Aşure (aka Noah’s Ark Pudding) is a classic Turkish dessert made with wheat, chickpeas, white beans, sugar, dried figs, dried apricots, raisins, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and pomegranate seeds. My friend Zeynep and her father raved about it to me recently, so when I saw it in the dessert case at Hünkar, I pounced on the opportunity to try it (maybe not the best way to follow a huge meal–it seems like a full meal itself–but definitely an interesting culinary experience). Legend has it that after Noah’s Ark landed on Mt. Ararat, he and his companions made a celebratory feast with everything left on the vessel. The result was Aşure, a dessert that is widely available in Istanbul but was once made exclusively after Eid-al-Adha (Kurban Bayrami in Turkish; the Feast of Sacrifice). In fact, the month following the Feast is called Aşure.

Categories: Gastronomic Traditions, Istanbul, Sweets & Dessert, Turkish Cuisine