Ashure, also called Noah’s Pudding, isn’t a dessert, not in the usual sense. It's a ceremonial food, slow-cooked with meaning. A pot of patience. In the month of Muharram, particularly on the 10th (Ashura), it becomes more than nourishment; it's a shared memory across tables. The story says that when the Ark ran out of supplies, what was left: grains, pulses, dried fruit, were stewed together in one pot. No extravagance, just survival, reflection, and maybe a touch of relief.
This version keeps things vegan and clean. No milk, no butter, no ghee. Just the essence: grains swollen with time, fruit giving its sugar, nuts lending body. It’s not cloying. It’s not flashy. It’s comfort, with weight behind it.
Vegan Ashure Recipe
Ingredients
Grains and legumes:
- 1/2 cup whole wheat (soaked overnight)
- 1/4 cup chickpeas (soaked overnight)
- 1/4 cup white beans (soaked overnight)
- 1/4 cup short-grain rice
Dried Fruit
- 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 2 tbsp currants
- 2 tbsp dried figs, chopped
Nuts and extras
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground clove
- 1 tbsp rose water (optional)
- Pomegranate seeds, for topping
- Crushed pistachios, for topping
Sweetener and liquid:
- 1/2 cup sugar (to taste)
- 1 tbsp date syrup (optional)
- 6-7 cups water (plus more as needed)
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the soaked wheat in water (around 4 cups) until it softens and splits, roughly an hour. Skim foam as needed.
- In separate pots, boil chickpeas and beans until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Once the wheat starts breaking down and thickening, add rice. Stir occasionally; it will stick if ignored.
- After rice cooks through, stir in chickpeas and beans. Add another 2 cups of water.
- Drop in dried fruits. Let them plump and bleed sweetness into the pot. Add more water if it tightens too fast.
- Add sugar, or date syrup, if using, and the spices. Stir in orange zest and rose water. Simmer another 15-20 minutes.
- Finally, mix in chopped nuts. Simmer a few more minutes. The porridge should be loose and spoonable, not stodgy.
- Ladle into bowls while warm. Garnish with pomegranate, pistachios, and maybe a dusting of cinnamon. Let it cool before serving. It thickens as it sits.
Tips & Tricks
- Wheat, chickpeas, and beans need at least 8 hours in water to cook evenly and soften without falling apart. Change the soaking water once to remove any bitterness or mustiness. This small step makes a big difference in texture and cooking time.
- Boil chickpeas and white beans in their own pots before adding them to the main porridge. This avoids overcooking and keeps the porridge base from turning muddy. Each ingredient keeps its integrity when handled on its own.
- Simmer the apricots, raisins, and figs first so they release their natural sweetness. Then add sugar to taste. If you add sugar too early, you can easily overdo it and end up with something syrupy rather than balanced.
- Wheat and rice tend to stick to the bottom as they absorb liquid and the mixture thickens. Use a wooden spoon and scrape the pot gently every few minutes once it starts resembling porridge. A scorched base will ruin the whole batch.
- Ashure thickens quickly, and it continues to do so as it cools. Have boiling or very hot water ready to add as needed during cooking. Thin it out gradually to keep the texture soft and loose, not dense and heavy.
- Dried fruits should be plump but still hold their shape. Don’t let them disintegrate. Nuts go in during the last few minutes so they stay slightly crunchy. You’re aiming for contrast in every spoonful – soft grains, chewy fruit, firm legumes, crisp nuts.
- If you cover Ashure while it’s still warm, condensation forms and drops back into the porridge, messing with the consistency. Let it come to room temperature uncovered before refrigerating or storing.
- Rose water is traditional, but not everyone likes its sharp perfume. You can leave it out entirely, or substitute with a splash of orange blossom water, or simply increase the citrus zest for a cleaner flavor.
- Ashure develops depth after sitting overnight in the fridge. Flavors blend better, and the porridge firms up slightly without drying out. It tastes more unified the next day, and it’s meant to be eaten over several days anyway.
- Ashure is made in large batches for a reason. Ladle it into bowls or jars, top with pomegranate and pistachios, and hand it out. The tradition is rooted in sharing; it’s not complete until it leaves your kitchen.