Konya Revives a Five-Century-Old Tradition
Five centuries ago, the tradition of cooking and
distributing "Ashura" in large cauldrons within the courtyards of
Sufi lodges is reemerging once again.
On Sunday, July 30th, with the morning call to prayer
(azan), the Ashura will be cooked in cauldrons throughout the day and will be
served to the people of Konya in the evening.
Although its preparation differs a lot according to the
region, the usual recipe for Ashura is as follows:
Ingredients:
- ½ cups of dried beans
- ½ cups of chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon of rice
- 1 tablespoon of burghul
- 2 cups of granulated sugar
- ½ cup of seedless raisins (also called sultani grapes)
- 1 medium apple and 1 orange
- 8-10 dried apricots
- 2 glasses of warm milk
For topping
- 2-3 pomegranate seeds
- 100 gr hazelnut kernels
- 100 gr walnut kernels
- 100 gr almond kernels
- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
Put the Ashura wheat, dry beans and chickpeas, which you
have washed and drained, in separate containers, bring them to a boil with cold
water enough to get four fingers above them and remove from the stove. Leave it
like this until the next day.
The next day, put all the ingredients to a large pot, add
ten inches of hot water and cook until the ingredients are soft.
Add the washed and drained rice and bulghur to the
ingredients that have softened well.
After adding granulated sugar and washed and drained raisins
to the boiling soup, add dried apricots cut in very small cubes form and cook
for another 10 minutes. (Don't forget to stir the Ashura frequently and add hot
water if the water is low.) The Ashura should be like a thick soup. If
necessary, you can add hot water.
Finally, add the apple and orange which you have peeled and
cut into small cubes and add milk, and cook on low heat for about 25-30
minutes, stirring constantly.
Take it from the stove, wait for it to become slightly warm,
divide it into bowls and sprinkle cinnamon, if desired, coconut. Garnish with
pomegranates, hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds. Serve when completely cool.
