So, you have some leftover Easter eggs and are wondering what to do with them? Here’s an idea… Teereet (Tirit) – Easter Egg Salad, Armenian style.
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| The Kalajian family’s Teereet |
When Lucine Kasbarian emailed me her family’s recipe for ‘Tirit” over the weekend, I had a startling realization. I wrote about my mother-in-law’s ‘teereet’ recipe 2 years ago, but neglected to include it in the recipe link on the website! Although our recipes are spelled a bit differently (I spelled ours ‘teereet’), the ingredients in both versions are pretty much the same. The Kalajian recipe is now officially added to the list, which you’ll be able to compare with Lucine’s family’s version below.
Thanks, Lucine!
Lucine noted the following:
… the egg is a pagan symbol of rebirth, widely used in spring festivals before its adoption by early Christians as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus.
Friend Arevig Caprielian, born in Armenia, tells that the “red” coloring of the eggs symbolizes the blood of Christ. In Armenia on Easter, after the egg competitions, families plant the cracked egg shells into the earth.“
Tirit (Egg salad) From Lucine Kasbarian
Serves 6
6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
1/4 bunch parsley, finely chopped
Chopped scallions optional
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Mix all of the ingredients together. Serve immediately.
I always knew tirit as a potato salad with parsley and onion seasoned with Aleppo pepper, salt and I suspect allspice, perhaps I am wrong.
Forgot to mention olive oil and lemon as well
correct
Tirit is pre-Easter tradition at my house. This along with tanabour (mazdoon-barley soup) which is dubbed "Jesus Soup" when eaten on Saturday night! Is tirit a Dikrangertsi thing or do others do this?
My family, which is from Aintep, makes it following the posted recipe, with a couple of minor variations: Instead of onion, we use spring garlic (so it's just spring garlic and scallion). You can add a little Aleppo pepper for color if you like.