My first recipe is an important Christmas Eve dish called Kutya/Kutia. It is on the table every Christmas Eve even when other dishes change the Kutya is always there. It is a symbol of unity and it is often seen as a reminder of blessings to come in the following year. Kutya is a dish of meaning and the different parts of the dish mean different things such as wheat is a symbol for life, honey means health and prosperity, and the poppy seeds are for peace.
There are a couple different ways to make Kutya but I will be sharing my grandmas recipe that my family has every Christmas Eve.
Ingredients
1 lb high grade wheat
12 cups of water
1/2 tsp of salt
1 cup of poppy seeds
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
How to make Kutya
To begin you must pick over the wheat, wash it well and place into a heavy pot. Add water and soak the wheat over night.
The next day do not drain, bring the water and wheat to a boil over medium heat. Add salt and use a spoon to skim the scum off the top of the water. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stir occasionally. Cook for 4 to 5 hours or until kernels have burst and white appears.
Scald poppy seeds and simmer for 5 minutes, drain well and grind using the finest blade. When wheat has cooked let it cool down. Discard starch skin and pour on 1 cup of boiling water. Stir gently to separate kernels.
Lastly, add poppy seeds, sugar, and honey dissolved in hot water to make a medium thin mixture. Let it cool. Then garnish with chopped nuts if you have chosen to use them. Serve chilled.
