Sumalak

Sumalak is a sweet, thick paste made from sprouted wheat, cooked for the Nowruz spring festival. Nowruz marks the start of spring and the new year in Uzbekistan and across much of Central Asia and Iran. Sumalak is one of the foods made for the festival, and its base is grain rather than meat or dairy, so it is cooked and shared as a festive dish rather than an everyday one.

What it really is

Wheat grains are soaked until they sprout, and the sprouted wheat is then ground and cooked with flour, water and sugar. The mixture is simmered over low heat and stirred for a long time until it thickens into a dense, sweet paste with a grainy flavour. Sugar gives it its sweetness, and the wheat gives it both its body and its taste, so wheat is the ingredient guests should be told about first.

How it's served

• Warm, spooned from the pot into small bowls or dishes.
• Thick enough to eat with a spoon, not poured or drunk.
• Served during Nowruz, and shared with family, neighbours and guests as part of the festival.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main ingredient: sprouted wheat, sweetened with sugar.
• Flag wheat as the allergen, and say that it contains gluten for guests with coeliac disease.
• Say whether it is sold year round or only for Nowruz, since it is a seasonal festival dish.
• Mark it vegan, since the classic recipe has no animal ingredients.
• State whether it is served warm or cold, as the menu should make the serving temperature clear.