Samanu recipe | samanoo, a sweat pudding made from wheat symbolizes wealth and fertility in 5 steps

Samanu is one of the main symbols of the Haft Sin table. This spiritual dessert symbolizes strength, goodness, and blessing, which will sweeten your Nowruz moments with its pleasant taste.

Be with us in The Cookery Magazine to get the answer to your questions and especially the main question that is How can we cook samanoo?

Ingredients for making Samanu

Wheat	1 glass
Wheat sprout	2 glasses
Water	5 glasses

Recipe for making Samanu

The first step; Cleaning samano wheat and washing it

To try the best method of cooking Samanu at home, clean the wheat carefully and wash it with cold water. It is better to separate the broken wheat grains and pay attention that all the grains be in their whole shape.

You might be surprised that the samanu you prepare from outside has a sweet taste, but if you are a cook, it is easy to cook a healthy, nutritious, and low-sugar samanu.

The second step, Greening of wheat for Samanu

In this step of preparing homemade samano step by step, put the washed wheat in a suitable container and pour some water on the wheat. The amount of water on the wheat should be two knuckles.

We are going to turn the wheat green, so put the container of wheat in a cool and dark place for two days.

colander to allow the wheat seeds to take root a little. During all these 24 hours, the cleaning cloth must be moist (not wet).

The third step; Placing the wheat in the colander

In this step of how to prepare Samano Nazri, pour the wheat in a colander after one day. Wheat should not be piled on top of each other. The height of the wheat in the colander should be 2 cm.

The fourth step; Preparing wheat for Samano

At this stage of the homemade samanu, you should wash the wheat with gentle water pressure. The water pressure should not be high because the sprouts will be damaged.
Keep the wheat in the same colander and wipe them with a wet cleaning cloth. This cloth should always be wet. Sprouted wheat should remain in this state for 2-3 days.

The fifth and last step in the cooking method of Samanu

Pour wheat juice gradually on wheat flour or sangak flour and mix. The flour may lump; if it lumps, pass it through a sieve or strainer.

Put the above ingredients with five glasses of water in a spirit or copper container on medium heat and stir constantly. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and stir from time to time until it thickens.

When the consistency of Samanu is like a Ferni dessert, put a flame spreader under the pot and cover the pot’s lid with a rice steamer cover. 

In the last half hour of cooking, according to an old philosophy, put some almonds or walnuts with their skins into the samanu.

Here with me, try the best way to cook Samanu, which has a balanced sweetness without adding sugar; it is a nutritious and healthy snack, especially for children and pregnant women, and enjoy your cooking.

Preparing Samano with dates

One of the easiest and fastest ways to prepare Samanu at home is to combine wheat germ flour, wheat flour, and dates.
In the following, you can learn how to make Samanu with dates.

Ingredients for making Samanu with dates

Wheat germ flour	1 cup
Wheat flour	1 cup
Soft pitted dates	1 and a half cup
Animal oil (ghee)	As much as needed
Water	1 and a half cup
Cardamom extract or Cardamom syrup	1 tablespoon

Recipe for making Samanu with dates

In the first step of how to prepare homemade samano with dates, you should combine wheat germ flour and wheat flour and sift it once to separate the coarse flour particles from it.

Then you must remove the dates’ skin and their cores. Then grind the dates completely using a meat grinder. If you want, you can use a meat grinder to mix the dates or grab the dates by hand to crush them.

In the third step of how to prepare homemade samanu without sugar, you have to pour the flour into the pan and add enough water to make a loose and watery paste.

Now put a spreader flame on the oven, place the pan on low heat, and constantly stir so that the ingredients are combined and do not stick.

At this stage, add animal oil to Samanu and stir well. Then add the cardamom juice and remix the ingredients. You can turn off the flame when the samano turns completely brown and reaches the right consistency. You can eat this samano both hot and cold.

Golden tips for having the best samanoo

• In some regions of Iran, to prepare Samanu flour, they put wheat in a cotton cloth or bag and sprinkled water on them. They repeat this every few hours so the wheat remains wet and can take root. They do this until the green stem of the wheat is identified. As we said, this stem should grow only a little because it makes Semno bitter.

• Then, the sprouted wheat is removed from the cotton bag and spread to dry in a warm and dry place. When the wheat gets dry, they are ground and used in preparing Samanoo.

• To make Samanu’s color brighter and look good, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of animal oil (ghee) three hours before brewing Samanoo. Adding ghee will make the color of Samanoo good.

• In response to the question of how long Samanu should be on the gas flame, you should know that Samanu needs a lot of time to cook and should stay on the gas for at least 3 to 4 hours.

• The flame for cooking Samanoo must be gentle. You have to be patient to cook Semnoo.

• When soaking the wheat with a wet cloth, it is better to use a cotton cloth and wet it at least once an hour so that the wheat germinates well.

• For cooking homemade samanu without wheat flour, only wheat germ is used.

• In the past, it was customary to put several almonds with skin in the pot at the end of cooking Semno and before serving it; This work was a sign of good luck and an omen. If you want, you can do it too.

• And if you remember, we have explained some Nazri and nazr like Ghorme sabzi, Khoresh gheymeh, Shole Zard, etc.

• After cooking homemade samanu, it is time to decorate it. You can use chopped walnuts, almonds, and pistachios to decorate Samanoo.

• In preparing homemade samanoo, it is better to use a cotton cloth to soak the wheat and soak the cloth every few hours so that the wheat germinates well.

• If you have been asked why they pour ice in Samanu, you should know that some people believe that this makes Samanoo have beautiful color.

• The reason for the elasticity of Samanou is the presence of wheat sprouts (wheat germ) in it, which is rich in vitamins and many properties for the health of the body.

• Remember that if you see that the concentration of samanu is very high and hard at the end of cooking, you can pour a little water into it and let it boil again.

• If you are making this dessert for the first time, you can make it with a small amount (100 to 200 grams) of wheat.

• You can decorate your homemade samanu with walnuts, almonds, or pistachios.

Having a journey in the history of Samanu

As you know, Samanoo cooking in Iran returned many years ago. In ancient Iran, this wheat dessert is made from wheat sprouts, which are a symbol of birth and fertility. 

The history of Samanoo in ancient Iran is more than three thousand years. 

At first, Samanoo was called a miraculous food in the plateau lands of Iran as a traditional food with a warm nature. 

«سمنک در جوش ما دفچه زنیم، دیگران در خواب، ما کفچه زنیم»

Cooking Samano in a ceremony called Samanu Pazan usually starts a week before Nowruz and continues until the end of the year. 

This ceremony dates back to before Islam, especially in Isfahan and desert areas. 

After Islam, this Nowruz elixir took on a religious aspect and was called the special food of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (PBUH). 

Samano is a food made from wheat germ, and no artificial sweeteners are added to it, and it is beneficial for the health and growth of the body, especially children.

Frequently Asked Questions about samanoo

Conclusion