About the Recipe
Kutia is a traditional Christmas dish, popular in Slavic countries, including Ukraine and Poland. The origins of it can be traced back to ancient times when it was considered a sacred dish with symbolic meaning. It is believed to have pagan roots, associated with harvest rituals and offerings to the gods for a bountiful harvest. The recipe varies by region, but it typically consists of wheat berries, poppy seeds, honey, and dried fruit.
Ingredients
1 cup of wheat berries (Hard Wheat Berries)
4 cups of water
1/2 cup of poppy seeds
1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup of prunes, chopped
1/4 cup of walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup of almonds
1/8 tsp of salt
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/8 tsp of cinnamon
Sometimes I also add dried cherries or cranberries.
Preparation
Rinse the wheat grains and let them soaked in cold water for at least 8 hours (but the best way is to leave them overnight). After that, drain the water before cooking.
To a large pot, add the soaked wheat berries and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer until soft but still tender- usually about 1,5h. Drain the excess water and rinse them, under cold water. Set aside to cool down.
In a separate pot add poppy seeds and water (enough to cover it). Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for about 20 min. Drain, set aside to cool down.
Chopp all the dry fruit and nuts into the same size pieces (about raisin size).
In a large bowl combine the wheat berries, poppy, honey, dried fruits and nuts. Add the salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Combine everything well. It will have a thick consistency (you can add 1-2 cups of water). Mix everything thoroughly.
Served chilled or room temperature.
Smacznego!