The Samanu, also known as "sacred Halwa", is one of the foods necessary for haft sin, and its tradition is also shared by many other non-Muslim populations who celebrate Nowruz. Afghan, Tajik, Turkmen and Uzbek women and girls still cook Samanu in a group, outdoors, using the kazan, a large wide-bottomed cast iron pot placed on or hung over a fire, and there they spend the whole night singing themed popular songs and nursery rhymes. This dish has a very sweet taste, due to the enzymes contained in the wheat sprouts which interact with the starches of the flour at high temperatures, transforming them into sugars.

The preparation of Samanu is divided into two phases: the germination of the wheat with the collection of the sprouts and the consequent preparation of the extract and its cooking. However, for greater practicality, it is possible to use wheat sprout flour (Sohan) ready-made and available in specialized shops; in this case 2 glasses of flour will replace the necessary amount of wheat.

INGREDIENTS FOR PEOPLE 4
• 500 g of husked wheat specific for Samanu (or 2 glasses of flour already ready)
• 2 kg of sifted whole wheat flour
• 11 of water
• 3 tablespoons of rose water
• 3 abundant spoons of almonds, pistachios and peeled hazelnuts, peeled, unsalted and flaked (optional)

PREPARATION
Wash the wheat in cold water and rinse it. Place it in a basin and add cold water until it is completely covered, leaving 2-3 cm of water above its surface. Change the water every day. After at least a couple of days the wheat begins to germinate. Rinse in plenty of water and place the grain in a thin cotton gauze previously moistened; wrap the gauze on itself and place it in a bowl in a warm place away from drafts. Once or twice a day, lightly moisten the gauze with cold water. When the first roots appear, spread the wheat on a large tray, cover it with damp gauze and water it from time to time with water, making sure it does not dry out. When the sprouts are well grown and still silver in color (ie before they turn green) grind them in a mixer by adding two glasses of cold water. At this point, filter the excess water through a very fine sieve or gauze, collecting the juice in a bowl or in a mixer.

Add the flour previously dissolved in water and stir continuously until you get a smooth and homogeneous paste that you will put on the fire in a pan.
If you use ready-made flour for Samanu, place it covered with cold water in the mixer and let it rest for 20 '. Incorporate the wheat flour afterwards following the same procedure already indicated to obtain the homogeneous pasta to be cooked. The first 30-40 minutes of cooking require constant attention and frequent stirring to prevent the cream from thickening too much. Once the boil has been raised, continue to simmer slowly by slightly thickening the puree which will caramelize just enough to take on a nice light hazelnut color. Gradually, during cooking, add another 2 glasses of hot water while continuing to stir. Let the Samanu simmer for another hour on a very low flame or even better in an oven preheated to no more than 30 ° C for a couple of hours. Only finally, in order not to lose its delicate aroma, add the rose water, and if you want the dried fruit flakes.

The Samanu finally presents itself as a thick cream that can be kept in the fridge in glass or disposable containers for the entire holiday season.