Noah's Pudding

TURKISH VEGETARIAN COOKING

TURKISH DESSERTS

NOAH'S PUDDING (Aşure)

2 cups wheat
1/2 cup rice
1/3 cup navy beans
1/3 cup chick peas (garbanzo)
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup sultana raisins
4 dried figs, cut into small pieces
4 dried apricots, cut into small pieces
1 tblsp roasted sesame seeds
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped hazel nuts

Wash and place the wheat, rice, beans and garbanzos in a large pot and fill it up to the rim (almost) with water and let them soak overnight. Next day place the pot (it should be a heavy pot) on medium heat and boil for one full hour then reduce heat and boil for another two hours or until all the grains are very soft and the water reduced to half the amount. Then add the two cups of sugar and boil another half hour or so. Be sure to have a very thick porrige like consistency. Pour into single serving individual glass bowls. When cool top each individual bowl with the raisins figs, apricots and nuts then sprinkle the sesame seeds. This dessert will keep well in the refrigerator and should be served cold. It is said that the Prophet Noah invented this pudding when he had only left overs in his Ark after the flood. It is believed that he put whatever he could find in a large cauldron and cooked them very slowly and for a long time.