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Govurga
Qovurğa: Novruz mix of roasted wheat, hemp seeds and nuts
Govurga is one of the small symbolic foods on the Novruz table in Baku and the Absheron villages: wheat grains roasted in a dry pan until they crack, mixed with roasted hemp seeds, chickpeas, hazelnuts and raisins, and eaten by the handful through the festival. Children fill their pockets with it. A common mistake is roasting everything together; each part browns at a different speed. Chef's tip: shake the pan constantly and stop each batch as soon as it smells toasty and starts to pop. Hulled hemp seeds sold for cooking are fine to use.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the govurga
- 7 oz whole wheat grainsrinsed and dried
- 2 ⅛ oz hulled hemp seeds
- 2 ⅞ oz roasted chickpeas
- 2 ⅞ oz hazelnuts
- 2 ⅛ oz raisins
- 1 pinch salt
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Roast 7 oz whole wheat grains in a dry, heavy frying pan over a medium heat for 12–15 minutes, shaking often, until the grains are golden and some crack open. Tip into a bowl. Common mistake: a high heat; they burn outside and stay hard inside.
15 minStep 2: Roast 2 ⅞ oz hazelnuts for 6 minutes until golden, rub off skins and add to the bowl.
6 minStep 3: Roast 2 ⅛ oz hulled hemp seeds for 2–3 minutes, until it smells nutty.
3 minStep 4: Mix everything with 2 ⅞ oz roasted chickpeas, 2 ⅛ oz raisins and 1 pinch salt. Store in a jar for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does govurga take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of roasted chickpeas?
- Cannellini or butter beans, same amount.
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