Res. Asst. Emel Çirişoğlu Made Evaluations on the Day of Ashura and the Ashura Tradition in the Ottoman Empire
Ashura, which forms an important part of our culinary culture, takes its place among our traditional desserts. Ashura is a special dessert made on the 10th day of Muharram, which contains the feelings of abundance, fertility, unity and togetherness. It would not be correct to describe it only as a dessert, it should be said that ashura contains a special tradition. It is made and served on the day known as the day of ashura every year.
There are various historical events regarding the day of Ashura. The most common belief among these events is that Noah's ark sat on the summit of Mount Judi on this day and it was the day that believers got rid of this ship. According to this belief, after the end of Noah's Flood, this special dessert was made for the passengers staying on the ship with the last food left on the ship and forty kinds of ingredients. Today, it is continued as a tradition of ashura. However, there are different beliefs about the day of Ashura. For this reason, ashura is not only a dessert made by Muslims, it is known as an ancient dish based on polytheistic religions.
When we look at the Ottoman period, we can say that ashura had an important place in that period as well. It is known that ashura was made and served in almshouses and distributed to the public, and historical sources indicate that the day of ashura had a special importance at that time. Not only the production and distribution of Ashura, but also the celebration of the day of Ashura had an important place in the Ottoman period. In the written works of the Ottoman period, it is seen that it is among the desserts in the palace.
In Ashura, which is described as a holy sweet soup; wheat, beans, chickpeas and sugar. Add enough salt to not spoil the taste. Ashura prepared in the Ottoman period was served with valuable cups sprinkled with pine nuts, currants and pomegranate seeds.
In the palace, ashura was made in helvahanes under the supervision of helvacıbaşı. Ashura cooked in the palace was first presented to the sultan with a special ceremony, and after it was presented to the sultan, it was served to the people of the palace and the harem. After the people of the palace, they were distributed to the people and soup kitchens. In the Ottoman archives; It is possible to come across information such as the materials purchased for ashura, the necessary cooking equipment, the distribution of the ashura, the continuation of the tradition of ashura, the cooks who cook the ashura, and the ways of making it. Ashura, which can also be expressed as a ceremonial dessert, was produced in three different ways in the Ottoman Empire as strained, granulated and milky, but it is known that it was mostly made as strained and granulated. In the Ottoman period, ashura was consumed not only in Muharram, but also on special days and at certain intervals and distributed in almshouses.
Ashure took its place as an important and sacred dessert and tradition in the Ottoman period. As a bridge stretching from the people of the palace and the sultans to the people, it has been a valuable element that revives the feelings of togetherness and social life.
Sources:
Açıkgöz Ünyay, Fatma. (2019). Osmanlı Sarayında Aşure Yapımı ve Dağıtımı (XVIII.-XIX. Yüzyıllar). Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Velî Araştırma Dergisi.
Işın, Priscilla Mary. (2008). Gülbeşeker Türk Tatlıları Tarihi, İstanbul: Yapı Kredi Yayınları.
Araz, Nezihe, (2000). “Osmanlı Mutfağı”, Hünkar Beğendi-700 Yıllık Mutfak Kültürü, Ankara: Kültür Bakanlığı Yayınları.
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