Samanu is a sweet paste of sprouted wheat cooked slowly for many hours and eaten for Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in Iran, Central Asia and Afghanistan. Serve it with hot tea.
Samanu (Persian Wheat Sprout Pudding)
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Wheat is sprouted, ground and strained, then simmered with flour for hours until the natural sugars turn it deep brown, sweet and thick. No sugar is added. Makes 8 servings in about 9 hr.
Prep
240 min
Cook
300 min
Total
9 hr
Servings
8
Diet
Vegan
Ingredients
Adjust yield
servings
Scales from a half to a double batch; give a bigger batch a little more time.
- 14 oz (400 g)whole wheat berries, sprouted 2 to 3 days to about 1/2 inch (1 cm) shoots
- 8 ½ cups (2000 ml)water, for blending and straining
- 1 ¼ cups (150 g)whole wheat flour
- 2 tbsp (30 ml)neutral oil, for the pot
- ½ tsp (1 g)ground cardamom
- 2 cups (500 ml)hot water, as needed during cooking
- 2 ½ tbsp (20 g)almonds, slivered
- ¾ oz (20 g)pistachios, slivered
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Instructions
- Rinse the wheat and soak in cold water 12 hours. Drain, spread on damp cloth in a covered dish, and keep it moist and in a cool dark spot for 2 to 3 days until shoots are about 1/2 inch (1 cm) long. Rinse twice a day.
- Blend the sprouts with 1000 ml water in batches until finely ground, then strain through a cloth, squeezing well. Reblend the solids with 1000 ml more water and strain again. Combine the milky liquids and discard the solids.
- Whisk the flour into the sprout liquid until smooth. Rub the base of a heavy pot with the oil.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly for the first 30 to 40 minutes, so it does not stick.
- Reduce to the lowest heat, cover and cook 4 hours, stirring every 15 minutes and adding a little hot water whenever it thickens too much, until it turns deep reddish brown and glossy.
- Stir in the cardamom and cook uncovered 20 more minutes to a thick pudding.
- Cool to warm and serve in small bowls topped with slivered nuts.
Tips
- Traditional samanu simmers overnight; this shorter, attended version needs a very low heat and frequent stirring.
- Use food-grade wheat meant for sprouting and rinse thoroughly.
- Never leave the pot unattended on the stove.
- Cook the sprouted-wheat mixture at a boil and then many hours on low heat to make it safe to eat; keep it refrigerated and do not leave cooked pudding at room temperature more than 2 hours.
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Recipe FAQ
How long does it take to make samanu (persian wheat sprout pudding)?
Plan on 240 minutes of prep and 5 hours of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings.
How should I store samanu (persian wheat sprout pudding)?
Refrigerate, covered, up to 5 days; serve at room temperature.
Can I make samanu (persian wheat sprout pudding) ahead?
It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.
Is this recipe vegan?
Yes, as written. Check that packaged ingredients such as chocolate, sprinkles and plant butter are labeled vegan.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.
183
Calories / serving
6.3g
Fat
26.6g
Carbs
4.9g
Protein
0.5g
Sugar
Whole recipe (8 servings): ~1464 cal · 50g fat · 213g carbs · 39g protein · 4g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
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