Gaz (گز) is the traditional name of Persian nougat originating from the city of Esfahan, located in the central plateau of Iran.
The name gaz is associated with gaz-angebin which translates to "sap of angebin"; in reference to a species of Tamarisk, T. gallica[1] and native to the Zagros mountain range located to the west of the city.
The sweet, milky sap of the angebin plant is associated with manna, a food mentioned in the religious texts of the Abrahamic religions. This sap is collected annually and is combined with other ingredients including pistachio or almond kernels, rosewater and egg white. This combination of ingredients gives gaz its distinctive flavour, rendering it unique when compared to European nougats.
Once collected from the mountains, the juice and sap of gaz-angebin are brought into town and placed into very large copper vessels which contain the remaining ingredients of egg white, pistachio or almond kernels, and rose water. The raw mixture is then beaten over heat until it reaches the desired consistency.
Traditionally (and still today) gaz-nougat is hand made and fashioned into individual round piece of about 2-3 inches in diameter and half an inch in thickness- packed into a wooden box (nowadays cardboard, metal or plastic boxes are used)and covered with plain flour to keep the pieces from sticking to one another. They may be cut into bite-sized pieces, but are more often sold in larger sizes. Gaz in flour is called "gaz-e-ardi"'.
In modern times and with the advent of automated machines capable of mixing, cutting and wrapping individual bite-sized pieces of gaz, production has increased to commercial levels.