Kutia

Kutia
Place of origin Ukraine
Associated national cuisine Ukrainian, Belarusian, Russia
Main ingredients Wheatberries, poppy seeds, honey or sugar, various nuts and sometimes raisins

Kutia or kutya is a cereal dish, traditionally served in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.

Description

Ukraine

In Ukraine kutia is an essential dish at the Ukrainian Christmas Eve Supper[1] (also known as Sviata vecheria or Svyata vecherya). It is believed that kutia has been known to Ukrainians’ ancestors since pre-historic times.[2]

The main ingredients used to make traditional kutia are: wheatberries, poppy seeds and honey.[3] At times, walnuts, dried fruit and raisins are added as well. Kutia is a Lenten dish and no milk or egg products can be used. There are known kutia recipes that use pearl barley instead of wheatberries.[4]

Kutia, as a part of Ukrainian Christmas Eve Supper, is used in a number of rituals performed on the night. Kutia is the first out of twelve dishes served for Sviata Vecheria to be tasted.[5] Everyone present must have at least a spoonful of kutia.[6] In the past, the head of the household used kutia to foretell whether the upcoming year harvest would be plentiful; and to bargain with the forces of the nature asking for good weather.[7]

Kolyvo is a Ukrainian ritual dish similar to kutia, but includes no poppy seeds. Kolyvo is served at remembrance services.

Other countries

A dish of boiled grains (usually wheat berries) mixed with honey, nuts, spices, and a few other ingredients is traditional in other countries[8] as well:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Recipe: Kutia, Star of the Ukrainian Christmas Eve Supper
  2. ↑ Tracz, Orysia 2015, First Star I See Tonight, Mazepa Publications Zhuravli, Winnipeg
  3. ↑ Artiukh, Lidia 2001, Ukrainian Cuisine and Folk Traditions, Baltija-Druk, Kyiv
  4. ↑ Yakovenko, Svitlana 2016, Ukrainian Christmas Eve Supper: Traditional village recipes for Sviata Vecheria, Sova Books, Sydney
  5. ↑ Stechishin, Savella 1959, Traditional Ukrainian Cookery, Trident Press, Winnipeg
  6. ↑ Yakovenko, Svitlana 2013, Taste of Ukraine: Rustic Cuisine from the heart of Ukraine, Sova Books, Sydney
  7. ↑ Voropai, Oleksa 1958, 'Zvychai Nashoho Narodu' [Customs of Our People], Ukrainske Vydavnytstvo, Munich
  8. ↑ Goldstein, Darra 2015, The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets, Oxford University Press, Oxford
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