To get you into the spirit of a new year, I felt it appropriate to re-post two traditional Armenian recipes: Anoush Abour (literally meaning ‘sweet soup’) and Daree Hats (‘year bread’).
Savor the arrival of the New Year and Armenian Christmas with your loved ones with these sweet, fruity, nutty delicacies.
Savor the arrival of the New Year and Armenian Christmas with your loved ones with these sweet, fruity, nutty delicacies.
Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!
Shnorhavor Nor Daree yev Soorp Dzuhnoont!
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| Anoush Abour |
#1. Anoush Abour by Joy Callan
Ingredients:
1 cup gorgod (skinless whole wheat – sold in Middle eastern
stores)
stores)
3 ½ quarts water
1 cup sugar
1 cup California apricots, finely chopped
1 cup raisins (currants or yellow raisins)
½ cup pistachios
1/3 cup pine nuts
Garnishes:
¼ cup finely chopped filberts (hazelnuts)
½ cup slivered almonds
½ toasted pecans or walnuts
Ground cinnamon, to taste
Pomegranate seeds
Directions:
1. In a 6-quart pot, combine wheat and water. Bring to a
boil for 5 minutes. Cover and let rest overnight.
boil for 5 minutes. Cover and let rest overnight.
2. Remove cover. Return to simmer. Simmer gorgod until
water begins to thicken. The lower the simmer, the “whiter” the pudding will
remain. After about 1 ½ to 2 hours of simmering, add the sugar and continue to
simmer. The pudding will begin to take on a thicker consistency.
water begins to thicken. The lower the simmer, the “whiter” the pudding will
remain. After about 1 ½ to 2 hours of simmering, add the sugar and continue to
simmer. The pudding will begin to take on a thicker consistency.
3. While wheat is simmering, combine fruit, pistachios and
pine nuts in a small saucepan with water. Bring to a gentle simmer and allow to
cook for about 15 minutes. Thoroughly drain. Add to pudding when pudding is
cooled so that fruit will not bleed color into pudding.
pine nuts in a small saucepan with water. Bring to a gentle simmer and allow to
cook for about 15 minutes. Thoroughly drain. Add to pudding when pudding is
cooled so that fruit will not bleed color into pudding.
4. Pour into serving bowl. Garnish with filberts, slivered
almonds, pecans or walnuts and cinnamon.
almonds, pecans or walnuts and cinnamon.
5. Pomegranate seeds could either be incorporated into
pudding uncooked or served separately as a garnish.
pudding uncooked or served separately as a garnish.
#2. The Daree Hats (pronounced ‘da-ree hots’) recipe is from my friend in
Yerevan, Sonia Tashjian. In addition to the recipe, Sonia provided some
background information so you can appreciate its meaning.
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| Sonia’s Daree Hats from the Sassoun region in Western Armenia |
Daree Hats
From Sonia:
“Daree Hats
is an Armenian traditional bread prepared for the New Year and is served on New Year’s Eve. When the family
gathers around the holiday table, the grandmother cuts the bread and serves it
to the members of the family. The family member who receives the portion of
bread with the coin, is granted good luck and fertility during the coming year.
is an Armenian traditional bread prepared for the New Year and is served on New Year’s Eve. When the family
gathers around the holiday table, the grandmother cuts the bread and serves it
to the members of the family. The family member who receives the portion of
bread with the coin, is granted good luck and fertility during the coming year.
The
tradition of Daree Hats (other names are Dari, Grgene, Kloj, etc…) began
centuries ago. In the springtime, the first man prepared the bread using the
last of the dried fruits and decorated the bread with seeds. The bread was
dedicated to his gods in the hope of a
fertile crop for the coming year.”
tradition of Daree Hats (other names are Dari, Grgene, Kloj, etc…) began
centuries ago. In the springtime, the first man prepared the bread using the
last of the dried fruits and decorated the bread with seeds. The bread was
dedicated to his gods in the hope of a
fertile crop for the coming year.”
Daree Hats, an Armenian New Year Bread Recipe
Ingredients:
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon (if desired)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup hot water
1 cup chopped dried fruit and raisins
1 cup chopped nuts
½ cup linseed or sesame seeds
** a coin**
Directions:
• Mix
flour, baking powder, sugar, and cinnamon (if using). Add the oil and hot
water; mix well.
flour, baking powder, sugar, and cinnamon (if using). Add the oil and hot
water; mix well.
• Add the dried fruit, raisins, and chopped nuts. Mix, then place in a non-stick round
pan.
pan.
• Wrap the
coin with foil, then insert it into the dough. Rub water on the surface of the
dough and sprinkle linseed or sesame seeds on top.
coin with foil, then insert it into the dough. Rub water on the surface of the
dough and sprinkle linseed or sesame seeds on top.
• Preheat
the oven at medium temperature (approx. 350° F) and bake 40-45 minutes.
the oven at medium temperature (approx. 350° F) and bake 40-45 minutes.
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