Samanu

Lore & Background

To make samanu, wheat is soaked and prepared for days, with the entire process taking up to a week. Traditionally, the final cooking would take from evening until daylight and was a party involving only women, full of laughter and music, with participants singing songs related to samanu making. In Iranian tradition, the gathering of mostly women sits in a circle near the huge pot, sings songs, and has fun, each waiting for her turn to stir the sumalak. While stirring, wishes can be made, and whole walnuts are thrown in near the end of preparation while making a wish. In the morning, still-warm sumalak is handed out to neighbors, relatives, and friends. In Tajikistan and Afghanistan they sing: 'Samanak dar Jūsh u mā Kafcha zanēm – Dīgarān dar Khwāb u mā Dafcha zanēm' (meaning: 'Samanak is boiling and we are stirring it, others are asleep and we are playing daf').

Reader's Guide

Samanu is a traditional sweet paste central to Nowruz celebrations, with roots in the pre-Islamic Sasanian Persian Empire. Its preparation involves a week-long process of soaking and germinating wheat, followed by an all-night cooking session traditionally done by women, accompanied by singing, music, and communal bonding. The dish is part of the Haft-Sin display and is shared with neighbors and family. In modern times, making samanu can be a family activity, and while traditional samanu uses only germinated wheat and water, flour is sometimes added to speed thickening, though it can make the paste bitter. In Iran, cooking and selling samanu in the last days of the year has become a seasonal trade centered on the city of Ashtian, which exports to European, Arab, and East Asian countries. Samanu is also known by various names across Central Asia, including sumalak, sümelek, and sümölök. Its significance lies in its deep cultural and seasonal symbolism, marking the arrival of spring and renewal.

Did You Know?

• In Iran, the city of Ashtian is known for its samanu production and exports to various countries.
• Traditional samanu is made from germinated wheat and wheat flour, with water, and no other ingredients.