Message in the air: Food for the souls

Aylin Öney Tan

Tomorrow, Feb. 6, is the anniversary of the earthquake that devastated 11 provinces in Türkiye. As the anniversary is approaching, after a full year after the earthquake, the wounds are still being healed and aid projects for the region continue. The suffering is still there, the loved ones lost have not been forgotten, and people will be making the traditional commemoration sweet “helva” to pay their respects to ones who are gone forever.

In our culture, there are various ways to celebrate the souls of the dead. There are a variety of foods, usually sweet, that are made after those who have passed away. The most common is "semolina helva" (irmik helvası), basically semolina and pine nuts pan-fried in abundant butter, then with the addition of milk or water and sugar, it turns into a grainy couscous-like texture. The pan-roasting of the semolina has to be a slow process with constant stirring, just to give it a pinkish tint, taking care not to brown or burn the grain. So does the process of mixing after the helva is all done with the addition of the milky or simple syrup, to make it fluffy and grainy. It is essential to make funeral halva with shared labor, give hands to the endless stirring and mixing process while reciting prayers. All the family members, or anyone that happens to be around, take turns to handle the big wooden spoon, turning over the semolina mass whilst uttering prayers, wishing the souls of the deceased one to rest in peace and repose. The custom is to make helva in large quantities in order to give away to neighbors, friends, relatives, or even passersby. There is a custom of making halva in every corner of the country, some differing in ingredients, some with added flavorings. The traditional pine nut can be replaced with almonds, pistachios, or other nuts, nowadays with the rocket-high prices of the usual favorites, peanuts or just raisins are used as ersatz alternatives. In the past, rose water or neroli water was used to add a perfumy touch, nowadays orange peel can be added. The most usual flavoring is the copious amounts of cinnamon dusted over the portions of helva while being served.

Regional varieties of soul food

While the semolina helva is the norm all over the country, there are other foods that are made after the funeral, or on certain dates, such as the seventh or fortieth day after the day or the anniversary of death. In the Aegean region, there is the custom of “helva dökmek” literally “pouring lokma,” the pouring process here refers to dropping small balls of dough in hot frying oil, and lokma, meaning a bite in Turkish, is the name given to bite-sized dough fritters soaked in syrup. The process this time does not include shared labor, but communal eating is again the tradition, the more people eat, the number of prayers for the deceased will augment. Those who want to have lokma poured make an agreement with mobile lokma makers, and the lokma is distributed to the public, whether at the exit of the mosque or in crowded corners. As soon as the lokmacı sets up his stall, it attracts the crowds, as the smell of the sizzling oil starts to linger in the air, people start to queue up for their share. When the balls of lokma are fried golden, they are immediately thrown into a pool of simple thin syrup, then drained and transferred to serving plates and dusted with cinnamon. Everyone takes their share and recites a “fatiha” to the soul of

the deceased while eating the lokma lukewarm. In some regions, just like lokma, fried savory fritters called “pişi” are made at home and sent to neighbors. In Gaziantep, there are similar savory fritters with a filling of rice and a little mincemeat. Although it is becoming less and less common today, it is a tradition to distribute it after prayers at the exit of the mosque as a charity for the deceased.

Smell is the key to soul foods

All these foods made after the deceased are very traditional but no one seems to remember the origins or the real meaning behind them. Though prayers seem to be a sort of essential ingredient in the cooking or eating of these soul foods, they are not only confined to death, nor they are related to Islam. They can be made for any occasion, the Aegean lokma is usually a summer resort's favorite street food, and pişi is part of the Turkish breakfast scheme. Needless to say, semolina helva can be a regular dessert in any local eatery, any time of the year. One point that people no longer remember is an essential element shared by all these foods traditionally prepared for the deceased. All those traditional foods such as halva, lokma, or pişi that are made after the deceased have one common characteristic. To make the oil or fat smell! According to ancient Turkish belief, the smell of semolina frying in butter or the haunting smell of frying dough that rises to the sky will eventually reach the soul of the deceased. The smell of the frying will catch the soul wherever it is up in the sky informing him that the hearth of the home is still alive, the fire is still smoking, the household is well, and that those left behind are in good health with adequate food to feed them. Thus, there is nothing for the departed to worry about the ones still on earth. This ancient custom, which we brought from Central Asia, from Shamanistic Turkic beliefs of pre-Islam times still prevails, and somehow even though the roots of these soul foods are not remembered, there is a strong belief that this food-sharing effort will be seen by the ones who have departed long ago.

Commemoration meals at the earthquake zone

There will be surely lots of pans and cauldrons set up to make the traditional soul foods in every corner of the earthquake zone with the smells rising to reach the lost ones. But we all know that satisfying the soul with helva is not enough to heal, there is still much to be done to ensure that the departed are not left behind. Public institutions, non-governmental organizations and volunteer individuals working in solidarity for the future and working together on joint projects is a prerequisite for carrying hope for the future. One year after the disaster, there is still a grave need to meet the necessities, it is also very important to demonstrate solidarity and implement short- medium- and long-term projects to ensure the continuity of aid efforts. Some of those who rushed to help since the first day are still active in the zone, and joint solidarity events are being planned to make commemoration meals. On the anniversary of the earthquake, condolence dinners will be held, cauldrons will be set on fire and surely semolina halva will be made with prayers to honor the souls of those who were lost. Ebru Baybara Demir, who has been on the ground since day one of the disaster, will start cooking condolence meals with volunteers in the “Gönül Mutfağı” charity organization she founded, literally meaning “Soul Kitchen.” In the İskenderun İbrahim Çeçen Foundation container city, the condolence meal will be served to a whopping number of 10,000 people in total. Another strong initiation named “Kolektiv,” literally a collective of chefs, last year did their best anonymously. Almost all were famed chefs and that was the reason they chose to remain anonymous, taking special care not to appear on social media or in the press. They will also set up their cauldrons in the field once again, and cook and distribute seven cauldrons of “keşkek” a savory wheat and meat porridge to reinforce the spirit of solidarity in the earthquake zone, again with the support of volunteers.

Our ancient custom, which we brought from Central Asia, will live on in every corner of the earthquake zone with smells rising from sizzling oil or butter conveying the message to the ones who are gone. The only key to hope for the future is not to give up on cooperation and to keep the spirit of solidarity alive. Just like the message “We are fine, we will be fine!” sent to the skies with the soul foods.