Afghan New Year Dried Fruit Medley, Haft Mewa

"Haft Mewa is a compote made from seven different dried fruits and nuts served in their own juices. Traditionally the seven ingredients are as follows: red raisins, black raisins, yellow raisins, senjid (the dried fruit of the oleaster tree), pistachio, dried apricot, and dried apple. This is not a traditional recipe but it is very delicious and don’t fret about the ingredients. This is a very flexible recipe, just use dried fruit and nuts that you have in your pantry!" Recipe found on http://www.afghancooking.net

• Ready In: 49 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup walnut halves (chopped walnuts will be more fiddly and take longer)
• 1⁄2 cup pistachios
• 1⁄2 cup  yellow raisins
• 1  cup  red raisins
• 1⁄2 cup  dried bing cherry (not sour cherries, I did not use this)
• 1  cup  dried apricot (look for sweet ones)
• 1⁄2 cup  blanched slivered almond
• 1⁄2 teaspoon rose water
• 5  cups  cold filtered water

Directions

1. In addition you must have a large (at least 5 pints) lidded container with a wide mouth.
2. Begin by blanching the walnuts and pistachios. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, remove from the heat, add the walnuts and pistachios, cover and let it sit for 20 minutes. In the meantime in a large bowl add both kinds of raisins, cherries and apricots. Rinse three times in cold water to remove any residue.
3. When the nuts are ready, pour the hot water out and add cold water. That way you won’t burn your hands. Peel the skin off the nuts using the best method you can muster up. I must admit, the pistachios were a dream but the walnuts take patience! I found if you have a whole walnut, break it in half and then start peeling. It really makes it easier. Perhaps recruit family members to help. Make sure all the skin is removed from the pistachios and the walnuts, no exception!
4. Add the dried fruit and the nuts to the container along with the rosewater and 5 cups of cold water. Stir well. The water should be at lead 1 inch above the ingredients. Refrigerate for 2-4 days. The longer you leave it the sweeter it gets. It will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
5. Serve in a bowl with its juices. I also think it would taste wonderful on vanilla ice cream or plain yogurt.
6. Enjoy!