Ashure Anushabur Koliva

Photo: Berge Arabian

Ashure, or Noah’s pudding, is a popular dessert in Turkey and the Balkans; it is made from grains, fruits, dried fruits, and nuts, and distributed to neighbours and friends to share wishes of abundance, wealth, and healing. Ashure, traditionally cooked by Muslims living in this geography on the tenth day of the month of Muharram, is cooked and shared in the Alevi culture after the mourning fast held in the same month. In the Alevi doctrine, it is a symbol of empathy against all kinds of violence – signifying that differences and identities can mix in the same pot, communing, without seeking to make one resemble another. The Armenian dessert Anushabur (sweet soup) is a kind of ashure that is made without legumes like beans and chickpeas and cooked on the New Year's Eve for a new year full of abundance. It is among the indispensable dishes of the Christmas dinners and is distributed in the same way to help share good wishes. Koliva (small coin) is, on the other hand, dry and without any legumes; it’s found in the Greek Orthodox culture and is usually distributed at funerals. It is also considered a kind of ashure and consists mainly of dried fruits, nuts, and pomegranate. Although its ingredients and names differ, the common ingredient of ashure is wheat, which has been growing in our geography for thousands of years. And just like wheat, ashure is a dish that can bring everyone together regardless of their nationality and belonging.