining mass consisting of 66% starch, 12.3% protein, 11.0% dry gluten, 6.7% fiber, 1.5% fat, and 0.8% ash. The addition of hydrocolloids may improve shelf life and other physical qualities of lavash; for example, a study by Hamid Tavakolipour and Ahmad Kalbasi-Ashtari found that carboxymethyl cellulose may increase shelf life by 45%. Studies have also found that the addition of whey protein may increase softness, thinness, yellow color, and acceptibility of taste.
History
Origin and historical record
Lavash has existed since ancient times. Food historian Gil Marks states that lavash originated in the Middle East and traces it to the early innovation of cooking thin flatbreads on terracotta griddles rather than directly on embers. When griddles started to be used, breads had to be made thinner to fully cook through without burning, like the bread rakik described in the Bible. According to Marks, lavash is one of the oldest breads in Persia.
The origin of lavash is attributed to countries including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and Iran. Russian food writer Stalik Khankishiev argued that it is futile to claim lavash as being from a specific country as it is eaten in a large part of Asia, and stated that the tandoor spread to this region from East Turkestan. Claims of lavash as a uniquely Iranian tradition have existed as far back as the Arsacid dynasty of ancient Persia.
Lavash features in Armenian folklore. One story tells that King Arame of Urartu was captured by Assyrian forces, who would free him if he won an archery competition after ten days without food, but his messenger secretly brought him lavash hidden in his armor, enabling him to win. Lavash is also mentioned by West Asian writers of the Middle Ages, such as Nizami Ganjavi, Mahsati, and Khaqani, as well as in the Book of Dede Korkut.
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage listings
The government of Armenia filed for lavash to be included on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013, as announced by the Deputy Minister of Culture, Arev Samuelian. Armenia alone filed the nomination, which described lavash as a "traditional Armenian bread" and described its significance in Armenian culture without mentioning that it is also eaten in the rest of the region. This was opposed by officials from Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, and Georgia. Many groups in Iran protested the nomination, including the Ministry of Culture, which stated that the country would file a similar nomination, while state officials including Yonatan Betkolia called for Armenia's nomination to be cancelled. The ninth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, in 2014, accepted Armenia's original proposal under the name "lavash, the preparation, meaning and appearance of traditional Armenian bread as an expression of culture", facing objections from Azerbaijan's delegation. Turkish media reported on the committee's decision with headlines saying that Armenia had taken the bread from Turkey.
After protests against the listing, the committee changed the name of the listing to "lavash, the preparation, meaning and appearance of traditional bread as an expression of culture in Armenia"—using the phrase "in Armenia" rather than "Armenian". The same title had been proposed by the Azerbaijani delegation. The official listing was published with a note that said:
Despite the committee's emphasis on lavash being a cross-cultural tradition, many believed that the specifically Armenian listing downplayed the importance of lavash in other countries. The leader of Armenia's UNESCO delegation, Vahram Kazhoyan, said during a press conference that the country was victorious in the dispute, noting that the nomination had not changed beyond the title, and that Azerbaijan had not influenced the change to the title. At the press conference, historian Suren Hobosyan said he expected an "organized and fierce fight" from Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture released a statement that it had averted an "Armenian provocation", claiming the title change as evidence that lavash was not Armenian, and that Azerbaijan had initiated a meeting of states to file a separate nomination.
Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey submitted an Intangible Cultural Heritage nomination titled "flatbread making and sharing culture: Lavash, Katyrma, Jupka, Yufka" in 2015. This focuses on the culture surrounding lavash rather than the product. The listing is one of few with more than four countries, in contrast with the listing made solely by Armenia. It was added to the list in 2016, again with a note about the tradition being "shared by communities in the region and beyond". According sociologist Bahar Aykan, the dispute over lavash was an example of Intangible Cultural Heritage being used to promote culinary nationalism rather than a shared respect for cultural heritage.
Consumption
thumb|alt=Three women make lavash: one prepares dough, one rolls it out, and one removes a lavash from the clay oven in the ground.|Lavash making in Armenia is a social event for women in a community.
thumb|alt=A restaurant kitchen where cooks are preparing lavash using an above-ground tandoor.|Lavash being prepared at a restaurant
Lavash is widespread across West and Central Asian cuisine, including Southern Caucasian, Afghan, and Iranian cuisines. It is strongly associated with Iranian and Armenian cuisine. The preparation is mostly the same across the region. Lavash wraps are served at cafés and restaurants. Large batches of lavash are carried by nomadic groups due to its convenience. The production of lavash, like other single-layer flatbreads, can easily be automated, contributing to its popularity across cultures.
Lavash comprises about 38% of bread consumption in Iran, as of 2024, and it is a staple food in may parts of the country. It is one of the four main breads of Iranian cuisine, alongside barbari, sangak, and taftoon, eaten in every part of Iran. These are all made of wheat, a common crop in many parts of Iran; lavash is the thinnest. The price of a single lavash in Iran is about 5 to 15 U.S. cents, and the profitability ratio, in Golestan Province, is about 55%. Affordability and ease of access make lavash and sangak very popular, and they contribute a large amount of food waste in Iran. Lavash and taftoon are the most common Iranian breads at restaurants.
Lavash is a staple of Armenian cuisine. Armenians infrequently make lavash, instead storing it for a long time. Its preparation is a social event for women in a community, with each woman performing a different step of the process, while men contribute to the construction of tonirs and cushions. In Kashmiri cuisine, lavash (known as ) is widely eaten with butter and jam or as a wrap.
Homemade lavash is also made by the Armenian diaspora. Lavash is commonly found in North America, having been introduced by immigrants. In the United States, as of 2018, 10% of people have eaten lavash and 1% of food establishments serve it, according to Nation's Restaurant News. Lavash is also common in Tallinn, Estonia, due to Armenian immigration to the area. Lavash has been part of Russian cuisine since being introduced by Armenia during the Russian Armenia and Armenian SSR periods.
In culture
Lavash is a wedding food in several countries. In Armenian weddings, it is traditional for a lavash to be placed on the couple's shoulders as a symbol of luck, wealth, and fertility. An Armenian magical belief holds that, to push evil away from a child, a mother can bake a lavash shaped like a person from flour made by seven families, then place it under the child's pillow before burying it. Armenian Christians use lavash as a matagh sacrifice at some churches dedicated to Saint Stephen.
According to food writer Kate Leahy, lavash is the most significant bread in Armenia's culture.
See also
- List of breads
- Wedding tradition in Azerbaijan