During Club Ritual, on Sunday, you can come and taste our homemade Samanoo. This sweet and symbolic dish is part of Norouz, the start of the Persian New Year, also known as the Iranian, Kurdish, and Afghan New Year. It’s not just a dessert; it’s a reflection of renewal, growth, and the arrival of spring.

The preparation of Samanoo starts with whole wheat berries, soaked and sprouted for several days. This sprouting process softens the wheat and adds depth to its symbolism, representing the rebirth of nature with the onset of spring. After sprouting, the wheat berries are simmered for hours until tender and mashed into a thick, smooth paste, resulting in a rich, nutty-flavored pudding-like substance.

Samanoo is sweetened with sugar syrup infused with fragrant rosewater, and sometimes a hint of cardamom is added for extra flavor. It’s often garnished with slivered almonds, pistachios, or walnuts.

Traditionally shared during Nowruz with family and friends, Samanoo symbolizes unity, prosperity, and hope for the new year. As Iranians gather around the Haft-Seen table to celebrate, Samanoo serves as a reminder of the importance of growth, renewal, and heritage.

Haft Sin means literally ‘the seven S’s’. Seven is a sacred number in many peoples and cultures. Over the centuries, the tradition of growing seven types of plants or seeds as a symbol of restarting life with Norooz has changed to having seven items in the house that begin with the Persian letter Sin. The items are:

• Sebzeh – wheat, barley, or lentil sprouts, growing in a dish – symbolizes rebirth
• Semenu – a sweet pudding made from wheat germ – symbolises abundance
• Sinjed – the dried sweet fruit of the oleaster tree – symbolises love
• Sir – garlic – symbolises healing
• Sib – apples – symbolises beauty and health
• Sumak – sumac berries – symbolises (the colour of) sunrise
• Sirke – vinegar – symbolises age and patience