Orcik Recipe: A nutritious and traditional Turkish dessert with walnuts
Orcik is a different flavor of an authentic and ancient dessert that is very nutritious and healthy and is prepared with natural sweetness and sugar. This delicious treat is prepared with grape juice and walnuts and does not require sugar or artificial sugar due to the presence of grape juice. The main center of this dessert is the city of Elazig, Turkey, where people prepare it in the cold season and eat it with tea at gatherings or parties.
This natural dessert has a very easy recipe that you can easily prepare at home and use fresh. Orcik is very similar to Georgian Sujugh, but its ingredients are slightly different. This dessert is used like Turkish lokma during Ramadan. Orcik is prepared in large quantities, but in this article we will teach you how to make it for 1 liter of grape juice.
What is Orcik?
Orcik is a traditional Turkish dessert that originated in the city of Elazig, Türkiye and has a memorable and attractive taste. In addition to its distinct taste, this sweet has many properties due to the presence of dates and grape juice, which are sources of iron and antioxidants.
Ingredients for making Orcik with 1 kilo of grape juice
For this sweet, use whole walnuts so that you can easily connect them with thread.
| Grape juice | 1 kg |
| Wheat or corn starch | 1 glass |
| walnut kernels | 250 grams |
| cold water | 1 glass |
| Thick cotton thread | as needed |
How to make Orcik, a traditional Elazig sweet
Step 1
First, we pass a thick cotton thread through a whole or halved walnut kernel with a needle and make several threads of any size needed. Make sure to tie both ends of the thread so that the walnuts do not stick out of the thread.
Step 2
Put a suitable container on the heat and add the grape juice to it until it heats up. Dissolve the starch in a glass of cold water until there are no lumps and add it to the grape juice and stir. Continue this for 20 minutes until your ingredients thicken.
Step 3
Immerse the walnut threads in the ingredients until the ingredients completely cover the surface of the walnuts and hang them in a clean and cool place for 1 to 2 hours to dry. For better results, you can immerse these threads in the ingredients in several stages, but you should give each stage 1 hour to dry the previous ingredients.
Step 4
Hang the walnut threads and syrup in the open air for 3 to 5 days to dry completely. At the end, your Orcik sweet is ready and you can eat it in strings or sliced with tea.
Note:
For a better taste of this Orcik, you can use cardamom or cinnamon powder in it.
Add pistachio and almond or hazelnut kernels for variety.
Benefits of Traditional Turkish Orcik for the Body
- Instant and Healthy Energy Source
Grape juice has natural sugar and sweetness, which is a healthy option for athletes and people who are highly active.
- Strengthening the immune system
Walnuts are rich in vitamin E and a source of antioxidants that protect the body against bacteria and viruses.
- Rich in iron and treating anemia
Grape juice is a rich source of iron and is an excellent food for treating anemia because it helps improve hemoglobin levels.
- Brain health and memory enhancement
Omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts enhance memory and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.
- Strengthening bones and teeth
Grape juice contains calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, which are very beneficial for bone growth, especially in children.
- Improving digestive function
The fiber in walnuts and natural compounds in grape juice regulate bowel movements and strengthen the digestive system.
Disadvantages of traditional Turkish Orcik for the body
- High sugar and increased blood sugar
Although grape juice sugar is natural, excessive consumption of it increases blood sugar due to the presence of glucose and fructose.
- High calorie
Because of the fat in walnuts, this food item is high in calories
Conclusion:
Orcik is not just a sweet treat, but it has many medicinal properties that you can include in your daily meals. A healthy and useful snack for all ages that is very easy to prepare and you can easily make it at home. Elazig Orcik is the original taste of a sweet that you should experience and enjoy eating. You can keep this healthy food for a long time. So prepare homemade Orcik at home with this easy recipe and share your comments with us.