Aşure (Noah's Pudding)

Ingredients

• •2 cups aşure wheat
• •1 cup chickpeas
• •5 cups sugar
• •1 cup dried white beans
• •15 cups water
• •½ cup rice
• •1 cup raisins
• •1 cup diced dried apricots
• •1 cup chopped dried figs
• •1 orange
• •To garnish: currants, ground walnuts, pistachios, cinnamon, pomegranate seeds

Preparation

1. 1

   Wash the wheat, beans, chickpeas and raisins and soak overnight in separate bowls. Next day, drain the wheat into a large pot, add 15 cups of water and boil. Skim the foam, cover and boil for 30 minutes. Boil the beans and chickpeas separately.

2. 2

   Rinse and drain the rice and add to the wheat. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 4.5 hours until the wheat is very soft.

3. 3

   When the liquid reaches a soup-like consistency, add the sugar, chickpeas and beans. Finely chop the orange peel and add. Stir in the raisins and apricots. Boil a few times, then remove.

4. 4

   Once cooked, stir in the chopped figs. Ladle into bowls while hot. When cooled, garnish with walnuts, pistachios, currants, cinnamon and pomegranate seeds. Optionally sprinkle rose water.