Aşure

Aşure is a traditional dessert prepared during a certain time of the

year. It is well-known that Turks love to share what they have with
their neighbors and it is a custom to prepare aşure in large cauldrons
and distribute it to the poor. It doesn't always have to be the poor,
neighbors also get to eat this dessert.

The preparation of aşure in Turkey is an old custom. It signifies

thanksgiving to God for the granting of abundance since this delicacy
contains grains, dried fruits and pulses grown in the country. The
recipe has many ingredients. In the past, the ingredients varied from
region to region, depending on their availability.

There is a folktale which explains the reason for the preparation of

this delicacy which is as follows: When Noah's ark landed on Mt. Agrı
(Ararat) there was great joy and to celebrate the end of the deluge
and offer thanks to God those on the Ark prepared a delicacy with
what was left on the Ark. There were grains, dried fruits and pulses
on the vessel such as figs, nuts, wheat, chickpeas, almonds and
apricots which were cooked together with sugar. According to this
tradition aşure represents abundance and good luck.

Aşure symbolizes various events. It is believed that aşure is prepared

to celebrate the anniversary of the day when Abraham was saved
from the fire into which he was thrown and also when Jacob saw his
son Joseph again. However, aşure is also prepared every year to
mourn the deaths of Hasan and Hüseyin, the grandsons of the
Prophet Muhammad.

In Turkey, it is customary to prepare aşure at a certain time of the

year, which occurs for 10 days during the Moslem month of
Moharrem. However, in Turkey, you can find aşure in pastry shops
throughout the year. Aşure prepared at home is shared with the
neighbors. Although it might be a bit difficult to do this in big cities,
generally people who prepare aşure send a cup to each of the
neighbors in their building. Others invite relatives for dinner and serve
aşure for dessert.
 Ingrediente:
125 gr nuci tocate.
60 gr alune tocate.
125 gr caise uscate.
125 gr zahar brun.
125 g smochine uscate, tocate.
125 g stafide.
250 gr boabe de grau sau arpacas.
1-2 linguri de apa de trandafiri ( Esenta De Trandafiri )
1 litru apa amestec de coacaza, afine, rodie, nuci, pentru ornat.

Mod De Preparare:
Se inmoaie boabele de grau, alunele, nucile si caisele in vase
separate, in apa, peste noapte.
Se scurg apoi cat mai bine.
Intr-o oala, se fierbe graul 45 de minute, pana ce boabele se
inmoaie, dar nu intr-atata incat sa se faca mucilaginoase. Se adauga
nuci, alune, caise si zahar, se da in clocot la temperatura medie, apoi
se micsoreaza flacara si se fierb incet, timp de 10 minute.
Se adauga smochinele si stafidele si se continua fierberea alte 5
minute.
Se ia oala de pe foc, se lasa sa se raceasca si se adauga apa de
trandafiri.
Se amesteca si se transfera mixtura intr-un castron, sau platou mare.
Se lasa sa stea cel putin 1 ora, ca sa se ingroase.
Inainte de a o servi, se orneaza Asure cu coacaze, bucatele de caise
uscate, nuci tocate, aranjate de obicei ca spitele unei roti, cu o
jumatate de nuca in centru.
Exista variante care folosesc si scortisoara, miere, seminte de susan
etc.
Practic, fiecare familie are varianta proprie.
Pentru apa de trandafir, eu am folosit esenta de trandafir pe care am
gasit-o la Europa la Dragonul Rosu.
Coacaze uscate si caise uscate am cumparat de la Kaufland.Aceasta
reteta o am de la ''Retetele lui Radu''Am facut-o si a iesit o
bunatate,este foarte gustoasa.Am vazut-o intr-un serial turcesc.
Pentru cine doreste poate sa o faca se aseamana cu coliva noastra
romaneasca, mult imbunatatita.
Pofta Buna.