sümölök
Sümölök
Yes, my dear, I know it is September. A reader asked for this one, and it needs planning, so tuck it away for March.
Across Central Asia, sumalak is cooked for the spring new year, and it belongs to the women. On Nooruz eve the women of our street gathered around one enormous cauldron and took turns stirring all night, singing old songs to keep each other awake. I remember falling asleep on my mother’s lap to their voices. There is no sugar in it; all the sweetness comes from the sprouted wheat. This is a small home version, but it still takes a whole day, so invite your girlfriends, put the kettle on, and share the spoon.
Ingredients servings
- 500 gwhole wheat berries
- 400 gplain flour
- 200 mlsunflower oil
- 5 Lwater, in total
- 10 clean smooth river pebbles or walnuts in shell (to stop sticking)
Method
- Soak the wheat overnight, then spread it on a tray, cover with a damp cloth and keep it moist for 3–4 days until the sprouts are 3–5 cm long.
- Blend the sprouts with 1 L of water in batches, then squeeze the pulp through a cloth to extract the green juice. Repeat twice more with 1 L water each time. Keep all the juice.
- Warm the oil in a large heavy pot, then whisk in the flour and cook 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the wheat juice until smooth. Drop in the clean pebbles.
- Simmer on low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom, adding hot water as it thickens. Cook 8–10 hours until it turns a deep brown and becomes thick and sweet.
- Cover and leave to rest overnight. Serve cool in small bowls with flatbread.
From my kitchenMaking a wish while you stir is part of the tradition. So is finding a pebble in your bowl, which means good luck for the year.
With love from my kitchen to yours,Jibek
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