Ingredients
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1 cup of Whole grain oats
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1 cup of Walnut
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1/2 cup of Poppy seeds
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1/2 cup of Raisins
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100 g of Chocolate black 70%
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1 or 2 tsp. of Tahina
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to taste Honey
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to taste Lemon juice
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to taste Salt
Directions
Kutya or Kutia is a ritual Slavic dish made of boiled wheat or barley with honey and poppy seeds.
People in Ukraine make Kutya for certain holidays. For Christmas Eve (Holy Night), it is called Rich Kutya, before the Old New Year, it is called Generous Kutya and before Christmas Eve, it is called Hungry Kutya. Also, Kutya is a part of commemorative traditions.
Rich Kutya is served on Christmas Eve (Holy Night) and it is customary to start a meal with it. Kutya ingredients are prepared in a certain way and then combined. Each ingredient has a particular meaning and significance. The main ingredients are boiled wheat (less often barley, rice, or other cereals), poppy seeds and honey. Raisins, nuts, and other sweet additives are also added. Kutya is diluted with hot water or Uzvar (dried fruit compote).
You can read about the meaning of Kutya ingredients and the peculiarities of its cooking here.
I make Kutya based on whole oats, which in my opinion, is the closest in texture and flavor to the traditional wheat version. I also add dark chocolate, some tahini and lemon juice, which makes Kutya delicious and modern. I believe that’s the secret to keeping it traditional. It’s delicious! I love it and make it every year!
Merry Christmas!
May you have good fortune and plenty of prosperity,
Delicious Kutya and all the good in life!
Today's visits: 1.
Steps
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1
Done
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Pour cold water to cover the oats grains and 2 cm above and let them soak overnight. |
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2
Done
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Rinse the soaked oats thoroughly under running water and pour fresh water over four or more times the amount of oats. Then place them on the stove and bring them to a boil. After that, lower the heat to the lowest setting, cover and simmer oats until they are soft. In this case, it is important that there is plenty of water and that the oat grains are not boiled into mush but each separately. It will take about 20 to 30 minutes to simmer. |
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3
Done
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If you haven't soaked the poppy seeds since the evening, pour boiling water over them at one to two ratio, put the lid on and let them soak until they have cooled completely or 1 to 2 hours. |
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4
Done
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Thirty minutes before cooking, also pour hot water over the raisins and let them soak. Then drain the water and dry the raisins with a paper towel. |
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5
Done
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When the poppy seeds are ready, drain the water, transfer them to a mortar and grind them in portions until the white milk appears. You can do that even with a food processor, coffee grinder, or meat grinder, but I prefer the manual option. I can honestly tell you, grinding poppy seeds in a mortar is a special treat for me. Besides, I am convinced, this way, Kutya turns out to be particularly delicious. |
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6
Done
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Roast the walnuts and chop them into medium-sized pieces. The piece size is as big as a pea or to your preference. |
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7
Done
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Add poppy seeds, walnuts, raisins, tahini and some warm water or compote or Uzvar to the oats. Then mix them all well. Dilute some more with warm water, compote, or Uzvar, so that the Kutya doesn't dry but also doesn't float. Add honey, lemon juice and a little salt to taste. The Kutya is done! |
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8
Done
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Storage: |
