SOME TURKISH DESSERTS

Asure (Wheat Pudding)

Preparation :
Wash the wheat, chickpeas and dried beans. Soak them separately overnight with beans and chickpeas in 1 cup and the dövme and rice mixture in 2 cups of water. Add 3 cups of water to dövme and 2 cups of water each to chickpeas and beans and place them individually on the burner. Cook the dövme until the grains are dissolved and the starc comes out. If necessary boil the chickpeas in pressure cooker. Wash the dry fruit and soak them for 2 hours in 1 ½ cups of water. Mix the cooked ingredients and the dry fruit in a pan and cook for 15 minutes. Peel the orange and cut the rid, including the white inner part into 3-4 cm long and 1 cm wide strips. Divide the orange slices into 4-5 pieces. Add them alltogether to the mixture and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the sugar and cook for 1-2 minutes and turn off the heath. Add the rosewater and stir. Pour into dessert cups. Garnish with walnuts and pomegranate pits.

Nutritional Value (in approximately one serving):
Energy 634 cal, Protein 15.0 g, Fat 8.9 g, Carbohydrates 133.2 g, Calcium 150 mg, Iron 5.53 mg, Phosphorus 318 mg, Zinc 3 mg, Sodium 21 mg, Vitamin A 1164 iu, Thiamine 0.45 mg, Riboflavin 0.10 mg, Niacin 3.35 mg, Vitamin C 5 mg, Cholesterol 0

Notes:
It is one of the oldest and most traditional desserts of the Turkish cuisine. The month following the Feast of Sacrifice (Kurban Bayrami) is known as the Asure month. Plenty of asure is cooked in every household during it which is both served to the guests and distributed to the neighbors and relatives. The legend regarding the origins of asure goes as follows : "When the Flood finally subsided and the Noah's Arc settled on Mount Ararat in Agri, those on the vessel wanted to hold a celebration as an expression of the gratitute they felt towards the God. But alas, the food storages of the ship were practically empty and so they made a soup with all the remaining ingredients they could find and thus ended up with the asure". Following the legend, asure is today prepared by cooking together 15 or more ingredients. In some regions a piece of the sacrificial meat is saved and added to the pot while asure is being cooked. Rice can also be substituted for wheat or it can be used in combination with it. The pudding can be enriched with almonds, hazelnuts and currants. In addition to dried white beans and chickpeas, dried broad beans and dried black-eyed beans can also be added. In some regions molasses replaces sugar. To the later version, which is known in the Corum region as "Pekmezli Hedik", anise is added in Gaziantep. In other regions raisin gum is added. If a pressure cooker is to be used, the chick peas, beans and the wheat can be cooked together. In normal, non-pressure pots the cooking time can vary between 1 - 2 hours depending on the type and quality of the ingredients used. Due to the difference in cooking times and ways of the ingredients, cooking them separately would be more appropriate.

Baklava

Preparation :
Place the sugar and 2 cups of water in a saucepan, boil for 10 minutes, add the lemon juice and bring to boil again for a short time. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Crush or grind the pistachio nuts. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add salt and and mix. Slowly pour the oil, make a hole in the middle and add the eggs and very slowly add the water. Knead into a medium stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and leave for about 10 minutes. Divide the dough into balls and roll each ball out very thin, sprinkling with starch until half a millimeter thick. Place half of the rolled out dough into a baking pan of 35-40 cm. diameter. Sprinkle pistachio nuts on the top sheet. Place the remaining sheets. Cut the layered pastry sheets into squares or diamonds. Heat the butter without burning it and pour over the pastry. Bake in a barely moderately heated oven for approximately 40-50 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside for 2-3 minutes and then pour the cold syrup over the pastry, cover and let it soak the syrup.

Nutritional Value (in approximately one serving) :
Energy 425 cal, Protein 6.4 g, Fat 19.5 g, Carbohydrates 58.2 g, Calcium 27 mg, Iron 1.31 mg, Phosphorus 100 mg, Zinc 1 mg, Sodium 190 mg, Vitamin A 479 iu, Thiamine 0.10 mg, Riboflavin 0.03 mg, Niacin 0.45 mg, Vitamin C - mg, Cholesterol (when butter is used) 58 mg.

Notes :
Baklava is one of the traditional desserts which is best known and made in all regions of Anatolia. The type which is prepared with a very thick syrup and keeps for a long time is known as "Dry Baklava" (Kuru Baklava).

Semolina Halva (Irmik Helvasi)

Preparation :
Melt the margarine, add the nuts and the semolina and brown them for about 15 minutes until the ingredients change color slightly, stirring all the time. Boil the water in a separate saucepan, add and melt the sugar. Add the syrup to the semolina, stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Cover with a napkin and let rest for 20 minutes. Toss before serving.

Nutritional Value (in approximately one serving) :
Energy 540 cal, Protein 6.4 g, Fat 22.7 g, Carbohydrates 79.0 g, Calcium 19 mg, Iron 1.01 mg, Phosphorus 79 mg, Zinc 0 mg, Sodium 208 mg, Vitamin A 766 iu, Thiamine 0.07 mg, Riboflavin 0.06 mg, Niacin 0.50 mg, Vitamin C - mg, Cholesterol 55 mg.

Notes :
It is prepared in all regions of Anatolia. In some regions milk or a water - milk mixture is used instead of water. It is generally prepared for religious feasts or days and also at the home of the deceased after a funeral, where it is served to those coming for condolesence and is also distributed to the neighbors.

Kadayif Dolmasi

Ingredients:
500 g tel kadayif (thin strands of pastry cooked on a griddle)
1 kg granulated sugar
100g walnuts and hazelnuts
10 eggs
1 kg sunflower oil to fry
Servings: 6

Preparation :
Spread a handful of the tel kadayif over the palm of the hand and place a spoonful of chopped nuts in the centre. Roll up neatly. Dip the roll into a bowl of beaten eggs and then deep fry in a pan of hot oil. When golden brown remove and set aside. When all the rolls are fried, prepare a syrup with 1 kg of sugar and 1.5 liters of water boiled for about 10 minutes until the consistency of thin honey becomes heavier. Pour the syrup over the rolls.  Serve when cool.

Notes :
It is prepared in all regions of Anatolia.