Sumalak (Uzbek Wheat Sprout Pudding)
In short: A dark, glossy pudding made from sprouted wheat juice and flour, cooked slowly until naturally sweet. The traditional Navruz spring dish. It takes about 4 h 40 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 4 h
- Resting
- 72 h
- Total
- 4 h 40 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 210 kcal
Sumalak is cooked for Navruz, the spring new year, when neighbors gather around a big cauldron and take turns stirring through the night. There is no sugar in it. Sprouting turns the starch in wheat into natural sweetness, and hours of slow cooking deepen the flavor to something nutty and caramel-like. This version is scaled for a home pot and takes about four hours of occasional stirring.
Instructions
- Rinse the wheat and soak it in plenty of water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain.
- Spread the grain 1 cm (1/2 in) deep on a tray lined with a damp kitchen towel. Cover loosely and keep it somewhere cool and shaded. Sprinkle with water twice a day until the sprouts are about 1 cm (1/2 in) long, about 3 days. Rinse well.
- Chop the sprouts in a food processor into a coarse mash, adding a little water. Stir the mash into 1.5 litres (6 cups) of the cold water, leave for 10 minutes, then strain through muslin, squeezing hard.
- Return the pulp to the bowl with the remaining 1.5 litres of cold water, stir, wait 10 minutes and strain again. Combine both batches of pale green juice.
- Heat the oil in a heavy 6 litre (6 quart) pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes until pale gold, then slowly whisk in the juice to avoid lumps.
- Bring just to a simmer, then lower the heat as far as it goes. Cook uncovered for about 4 hours, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes and scraping the bottom, until the pudding is dark brown and as thick as loose porridge.
- Let it cool for 20 minutes, since it thickens as it stands. Serve warm or cold with bread, with toasted walnuts on top if you like.
Tips
- Use whole hard wheat berries, which sprout reliably. Pearled or polished grain will not sprout.
- Traditional cooks add a few clean, smooth stones to the cauldron to prevent sticking. At home, a heavy pot over a flame diffuser does the same job.
Questions and answers
Why is there no sugar in sumalak?
Sprouting changes the starch in the wheat into natural sugars, and long cooking caramelizes them. The result tastes sweet and nutty without any added sweetener.
How long does sumalak keep?
Refrigerated in a clean jar it keeps for up to 5 days. It gets firmer when cold, so warm it gently with a splash of water.
Why is sumalak made at Navruz?
Wheat sprouts stand for spring and renewal. Making it is a social event, with neighbors sharing the stirring and the finished pudding.
How long does it take to make Sumalak (Uzbek Wheat Sprout Pudding)?
About 4 h 40 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 4 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Sumalak (Uzbek Wheat Sprout Pudding)?
About 210 kcal per serving, with 3 g of protein, 28 g of carbohydrates and 11 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 210 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 28 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Sodium | 10 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
