Samanu Recipe

In the recipe of Samanu, there is no sugar, and it has a sweet taste. How it becomes sweet? The sweetness of Samanu comes from the germination of wheat.

During germination, wheat starches convert into sugar, giving it a unique flavor.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: iran

Ingredients

500 grams wheat
2 kg flour
3-4 liters water
Nuts such as almonds (if you like)

Instructions

Soak the wheat in cold water for 24-48 hours and change the water in the container thrice during soaking.
Drain the water and wrap the wheat in a damp cloth. Keep the cloth moist for two days, allowing the wheat to sprout.
Spread the sprouted wheat on a tray and cover it with a cloth. Allow it to grow for two or three days, ensuring the cloth remains damp. Please only leave them briefly because their color changes to dark and gives a bitter taste to Samanu.
Once the wheat has grown, break off the sprouts and roots and squash them in the food processor. Use a filter to pour the squashed wheat and separate large wheat grains.
In a large pot, mix the wheat puree with flour and water. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Continue cooking and stirring the mixture for approximately 3 to 4 hours or until it reaches a thick, paste-like consistency. It would help if you stirred continuously to avoid stick of it to the pot. The color of the Samanu will darken as it cooks.
Then reduce the heat and allow the Samanu to lose water and reach its desired texture. In this step, you do not need to stir it frequently since it no longer sticks to the pot.
Once the Samanu has reached the desired consistency, place a thick piece of cloth on the pot, allowing Samanu to gain darker color in low heat.
After one hour, once its color becomes darker, please remove it from the heat and let it cool. Add almonds, walnuts, or pistachios as a garnish before serving.

Notes

Tips for a Perfect Samanu

Before soaking wheat in cold water, clean them to make them pure and make the taste of Samanu delicious.
Use cotton cloth while you want to keep wheat wet for a few days by sprinkling water on it until the wheat germinates. Green stems don't allow them to grow more, as it makes the taste of Samanu bitter.
To enhance the color of your Samanu, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of animal fat (roghan heyvani) three hours before it finishes cooking.
Be patient while cooking Samanu, as it requires a gentle flame and constant stirring.
To decorate the Samanu and add some colors to the dessert, you can put some chopped walnut, pistachio, or almond once you want to serve it.