Here is a another traditional dessert from Turkey, which I am yet to find another country in the region to have it in their repertoire. Please let me know if you know any other cultures having this tradition.

Its name comes from Arabic, in which ashura literally means “tenth.” A dessert that is made on the 10th day of the Islamic calendar. Since Islamic calendar is based on moon, it is 10 days shorter than the Gregorian, hence this day as well as every Islamic holiday has a different date every year. One should not confuse this dessert with the day of ashura. Even though it is a custom to cook this dessert on that day, it is not a religious ceremony.

A story of this dessert tells us that it was a meal made in the Noah’s ark, right after the great flood was over. As you can see in the ingredients list, the main items of the dessert are the grains that one can hardly associate with any dessert.

If one cannot make it on the 10th day of the Islamic year, it can still be made within 20 days, before the next month starts. It is a dessert that you definitely share with neighbors, friends and family. That time of the year, you always have to make sure that you remember which neighbor sent which plate full of aÅŸure, so you can return it back either with aÅŸure or with another homemade dessert.

I haven’t had the courage to make it until last year. I asked everybody’s own way of preparing this wonderful dessert in a Turkish forum I belong to. The responses gave little hints here and there and also showed how it differs from household to household. Gathering all these, remembering how my late aunt used to prepare it and getting more hints from my mom’s friend who was visiting San Francisco last year, I was determined to give it a try. I can say that it does take some mastering but not a very hard one to make after all — just take some patience.

The recipe below results in a huge quantity, so if you are inclined to prepare this traditional dessert, I suggest using half or quarter of them.

• 500 gr wheat berries (also sold as “Wheat for Noah’s Pudding” in Turkish stores)
• 200 gr dry chickpeas
• 200 gr dry white beans
• 100 gr dry blackeye peas (optional)
• 4.5 – 5 liter water
• 500 gr sugar
• 100 gr raw almond
• 1 Tbs molasses (optional)
• 175 gr dry Turkish apricots
• 100 gr sultanas
• 80 gr currants
• 6 dry figs
• 50 gr dates (optional)
• 1 little orange’s peel
• 1/4 tsp salt

The night before:

1. Soak chickpeas, white beans and blackeye beans in water in separate bowls
2. Add 2 liters of water to the wheat berries, let them boil for a minute, turn off the heat, close the lid of the pot and let it sit overnight

Next day:

1. Again using separate pots, cook the chickpeas, and both beans until they are cooked, but not mushy. Drain and clean, especially the chickpeas’ skins
2. Cut the bigger of the dried fruits in the size of sultanas, or even smaller. If they are so dry, you can soak them in warm water until they are ready to be used
3. Blanch the raw almonds in warm water for 10 – 15 mins, skin them, save
4. Cut the orange peel into *very* thin strips, save
5. Cook the wheat, by adding additional 1 lt of water until cook very well. They will open up and become very mushy. At this stage, add the beans and chickpeas
6. In the mean time, boil about 2 – 3 lt of water aside, and add to the beans & wheat mix as needed. Making sure the mix does not burn and has more than enough water to cook
7. Add half of the sugar, making sure it mixes well. Add the rest, again mixing well
8. Add all the dried fruits, except the figs. They will turn the color of the mix darker, it is better to save them until the last moment
9. Add the molasses and a pinch of salt
10. Keep it boiling with very low heat and add sugar as needed. Make sure to add water at least the amount I have indicated. Remember, the starch of the grains will thicken the mix as it cools down
11. Add the figs, mix and turn the heat off
12. Divide into bowls, decorate with ground cinnamon and mixed walnut and hazelnuts. It goes well with pomegranate arils, if they are in season…