Sumalak

For sumalak, wheat is sprouted in water for several days, crushed and squeezed; the juice is cooked with flour and oil in a big kazan all night, stirred without pause.

Small stones are placed at the bottom so it does not burn, and women take turns stirring until morning, singing and making wishes. Though no sugar is added, the sprouted wheat makes it sweet.

Sumalak is the centrepiece of the Navruz table and is shared with neighbours and relatives; Azerbaijani samani halva and Turkmen and Kyrgyz sümölök are its relatives.