March 22, is not the Day of Ashura, but Albanians do not spend the holiday of Nowruz without preparing Ashura. We have heard the name of this dish since early from our grandmothers or mothers, but the story behind it, no.
1.
Ashura is the oldest cake in the world and has historically been known as "Noah's cake". Legend has it that Noah, the savior of God, was the first to prepare this dessert by mixing all the ingredients that were left in his ark and the result was what we know today as ashura.
2.
Ashura is a traditional Turkish dessert, but it originates from Armenia.
3.
In addition to the taste it has, ashura is also very good for our health. Strengthens the immune system especially during the winter months.
4.
Despite the fact that today different ways are used for its preparation, the base remains wheat, cinnamon and dried fruits.
5.
In Turkey, Ashura is performed in the first month of the Islamic calendar (known as the month of Ashura in Turkey), which mainly begins on October 25.
6.
In addition to the legend of Noah, this day is very important for other reasons of religious beliefs. Muslims remember the "Day of Ashura" as a sacrifice made by the prophets for mankind.
If it occurred to you and you did not know how to make it, the simple recipe of ashura is below!
Here are the ingredients for 4 people according to the Albanian Cuisine:
- 300 gr wheat for ash
- 100 gr sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 2-3 tablespoons starch (optional)
- a little salt to balance the sugar level
- nuts, almonds, raisins, figs, etc.
Clean the wheat and simmer with 2 - 2.5 l of water. Meanwhile, add sugar, a little salt, dried fruit, a little cinnamon and some to decorate.
Allow the liquid to thicken slightly and stir constantly. If desired, we can add a little starch dissolved in warm water.
Let it simmer a little more and then throw it in the bowls, which we put in the fridge. For decoration we can use dried fruits, pomegranate seeds, cinnamon, etc.
