Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Indian cuisines due to Afghanistan's close proximity and cultural ties.[1][2] The
cuisine is halal and mainly based on mutton, beef, poultry and fish with rice and
Afghan bread. Accompanying these are common vegetables and dairy products, such as
milk, yogurt, and whey,[3] and fresh and dried fruits such as apples, apricots,
grapes, bananas, oranges, plums, pomegranates, sweet melons, and raisins.[4] The
diet of most Afghans revolves around rice-based dishes, while various forms of naan
are consumed with most meals.[5] Tea is generally consumed daily in large
quantities, and is a major part of hospitality.[6] The culinary specialties reflect
the nation's ethnic and geographic diversity. The national dish of Afghanistan is
Kabuli palaw, a rice dish cooked with raisins, carrots, nuts, and lamb or beef.[7]
Background
The cuisine of Afghanistan is halal and has elements from various places, for
example garam masala from India, coriander and mint from Iran, dumplings and
noodles from Uzbekistan and Xinjiang, China, and baklava from Turkey.[8][9] The
similarities can be seen in the use of spices like cumin and cinnamon (as in Indian
cuisine), green cardamom flavors (as in Chinese tea), and kebabs and yoghurts (as
in Turkish and Arab cuisines).[10]
Staple foods
Rice
Rice is a core staple food in Afghan cuisine and the most important part of any
meal.[9] Biryani is one of the less popular rice dishes in Afghanistan. It is
consumed mostly in cities closer to neighboring Pakistan, such as Kandahar,
Jalalabad and Khost. Challow, or white rice cooked with mild spices,[11] is served
mainly with qormas (korma: stews or casseroles). Palaw is cooked similarly to
challow, but a combination of meat, stock, qorma, and herbs are also mixed in
before baking, resulting in the elaborate colors, flavors, and aromas from which
the rice got its name. Sometimes caramelized sugar is used to give the rice a rich
brown color. Examples of palaw include:
Kabuli palaw (the national dish[7]) – meat and stock are added, plus a topping of
fried raisins, slivered carrots, and pistachios,Yakhni palaw – meat and stock are
added to give the rice a brown color,Zamarod palaw – spinach qorma is mixed in
before the baking process, hence zamarod, meaning "emerald",Bore palaw – lawand is
added giving the rice a yellow color,Landi palaw – a traditional meal of rice (with
stock made from chicken or mutton that has been salted and dried in the
sun),Bonjan-e-roomi palaw – bonjan-e-roomi (tomato qorma) is added during baking
giving the rice a red color,Serkah palaw – similar to yakhni pulao, but with
vinegar and other spices,Shibet palaw – fresh dill and raisins are added during
baking,Narenj palaw – a sweet elaborate rice dish made with saffron, orange peel,
pistachios, almonds, and chicken,Maash palaw – a strictly vegetarian sweet-and-sour
pilaf baked with mung beans, apricots, and bulgur wheat,Alou balou palaw – a sweet
rice dish with plums and chicken
Afghan bread
Afghan bread is flat and cooked in a tanoor or tandoor (a vertical ground clay
oven). The bread is slapped onto a stone wall to cook. Tabakhai is a flatbread
cooked on a flat upside-down pan.
Major dishes
Steamed dumplings
There is a wide variety of dumplings. Known under the name khameerbob and often
eaten as dumplings, these native dishes are popular. Due to the long time required
to make the dough for the dumplings, they are rarely served at large gatherings,
such as weddings. They are instead served on special occasions at home.[citation
needed]
Aushak – dumplings filled with a mixture consisting mainly of leeks, topped with
either garlic-mint qoroot or a garlic yogurt sauce, sautéed tomatoes, red kidney
beans, and a well-seasoned ground-meat mixture (It is a dish associated with Kabul,
the capital of Afghanistan.)
Mantu – steamed dumplings filled with onion and ground beef or lamb, usually topped
with a tomato- and yogurt- or qoroot-based sauce and then garnished with dried mint
and coriander (The yogurt-based topping is usually a mixture of yogurt, garlic, and
split chickpeas. The qoroot-based sauce is made of goat's cheese and also mixed
with garlic; a qoroot and yogurt mixture will sometimes be used.)
Qormah
Qormah (also spelled "korma" or "qorma") is an onion- and tomato-based stew or
casserole usually served with challow rice.[3] First, onion is caramelized, for a
richly colored stew. Then tomato is added, along with a variety of fruits, spices,
and vegetables, depending on the recipe. The main ingredient, which can be meat or
other vegetables, is added last. There are hundreds of different types of qormahs
including:
,Qormah e gosht (meat qormah) – usually the main qormah served with palaw at
gatherings,Qormah e alou-bokhara wa dalnakhod – onion-based using veal or chicken,
sour plums, lentils, and cardamom,Qormah e nadroo – onion-based, using lamb meat or
veal, yogurt, lotus roots, cilantro, and coriander,Qormah e lawand – onion-based,
using chicken, lamb, or beef, plus yogurt, turmeric, and cilantro,Qormah e sabzi –
lamb, sautéed spinach, and other greens,Qormah e shalgham – onion-based using lamb,
turnips, and sugar (sweet and sour taste)
Kabob
Afghan kabob is most often found in restaurants and at outdoor street vendor
stalls. Most of the time, it contains lamb meat. Kabob is made with naan instead of
rice. Customers have the option to sprinkle sumac or ghora (dried ground sour
grapes) on their kabob. Pieces of fat from the sheep's tail (jijeq) are usually
added to the skewers to add extra flavor.
Other popular kabobs include the lamb chop, ribs, kofta (ground beef), and chicken.
Chapli kebab, a specialty of eastern Afghanistan, is a patty of minced beef. It is
a popular barbecue meal in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is prepared flat and
round and served with naan. The original recipe of chapli kabob dictates a half-
meat, half-flour mixture which renders it lighter in taste and less expensive.
Chicken
Afghan chicken or murgh-e is a classic example of one of the most famous dishes of
Afghanistan. Chicken dishes are usually found in restaurants and at outdoor street
vendor stalls. Unlike in the Indian cooking style, chicken in Afghan cuisine is
often used with the intention that it be halal. Cream, butter, and curd are
customary ingredients in all chicken recipes, whether served as an appetizer or a
main course.
Quroot
Quroot (or qoroot) is a reconstituted dairy product, traditionally a by-product of
butter made from sheep's or goat's milk. The residual buttermilk remaining after
churning butter is soured further (by keeping it at room temperature for a few
days), treated with salt, and then eventually boiled. The precipitated casein is
filtered through cheesecloth, pressed in order to remove liquid, and then shaped
into balls; the product is thus a hard and very sour cottage cheese. Though it can
be eaten raw as a savory snack, it is typically served with cooked Afghan dishes
such as aushak, mantu, and kichri qoroot.
Miscellaneous
Afghan burger,Afghan Chatni[12] made with fresh coriander leaves
,Afghan Kofta (meatballs)[13],Afghan salad,Aush (hand-made noodles),Baamiyah or
Bhindi (cooked okra),Badenjan (cooked eggplant with potatoes and
tomatoes),Badenjan-Burani (fried slices of eggplant, topped with a garlic sour
cream sauce and sprinkled with dried mint),Badenjan Salad (eggplant salad with
garlic),Bichak (small turnovers with various fillings, including potato and herbs,
or ground meat),Bolani also called “Buregian” in southern Afghanistan (somewhat
similar to a quesadilla),Chakida or chakka (type of sour cream),Chopan
(Pashto/Persian: چوپان, meaning "shepherd") kabob (Pashto/Persian: ( )کبابskewered
lamb chops grilled on charcoal),Dampukht (steamed rice),Delda or Oagra (mainly a
Southern dish, whose main ingredient is a mixture of split wheat and a variety of
beans),Dolma (stuffed grape leaves),Gosh e feel (thin, fried pastries covered in
powdered sugar and ground pistachios),Halwaua-e-Aurd-e-Sujee,Kaddo Borwani (sweet
pumpkins)[1],Kalah Chuquki or Kalah Gunjeshk (battered deep-fried bird heads),Kalah
Pacha (lamb or beef head/feet cooked in a broth, served in bowls as a soup dish or
in a stew or curry),Kebab (similar to Middle Eastern and Central Asian
style),Khoujoor[14] (Afghan pastry, deep-fried, oval-shaped, similar to doughnuts
in taste),Kichri (sticky medium-grain rice cooked with mung beans and
onions),Londi, or gusht-e-qaaq (spiced jerky),Maast or labanyat (type of plain
yogurt),Maushawa (mixed beans and tiny meatballs, served in a bowl),Moraba (fruit
preserves, sugar syrup and fruits, apple, sour cherry, or various berries, or made
with dried fruits. "Afghan favorite is the Alu-Bakhara".),Nargis kabob (egg-based
angel hair pasta soaked in sugar syrup, wrapped around a piece of meat),Narenge
Palau (dried sweet orange peel and green raisins with a variety of nuts, mixed with
yellow rice glazed with light sugar syrup),Osh Pyozee (stuffed onion),Owmach (made
from flour; a soup-like dish, very thick and pasty),Salata (tomato and onion-based
salad, often incorporating cucumber),Rosh (cooked lamb and mutton with no spices)
[15],Shami kabob (cooked beef blended with spices, flour, and eggs, and rolled into
hot dog shapes or flat round shapes and fried),Shola Ghorbandi,Shor-Nakhood
(chickpeas with special toppings),Torshi (eggplant and carrot mixed with other
herbs and spices, pickled in vinegar and aged)
Desserts and snacks
As a desert after a meal, most Afghans generally eat fresh fruit. For snacks, they
may drink tea with something sweet like cakes, cookies or pastries. On occasions,
they also eat dried fruits which are widely available in every Afghan market. Other
typical desserts include the following:
Afghan cake (similar to pound cake, sometimes with real fruit or jelly
inside),Baklava (pastry),Bastani,Cream roll (pastry),Falooda or
Faloodeh,Firini[16],Fernea, sometimes spelled feereny, (milk and cornstarch help
make this very sweet, similar to rice pudding without the rice),Kolcha (variety of
cookies, baked in clay ovens with charcoal),Sheer yakh, a traditional wet ice
cream,Sheer khurma, a traditional dessert,Sheer berinj (rice pudding)
Soups
Shorba (Afghan soup similar to borscht),Shorwa-E-Tarkari[17] (meat and vegetable
soup),Peyawa or Eshkana (a soup based on flour, similar to a gravy, but mixed with
chopped onion, potatoes, and eggs),Aushe Sarka (vinegar-based flat noodle soup)
Drinks
Chai
Chai is tea in Afghanistan, which can either be green or black. It is consumed at
all times, especially a short time after finishing a meal or with guests during any
social gathering. Most people drink green tea with no sugar. Some add cardamom,
saffron, or sugar.
Sheer chai (which translates from "milk tea") is also consumed but mostly in the
morning and on special occasions. It is a type of Kashmiri chai. Many people of
Afghanistan also drink masala chai, particularly in cities such as Asadabad,
Jalalabad, Khost and Kandahar.
Doogh
Doogh (also known by some Afghans as shomleh or shlombeh) is a cold drink made by
mixing water with yogurt and then adding fresh or dried mint. Some variations of
doogh include the addition of crushed or diced cucumber chunks. It is the second
most widely consumed drink in Afghanistan (the first being tea), especially during
lunchtime in summer. Doogh can be found at almost every Afghan grocery store and is
served in restaurants.
Eating habits
Sub-cuisines
While Afghans have a common cuisine, certain ethnicities form sub-variations of it.
Pashtun cuisine
Pashtuns are the largest ethnic group of Afghanistan, constituting about 42% of the
country's total population.[18] A major dish in Pashtun culture are Rosh (cooked
lamb and mutton with no spices)[15] and Sohbat, found at traditional gatherings and
events.[19][20] Other major Pashtun dishes include lamb-skewered sajji and chapli
kebab. The name dampukht stands for steamed meat, and Khaddi kebab is the Afghan
shashlik, which is grilled on an open fire, on a spit.[21]
Although it differs from region to region, Pashtun cuisine is meat-heavy and often
includes caramelized rice. For example, the dish known as bolani in the north and
east is often called borogyen in the south and west of Afghanistan.
Common summer beverages include shlombeh, also known in Persian as doogh, a drink
consisting of liquid yogurt, mint, and bedreng (Afghan cucumber). Sherbet is an
ice-sugared cold drink. Sheer yakh is a sweet ice-like product, literally
translating to "cold milk".[21]
Hazara cuisine
The Hazara people in central Afghanistan (in the region of Hazarajat) and western
Pakistan (Balochistan province) have their own fare. The Hazaragi cuisine shares
some similarities with neighboring regional cuisines, so it is mainly influenced by
Central Asian, Persian, and South Asian cooking. However, cooking methods vary in
some of the dishes of these neighboring cuisines.
Dining etiquette
Traditionally, dinners are served on a tablecloth on the floor, which is called the
dastarkhan. Meals are normally eaten with the right hand. After a meal, tea with
dessert is served.[9]
Special occasions
Serving tea and white sugared almonds (called nuql) is customary during Afghan
festivals.
Angolan cuisine has many dishes popular among nationals and foreigners, including
funge (which is made from cassava or corn flour), mufete (grilled fish, plantain,
sweet potato, cassava, and gari), calulu, moamba de galinha, moamba de ginguba,
kissaca, and mukua sorbet.
History
Angolan cuisine in its modern shape is a combination of indigenous African
ingredients and cooking techniques, and Portuguese influences and ingredients
brought over from other Portuguese colonies, such as Brazil.[1]
Ingredients
Staple ingredients include beans and rice, pork and chicken, various sauces, and
vegetables such as tomatoes and onions. Spices such as garlic are also frequently
seen.[2] Funge, a type of porridge made with cassava, is a staple dish.[3]
There are many influences from Portuguese cuisine like the use of olive oil.
Piripiri is a local hot sauce.
Dishes
Funge (or funje, Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈfũʒɨ]) and pirão ([piˈɾɐ̃w]) are very
common dishes, and in poorer households often consumed at every meal. The dish is
often eaten with fish, pork, chicken, or beans. funge de bombo ([ˈfũʒɨ ðɨ ˈβõbu]),
more common in northern Angola, is a paste or porridge of cassava (also called
manioc or yuca), made from cassava flour. It is gelatinous in consistency and gray
in color. Pirão, yellow in color and similar to polenta, is made from cornflour and
is more common in the south. Fuba ([fuˈβa]) is the term for the flour that is used
to make either funge and pirão, also used to make angu, the Brazilian polenta. Both
foods are described as bland but filling and are often eaten with sauces and juices
or with gindungo (see below), a spicy condiment.[4]
Moamba de galinha (or chicken moamba, [ˈmwɐ̃bɐ ðɨ ɣɐˈlĩɲɐ]) is chicken with palm
paste, okra, garlic and palm oil hash or red palm oil sauce, often served with rice
and funge. Both funge and moamba de galinha have been considered the national dish.
[4][5] A variant dish of moamba de galinha, moamba de ginguba, uses ginguba ([ʒĩ
ˈɡuβɐ], peanut sauce) instead of palm paste.[4][6]
List of dishes
Other dishes common in Angolan cuisine include:
Arroz (rice) dishes, including arroz da Ilha (rice with chicken or fish), arroz de
garoupa da Ilha ([ɐˈʁoʒ ðɨ ɣɐˈɾopɐ ðɐ ˈiʎɐ], (rice with grouper), and arroz de
marisco ([mɐˈɾiʃku], white rice with seafood, typically prawns, squid, white fish,
or lobster).[4],Cabidela ([kɐβiˈðɛlɐ]), a dish cooked in blood, served with rice
and funge. Frequently chicken (galinha de cabidela, galinha à cabidela), served
with vinegar, tomatoes, onion and garlic. It was also incorporated to Brazilian
cuisine.[4],Caldeirada de cabrito ([kaldɐjˈɾaðɐ ðɨ kɐˈβɾitu]), goat meat stew
served with rice, a traditional dish for Angolan independence day, November 11.
[4],Fish stews, including caldeirada de peixe ([dɨ ˈpɐjʃɨ]), made with "whatever is
available" and served with rice, and muzongue ([muˈzõɡɨ]), made from whole dried
and fresh fish cooked with palm oil, sweet potato, onion, tomato, spinach, and
spices, and served with rice, spinach, funje, and farofa; some Angolans believe
that the stew is a hangover cure if eaten before the onset of the headache.
[4],Calulu ([kɐluˈlu]), dried fish with vegetables, often onions, tomatoes, okra,
sweet potatoes, garlic, palm oil, and gimboa leaves (similar to spinach); often
served with rice, funge, palm oil beans, and farofa.[4],Caruru ([kɐɾuˈɾu]), a
shrimp and okra stew, of Brazilian origin.[7],Catatos ([kɐˈtatuʃ]), caterpillar
fried with garlic, served with rice; a specialty in Uíge[4],Chikuanga ([ʃikuˈɐ̃ɡɐ]),
a bread made from manioc flour, served in a wrap of banana leaves; a specialty of
northeast Angola.[4],Cocada amarela ([kuˈkaðɐ] or [kɔˈkaðɐ]), yellow coconut
pudding made with sugar, grated coconut, egg yolks, and ground cinnamon, a dessert
in both Mozambique and Angola.[8][9] It is very different from what is known as
cocada in Brazil.,Doce de ginguba ([ˈdosɨ ðɨ ʒĩˈɡuβɐ]), peanut candy.[4],Farofa
([fɐˈɾɔfɐ]), rice and beans with toasted manioc flour on top; a dish of Brazilian
origin common in Angola.[4],Feijão de óleo de palma ([fɐjˈʒɐ̃w ˈdjɔlju ðɨ ˈpalmɐ])
or dendem, beans, onion, and garlic cooked in palm oil; often served with fish,
banana and farofa.[4],Frango (grelhado) piri-piri ([ˈfɾɐ̃ɡu ˌpiɾiˈpiɾi]), native to
Angola and Mozambique, also a former Portuguese colony; a grilled chicken in a very
hot marinade of piri piri hot pepper and sometime also minced chili peppers, salt,
and lemon or lime juice.[10][11],Gafanhotos de palmeira ([ɡɐfɐˈɲotuʒ ðɨ pal
ˈmɐjɾɐ]), toasted grasshopper from a palm tree, a Cuanza Norte specialty; often
served with funge.[4],Gindungo ([ʒĩˈdũɡu]), a spicy condiment made of chili pepper,
garlic, onion, and sometimes brandy; thought by some Angolans to be an
aphrodisiac[4],Jinguinga ([ʒĩˈɡĩɡɐ]), goat tripe and blood, a specialty of Malanje,
often served with rice and funge.[4],Kifula, game meat served with boiled and
toasted palm tree grasshoppers, a specialty of Cuanza Norte, served with funge.
[4],Kissuto rombo ([kiˈsutu ˈʁõbu]), roasted goat with garlic and lemon juice,
served with rice and chips.[4],Kitaba or quitaba ([kiˈtaβɐ]), a crunchy peanut
paste seasoned with chilli pepper.[4],Kitetas ([kiˈtetɐʃ]), clams, often cooked in
a white wine sauce and served with bread.[4],Kizaka ([kiˈzakɐ]), the leaves of the
manioc plant, similar to spinach and often prepared with ginguba (peanut) and
finely chopping and seasoned Kizaka com peixe is kizaka with fish, onion, and
tomato, served with rice and funge.[4],Leite azedo com pirão de milho ([ˈlɐjtj ɐ
ˈzeðu kõ piˈɾɐ̃w dɨ ˈmiʎu]), a Huíla specialty, sour milk with maize porridge.
[4],Mafuma ([mɐˈfumɐ]), frog meat, a Cunene specialty.[4]
Mariscos cozidos com gindungo ([mɐˈɾiʃkuʃ kuˈziðuʃ kõ ʒĩˈdũɡu]), lobsters, prawns,
and clams cooked in seawater, served with rice and hot sauce[4],Mousse de maracujá
([ˈmusɨ ðɨ mɐɾɐkuˈʒa]), a mousse of passionfruit native to Brazil but popular in
Angola.[4],Mufete de kacusso (or cacusso, ([muˈfɛtɨ ðɨ kɐˈkusu])), grilled fish,
often river tilapia, in a rich sauce of onion, vinegar, and spices, variously
served with palm oil beans and cooked manioc,[4] rice, sweet potato, or farofa.
[2],Mukua ([muˈku.ɐ]), dried fruit of the baobab tree, often made into ice cream.
[4],Molho cru ([ˈmoʎu ˈkɾu]), sauce or paste served with seafood and fish, made of
garlic cloves, scallions (spring onions), parsley, cumin, salt, vinegar, and water.
[12],Ngonguenha ([ɡõˈɡẽɲɐ]), toasted manioc flour, sugar, and milk, a savory dish.
[4],Papaya with port wine.[13][14],Pavê de ginguba ([pɐˈve]), peanut sponge cake
dessert.[4]
Pé-de-moleque ([ˈpɛ ðɨ muˈlɛkɨ]), peanut-and-caramel candy.[4]
Quiabos com camarão ([ˈkjaβuʃ kõ kɐmɐˈɾɐ̃w]), prawns with okra, garlic, onion, and
tomato, served with rice.[4]
Tarco ([ˈtaɾku]), radishes with peanuts, palm oil, tomatoes, and onions, served
alongside meat or fish.[4]
Beverages
A number of beverages, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, are typical to Angola.[4]
Various homemade spirits are made, including capatica (made from bananas, a Cuanza
Norte specialty), caporoto (made from maize, a Malanje specialty); cazi or
caxipembe (made from potato and cassava skin); kimbombo (made from corn), maluva or
ocisangua (made with palm tree juice, sometimes described as "palm wine,"[2] a
Northern Angola specialty), ngonguenha (made from toasted manioc flour), and
ualende (made from sugarcane, sweet potato, corn, or fruits, a Bie specialty).[4]
Other beverages are Kapuka (homemade vodka), ovingundu (mead made from honey), and
Whiskey Kota (homemade whisky).[4]
Popular non-alcoholic drinks including Kissangua, a Southern Angola specialty, a
traditional non-alcoholic drink made of cornflour, have been used in indigenous
healing rituals.[4][15] Soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Mirinda, Sprite, and
Fanta are also popular. While some soft-drinks are imported from South Africa,
Namibia, Brazil, and Portugal, the Angolan soft-drink industry has grown, with
Coca-Cola plants in Bom Jesus, Bengo, and Lubango opening since 2000.[2]
Mongozo is a traditional homemade beer made from palm nuts, a specialty of the
Lundas (Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul).[4] Mongozo was brewed by the Chokwe people
before the arrival of Europeans, and mongozo is now commercially produced for
export, including to Belgium, where it is produced by Van Steenberge.[2]
Various commercial beers are brewed in Angola, the oldest of which is Cuca, brewed
in Luanda. Others include Eka (brewed in Dondo in Cuanza Norte), N'gola (brewed in
Lubango), and Nocal (brewed in Luanda).[4]
Antigua and Barbuda cuisine refers to the cuisines of the Caribbean islands Antigua
and Barbuda. The national dish is fungie (pronounced "foon-jee") and pepperpot.[1]
Fungie is a dish similar to Italian polenta, made mostly with cornmeal.[1] Other
local dishes include ducana, seasoned rice, saltfish and lobster (from Barbuda).
There are also local confectioneries which include sugar cake, fudge, raspberry and
tamarind stew, and peanut brittle.
These foods are indigenous to Antigua and Barbuda and to some other Caribbean
countries, the local diet has diversified and includes local dishes of Jamaica,
such as jerk meats, or Trinidad, such as roti, and specialties of other Caribbean
countries.
Common foods and dishes
Breakfast dishes include saltfish, eggplant (also known as troba), eggs, and
lettuce. Lunches typically include a starch, such as rice, macaroni or pasta, with
vegetables or salad, an entree (such as fish, chicken, pork, or beef) and a side
dish such as macaroni pie, scalloped potatoes or plantains. On Sundays, many people
in the country go to church and afterward prepare a variety of foods at home.
Dinner on Sundays is often eaten earlier (around 2:00 pm) because people are often
off work. Dinners may include pork, baked chicken, stewed lamb, or turkey,
alongside rice (prepared in a variety of ways), macaroni pie, salads, and a local
drink. Dessert may be ice cream and cake, apple pie (mango and pineapple pie in
their season), or gelatin. Antiguan butter bread is also a main staple of Antiguan
cuisine, a soft buttery loaf of bread that needs no butter added once baked. Many
locals enjoy fresh-baked butter bread and cheese for breakfast and throughout the
day. There are many homes in neighborhoods all over Antigua that have small
bakeries built onto them, where locals can go and purchase these fresh-baked
loaves. They are coupled with cheese, sardines, and/or a bright red sausage that
locals sometimes call salami, as well as many other foods. Most meals also include
what is called "provisions" usually a root or starch like potatoes, yams, sweet
potatoes, or eddo. During Carnival, souse, a type of soup made very spicy with
pigs' feet, knuckles, and tails with many onions, is a popular snack, sold by
vendors on the side of the road. Black pudding, also known as blood sausage, is a
well-seasoned sausage made with rice, meat, and blood that is also enjoyed by
locals in Antigua. In the countryside, locals roast fresh picked corn for sale,
usually in the husk, on makeshift grills. The Antiguan pineapple is a very small
fruit, but often juicy and sweet. There are small pineapple crops throughout the
island.
Beverages
Local drinks include mauby, seamoss, tamarind juice, raspberry juice, mango juice,
lemonade, coconut milk, hibiscus juice, ginger beer, passion fruit juice, guava
juice, soursop juice and ginger beer, a soft drink. Alcoholic drinks include beer,
malts and rums, many of which are made locally, including Wadadli beer (named after
the original name of the island) and the award-winning English Harbour Rum. Many
locals drink bottled sodas that they call sweet drink. One popular flavor is punch.
The locals also enjoy Red Stripe beer, Malta, Guinness stout and Heineken beer. For
the Christmas holidays a special celebratory alcoholic drink that is very popular
in Antigua is called Ponche Kuba Cream Liqueur, a thick, creamy tan colored drink
that is also very sweet and high in alcohol content.[citation needed]
Armenian cuisine (Armenian: Հայկական խոհանոց) includes the foods and cooking
techniques of the Armenian people and traditional Armenian foods and drinks. The
cuisine reflects the history and geography where Armenians have lived and where
Armenian empires existed. The cuisine also reflects the traditional crops and
animals grown and raised in Armenian-populated or controlled areas.
The preparation of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes in an Armenian kitchen often
requires stuffing, frothing, and puréeing.[1] Lamb, eggplant, and bread (lavash)
are basic features of Armenian cuisine. Armenians traditionally prefer cracked
wheat to maize and rice. The flavor of the food often relies on the quality and
freshness of the ingredients rather than on excessive use of spices.
Fresh herbs are used extensively, both in the food and as accompaniments. Dried
herbs are used in the winter when fresh herbs are not available. Wheat is the
primary grain and is found in a variety of forms, such as whole wheat, shelled
wheat, bulgur (parboiled cracked wheat), semolina, farina, and flour. Historically,
rice was used mostly in the cities and in certain rice-growing areas (such as
Marash and the region around Yerevan). Legumes are used liberally, especially chick
peas, lentils, white beans, and kidney beans. Nuts are used both for texture and to
add nutrition to Lenten dishes. Of primary usage are not only walnuts, almonds, and
pine nuts, but also hazelnuts, pistachios (in Cilicia), and nuts from regional
trees.[2]
Fresh and dried fruit are used both as main ingredients and as sour agents. As main
ingredients, the following fruits are used: apricots (fresh and dried), quince,
melons, and others. As sour agents, the following fruits are used: sumac berries
(in dried, powdered form), sour grapes, plums (either sour or dried), pomegranate,
apricots, cherries (especially sour cherries), and lemons. In addition to grape
leaves, cabbage leaves, chard, beet leaves, radish leaves, strawberry leaves, and
others are also stuffed.
Background
A typical meal in an Armenian household might consist of bread, butter, buttermilk,
cheese, fresh and pickled vegetables, and radishes. Lunch might include a vegetable
or meatball soup with sour milk.[3]
Lamb, yogurt, eggplant and bread are basic features of the Armenian cuisine, but
there are some regional differences. In Soviet cookbooks the Armenian cuisine is
always stated to be the oldest of Transcaucasia and one of the oldest in all of
Asia. Armenian dishes make use of cracked wheat, while Georgian variations use
maize. Armenian cuisine also makes use of mixed flours made from wheat, potato and
maize, which produces flavors that are difficult to replicate. Armenians tail fat
dmak.[4] Archaeologists have found traces of barley, grapes, lentils, peas, plums,
sesame, and wheat during excavations of the Erebuni Fortress in Yerevan.[5]
Herbs are used copiously in Armenian cuisine, and Armenian desserts are often
flavored with rose water, orange flower water and honey.[4] Salads are a staple of
the Armenian diet, along with various yogurt soups and lamb stews, which sometimes
include apricots.[3] Pomegranate juice is a popular beverage.[6] Murat Belge has
written that both Armenian and Iranian cuisines have meat and fruit dishes, where
meat is cooked together with fruits like quince and plums, which are uncommon in
Ottoman cuisine.[7]
Mezes made with chickpeas, lentils, beans and eggplants play a role in Armenian
cuisine, often served with traditional lavash bread. Lavash may also be used as a
wrap for various combinations of fried meat, vegetables, cheese and herbs.[3]
Armenian cuisine also features filled pastry pies called boereg, various types of
sausages, toasted pumpkin seeds, pistachios, pine nuts, basturma, and dolma.[4]
Cinnamon is a very commonly used spice in Armenian cuisine; it is sprinkled on
soups, breads, desserts and sometimes even fish. Salads are served with a lemon-
cinnamon dressing alongside as an accompaniment to meat kebabs.[5] In a survey of
Armenian-American cuisine, ginger was rated an important spice.[8][3]
Sources
Armenians were affected by the ongoing Ottoman–Persian Wars (one text laments "The
whole land is enslaved by the cursed Suleyman") and produced many literary works in
the 16th and 17th centuries emphasizing the Christian identity of Armenians in
troubled Anatolia. Food became a central theme in this body of Armenian literature.
Despite prohibitions in early Armenian law codes against Armenians eating or
drinking with Muslims, a "sort of blasphemous" 17th century Armenian drinking song
describes a feast in Van attended by Armenian priests, laymen and Turks, with the
refrain repeating "Intercede to the great barrel, bountiful is its wine."[9] The
poem contains many Armenian terms for common foods. Some of the terms found in
Andreas are:
Halva,Porak,Paxlava,Herisa,Lahana,K'ufta,Xorovac
Ardashes H. Keoleian authored the Oriental Cookbook (1913) is a collection of
recipes from the Middle East "adapted to American tastes and methods of
preparation" is a mixed collection of recipes that includes some recipes from the
Armenian cuisine.[10]
Armenian-American cookbook author Rose Baboian made her collection of traditional
Armenian recipes accessible for young, English-speaking Armenians. Mark Zanger, a
Boston-based food reporter, wrote that Baboian's book "stands out as a model of
American ethnic food because she recorded so many traditions".[11] She is
considered to have anticipated Armenian American fusion cooking with recipes like
"chocolate yogurt".[12]
Grains and legumes
Grains used in traditional Armenian cuisine included millet, wheat, barley, rye,
peas and maize. Various legumes were also consumed such as lentils, chickpeas, and
beans.[13]
Grains are used for a variety of purposes: traditional lavash bread is made from
wheat flour and grains are also added to soups to give them a thicker consistency.
[3] Lavash is baked in a traditional clay tonir oven. Bread is a very important
staple of Armenian cuisine.[5]
Kofta can be made with bulgur, finely chopped vegetables, herbs and often lamb.
There are variations intended to be eaten cold or served hot. Sini keufteh is a
dish similar to kibbeh, but layered and baked in a baking dish. The two outer
layers are made with bulgur, lamb mince, onion and spices. The inner filling
includes butter, onion, lamb mince, pine nuts and spices.[14]
Harissa (Armenian հարիսա harisa, also known as ճիտապուր) is a thick porridge made
of wheat and meat cooked together for a long time, originally in the tonir but
nowadays over a stove. Ardashes Hagop Keoleian called it the "national dish" of
Armenians.[15] Traditionally, harissa was prepared on feast days in communal pots.
The wheat used in harissa is typically shelled (pelted) wheat, though in Adana,
harissa is made with կորկոտ (korkot; ground, par-boiled shelled wheat). Harissa can
be made with lamb, beef, or chicken. A small piece of butter is often put at the
top of the harissa.[16]
A common dish of Armenian cuisine is pilaf (եղինձ; yeghints). Pilaf is a seasoned
rice, bulgur, or shelled wheat dish often served with meats such as lamb or beef.
Armenian recipes may combine vermicelli or orzo with rice cooked in stock seasoned
with mint, parsley and allspice.[17] One traditional Armenian pilaf is made with
the same noodle rice mixture cooked in stock with raisins, almonds and allspice.
[18] Armenian rices are discussed by Rose Baboian in her cookbook from 1964 which
includes recipes for different pilafs, most rooted in her birthplace of Aintab in
Turkey.[19] Baboian recommends that the noodles be stir-fried first in chicken fat
before being added to the pilaf. Another Armenian cookbook written by Vağinag Pürad
recommends to render poultry fat in the oven with red pepper until the fat mixture
turns a red color before using the strained fat to prepare pilaf. Pilaf made with
bulgur and liver is a specialty of Zeytun (present day Süleymanlı).[20]
Lapa is a kind of savory rice porridge or gruel eaten in Armenia, but it also is an
Armenian word with several meanings.[21] One of which is "watery boiled rice, thick
rice soup, mush" and lepe which refers to various rice dishes differing by region.
[22] Antranig Azhderian describes Armenian pilaf as "dish resembling porridge".[23]
In Agn (present-day Kemaliye) a thin flatbread calling loshig was baked and dried.
It would be wetted again before being eaten. Badjoug was a pastry of fat and flour
stamped with designs and sent as a wedding invitation. Glodj was unleavened bread
made for Lent and klrdig was a bread made of semolina.[24]
Herbs, spices and sauces
Armenians make extensive use of various herbs in their dishes. One porridge
prepared from cereals and wild herbs is called kerchik. (The same name is used by
Yazidis.) Armenians usually eat kerchik with pickled cabbage, whereas Yazidis eat
it with knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare).[25] The Eastern Anatolia region, where
many Armenians lived prior to the Armenian genocide, has an immensely rich plant
biodiversity with over 3,000 vascular plant taxa—of these almost 800 are endemic
species. The inhabitants of this region often lived in inaccessible area and were
dependent on local cultivated and wild flora. Some of the most important areas of
the region, in terms of plant diversity, include Harput, Lake Hazar and Munzur.[26]
In Armenia there are more than 3,600 wild plant species. Those include stinging
nettle (mostly used for tea), asparagus and mallow an herb that formed the original
basis for marshmallows.[27]
Commonly used spices include black pepper, sumac, cumin, caraway, cardamom, mahleb,
clove, anise, curcuma, fennel, fenugreek, blue fenugreek, allspice, ziziphora,
saffron, paprika, cayenne, and cinnamon.[28] Some greens were dried and used to
season cooking including garlic, spinach, parsley, mint, coriander, dill, summer
savory, thyme, tarragon, leek, chive, celery, marjoram, bay leaves, and basil.[29]
[30] Red pepper pulp was dried in the sun. Sprigs of terebinth were dried and
infused in a mixture of water, olive oil and brine, then toasted and ground. The
ground terebinth was added as a seasoning for eetch, tabouleh, and baked breads.
[31][32]
An Armenian spice mix called cemen (Armenian: չաման), that consists of caraway,
paprika, blue fenugreek, fenugreek, black pepper, allspice, cumin, garlic, salt,
and cayenne(optional). When used as a marinade, (mostly for basturma) the spice
blend is added to tomato paste, parsley, crushed garlic cloves, and either olive
oil, or matzoon.[33][34][35] A sweet Armenian “spice mix” called khoritz, which is
used to prepare Armenian desserts like Gata or Nazook, is made of sugar, flour, and
butter. In some variations walnuts are added.[36][37]
One Armenian sauce that is also the base of some Armenian dishes, is Lecho
(Armenian: լեչո). It is made with tomato, peppers/paprika, parsley and salt, and it
is usually served hot.[38] Red jajek (Armenian: կարմիր ջաջիկ), also called
matsnaprtosh (Armenian: մածնաբրդոշ matsnaprt'oš) in Artsakh, is a yogurt sauce made
with matzoon, sour cream, red beet, onion, garlic, cucumber(optional), black
pepper, dill, and coriander.[39] Matzoon alone can also be used as a sauce, and
when used as one, spices and herbs are often added to it. Other popular sauces in
that are used in Armenian cuisine include ajika, and jajek.[40][41]
Dairy and cheese
Typical dairy items were present in the Armenian cuisine such as matzoon, strained
yogurt, butter, cream, and cheese.[31]
Cheese is a staple of Armenian cuisine and in the traditional cuisine it was
consumed daily. The process of making Armenian lori cheese begins by boiling,
similar to halloumi cheese. It is preserved in a brine solution.[42] Armenian-
American cookbook author Rose Baboian explains that Armenian cheesemaking
techniques date back to an era before refrigeration was widely available so cheeses
had to be preserved in brine solution.[43] Chechil is a type of smoked Armenian
string cheese.[44] Yeghegnadzor is an Armenian steamed cheese made from pasteurized
cows or goats milk that is mixed with local greens stored in clay pots then buried
in the mountains and left to mature for at least 6 months before consumption. The
texture is semi-soft, and crumbly.[45][46] Chanakh is Armenian soft cheese that is
soaked in pots and filled with brine. Its texture is slightly brittle.[47][48]
Motal is a white goat cheese flavored with wild herbs. Motal is prepared in locally
made terra cotta pots sealed with beeswax, a method that dates back at least 5,000
years.[49][50]
In Musa Dagh traditional cheese was made from curds called choukalig. Gij or
kebdzoudz baneyr was salted and dried thyme combined with curds and preserved in a
jug. Sourki cheese was a mixture of spices and curds shaped as a pyramid, dried,
and stored in glass until it began to turn moldy. Khiroubaneyr was made by adding
yogurt water to milk.[31]
Matzoon (Armenian: մածուն, matsun) and other yogurt-derived products are of
particular importance in the cuisine. Tahn (similar to ayran in Turkey) is a yogurt
based drink made by mixing yogurt with water and salt (Baboian's recipe also
includes sugar). This may have originated as a way of preserving yogurt by the
addition of salt.[51] Tan is the traditional Armenian name for strained yogurt.[52]
Strained yogurt that was boiled with water until completely solid was called yepadz
madzoun (cooked yogurt) and it could be stored for use in winter soups.[31] Butter
was made by beating matzoon in a churn.[31]
Baboian gives several different recipes that can be prepared with madzoon like
barley matsoon soup, jajek (which she calls Easter Spinach Salad) and sauce served
with koftas.[53] She has also a matsoon spice cake with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
served with coconut and walnut topping. Her recipe for fruitcake, also made with
yogurt, includes dried fruits, nuts, baking spices and assorted candied fruits.[54]
Baboian's recipes were published before yogurt was widely available in American
shops, so her recipe collection included instructions for preparing yogurt at home
from fresh milk when it was published.[12] In the 1950s, Sarkis Colombosian, an
Armenian who had fled Turkey in 1917, began selling yogurt from an Andover,
Massachusetts based dairy farm, which he purchased during the Great Depression. The
family made the matsoon themselves and also made tan. Armenian merchants in
Watertown, Massachusetts began ordering yogurt, labneh and string cheese from
Colombo Yogurt, and the product eventually made it on to supermarket shelves.[55]
Tarhana is a mixture of yogurt and bulgur wheat.[56] The yogurt and bulgur are
combined and left on a tray until the grains absorb the yogurt. Once the liquid is
absorbed, the grain is placed in the sun to dry and then rubbed into a powder. This
powder can be used to thicken soups or stews.[57] Traditionally, it was stored in
cloth bags.[31] Three types of tarhana are known from Agn (present-day Kemaliye):
the commonly known tahneh tarhana made from milled bulgur and ayran, chreh tarhana
from bulgur and water (for Lent) and shira tarhana with bulgur and grape juice.[24]
According to Stanley Kerr, a staff member at the Near East Relief orphanage for
Armenian children, when the massacres began during the Battle of Marash Armenians
sheltering at a soap factory sustained themselves on stores that included tarhana,
dried fruits and olive oil.[58]
Fruits and other sweets
The main ingredients in Armenian sweets are honey, fruits, nuts, yogurt and sesame.
Both dried and fresh fruits are used.[59] There are many fruit-based Armenian
desserts including smoked peaches and nuts cooked in honey and various fruit
compotes.[3] Sweet sujuk (called churchkhela in Georgia) are nuts that are coated
in fruit must, or juice. Matzoon, and nuts, that are sweetened with honey, are a
popular dessert in Armenia.[59] Cinnamon is heavily used as spice for desserts like
apricot compote, and kurabiye (a type of cookie).[5] The apricot species Prunus
Armeniaca is named after Armenia.[60] The scientific name armeniaca was first used
by Gaspard Bauhin in his Pinax Theatri Botanici(page 442), referring to the species
as Mala armeniaca "Armenian apple". It is sometimes stated that this came from
Pliny the Elder, but it was not used by Pliny. Linnaeus took up Bauhin's epithet in
the first edition of his Species Plantarum in 1753.[61] Armenian and Persian
peaches were reportedly traded westward during the era of Alexander the Great.[62]
One Soviet-era writer reports that Armenia's apricots, peaches, walnuts and quince
are "equal or superior to the world's best grades".[63] Another writes "Armenian
peaches are famous, and her brandies are popular throughout the world".[64] Grapes,
figs, and pomegranates are also popular.[5] Grapes and apricots are commonly used
to make bastegh (Armenian: պաստեղ), a dried "fruit leather" that resembles Fruit
Roll-Ups.[59] Alani (ալանի) are pitted dried fruits stuffed with ground walnuts and
sugar.
The Armenian version of the grain pudding ashure is called anoushabour (Armenian:
անուշաբուր). Since Armenians serve this pudding during Christmas and on New Year's
Eve, it is sometimes called "Armenian Christmas Pudding". The pudding may be
accompanied by kurabiye or nuts such as almonds and pistachios.[59] Like ashure,
the Christmas Pudding may be garnished with pomegranate seeds and flavored with
rose water, and shared with neighbors during the Christmas season. This festive
pudding is the centerpiece of the New Year's table, which is often decorated with
dried fruits, nuts and pomegranates.[65]
Armenian baklava, known in Armenian as pakhlava (Armenian: Փախլավա), is made of
layers of phyllo dough, a filling of cinnamon-spiced chopped walnuts, and a syrup
made from cloves, cinnamon, lemon juice, sugar and water.[66][67] It is diamond-
shaped and often has either one hazelnut, almond, or half a walnut placed on each
piece.[68][69] It is often served at special occasions like Armenian christmas or
Armenian eastern.[70][71] Armenian baklava has some variations on how many phyllo
layers are supposed to be used. One variation uses 40 sheets of dough to align with
the 40 days of Lent Jesus spent in the desert.[72][73] Another variation is similar
to the Greek style of baklava, which is supposed to be made with 33 dough layers,
referring to the years of Jesus's life.[74] The city of Gavar makes Its own version
of baklava. It is made with 25 dough layers, has a filling of cleaned and dried
chopped walnuts, sugar and a syrup that is poured over the finished baklava
consisting of honey and flowers.[75][76] This type of baklava used to be prepared
in the then-Armenian city of Bayazet, but the people living there immigrated to
Gavar and surrounding regions in 1830.[77] Armenians say the name of the pastry,
which they call paklava, derives from the Armenian word bakh (Lent) and helvah
("sweet").[78]
Gata (Armenian: գաթա) is an Armenian pastry or sweet bread. There are many
variations of gata in Armenia.[79][80] One popular variety of it is koritz
(khoriz), a filling that consists of flour, butter and sugar. Gata can have other
fillings such as nuts, most commonly walnuts.[36][81]
Nazook (Armenian: նազուկ) is a rolled Armenian pastry made from flour, butter,
sugar, sour cream, yeast, vanilla extract and eggs, with a filling (khoriz) made
with sugar, flour, butter, and nuts, especially walnuts.[82][83]
Cigarette cookies (Armenian: սիգարետ թխվածքաբլիթներ) are soft cookies that are
rolled into the form of a cigarette. They are filled with either lokhum, a mixture
of sugar, cardamom, and walnuts, or a combination of both. The dough mainly
consists of matzoon, butter, eggs, and flour.[84][85][83] When finished the pastry
gets dusted with powdered sugar.[84]
Tahini rolls (Armenian: թահինի հաց) are made by rolling dough out, spreading it
with a mixture of tahini, cinnamon and sugar. After that it is rolled into a
cylinder. The dough is then sliced into smaller pieces and rolled up to form a
circle.[86][87]
The Mikado cake (Armenian: միկադո տորթ) is an Armenian layer cake made by stacking
up layers of baked dough (the dough mainly consists of flour, sour cream, butter,
and egg[88]) and a buttercream that mainly consists of butter, chocolate, brandy
and condensed milk on top of eachother. When finished the cake gets covered in the
aforementioned buttercream, and shreds of chocolate, or leftover dough-crumbles.
[89][90]
Murabba (Armenian: մուրաբա) is a sweet fruit, and nut perserve. It is usually
prepared with fruit, sugar, and spices. A unique variation only found in Armenia is
pumpkin murabba.[91] These fruit perserves often accompany beverages, like tea.[92]
[93]
Meats
Grilled meats are quite common as well and are omnipresent at market stalls, where
they are eaten as fast food, as well as at barbecues and picnic. Also, in modern
times, no Armenian banquet is considered complete without an entree of grilled
meat. Grilled meats vary from the simple (marinated meat on a skewer interspersed
with vegetables like eggplant) to the more elaborate. Certain regions in Eastern
and Western Armenia developed their own variations of grilled meat. Armenians eat
various meats like mutton, beef and goat but the most popular meat in Armenian
cuisine is pork.[5][94] Sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Armenian writers in
Ottoman Anatolia considered eating pork an important marker of Christian identity.
An Armenian priest writing in the sixteenth century concluded, "If we didn't eat
the meat of the pig, then we wouldn't be Christian."[95]
Roasted piglet, called gochi, is a traditional holiday meal prepared for New Year's
celebrations. Roasted pork chops (chalagach) are a favored item for barbeques.[94]
Khorovats (Armenian: խորոված) is an Armenian-style barbecue that is usually made
from pork, but can also be made with lamb. This dish is prepared with vegetables
like eggplant, tomato and green pepper. It is made on skewers and cooked in a
tonir.[3] Lula kebab (Armenian: լուլա քյաբաբ) is a type of kebab cooked on skewers.
It is made from minced meat that is spiced with onion, tail fat, salt, black
pepper, and sumac.[5] It is usually served with lavash, grilled onions, and
pomegranates.[96]
Dolma (Armenian: տոլմա) and stuffed eggplant (Armenian: լցոնած սմբուկներ) dishes
are widespread in Armenia. Dolma is usually made with either stuffing wine leaves,
cabbage, eggplants, peppers, or other vegetables with a mixture of spiced ground
beef and rice. There is a Dolma festival in Armenia that appreciates the art of
tolma-making in Armenia.[97]
Basturma (Armenian: բաստուրմա) is a salted meat that is dried, and cured, before
being rubbed with a special spice-paste called cemen (See: Herbs, spices and sauces
section of this article). It is a common food item in Armenia.[5] According to some
sources, the first recorded mention of Basturma was between 95-45 BC in Armenia
during the reign of Tigranes the Great, where it was known as aboukh (Armenian:
աբուխ).[98][99]The word abookhd (Classical Armenian: apukht) was already used in
the Armenian translation of the Bible, in the fifth century AD, meaning “salted and
dried meat”.[100] While others say that the basturma we know today was invented in
the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.[101]
Other Armenian meat-based dishes:
Yershig (Armenian: երշիկ yershik or սուջուխ suǰux) – a spicy beef sausage that is
dried, and cured. Other than the Turkish version of sujuk, it is a lot denser and
spicier. This sausage is mostly served as a cold cut, but it can also be fried.
[102][103],Kiufta (Armenian: կոլոլակ kololak) – meaning meatball comes in many
types, such as Hayastan kiufta, Kharpert kiufta (Porov kiufta), Ishli kiufta,
etc.,Keshkegh (Armenian: Քեշքեղ) is a bulgur pilav-based dish with lamb or chicken;
it is cooked in a broth and flavored with butter, cinnamon and pepper.[104],Tehal
(Armenian: տհալ, also known as ghavurma) is potted meat preserved in its own
fat.,Tjvjik (Armenian: տժվժիկ) is an Armenian dish which is mainly based on liver
(lamb, beef, pork or chicken). In addition to liver it can include any other offal.
[105],Khashlama (Armenian: Խաշլամա) is a traditional Armenian vegetable and lamb
stew. It is usually cooked over a tonir, and when finished eaten togheter with
lavash.[106][107],Urfa kebab (Armenian: Կոլոլակ Ուրֆայից, lit. 'Meatballs from
Urfa'), is spiced minced meat interspersed with eggplant slices.[108],Orukh
(Armenian: օրուխ) and Khanum budu (Armenian: Խանում բուդու), are two Cilician
specialties. These fried patties are usually made with a combination of rice,
ground meat, eggs, parsley, oil, salt, and black pepper. They are cooked on
skewers.[109]
Doughs
Matnakash (Armenian: մատնաքաշ matnak’aš) – is a soft and puffy leavened bread, made
of wheat flour and shaped into oval or round loaves; the characteristic golden or
golden-brown crust is achieved by coating the surface of the loaves with sweetened
tea essence before baking.,Lavash (Armenian: լավաշ) - is a thin flatbread usually
leavened and traditionally baked in a tonir.[110][111],Bagharch (Armenian: բաղարջ)
– sweet ritual bread prepared for New Year's Eve, Mid-Lent, etc. It usually has a
pattern on its top.[112],Choereg or bsatir (Armenian: չորեկ, բսատիր) – braided
bread formed into rolls or loaves, also a traditional loaf for Easter.[113],Nshkhar
(Armenian: նշխար nšxar) is the communion bread used during mass (Badarak) in the
Armenian Church.[114] It always has a religious (Christian) image printed on top of
it.[115],Zhingyalov hats (Armenian: Ժինգյալով հաց) – Zhingyalov hats, are
flatbreads filled with seven different greens which include spinach, coriander,
parsley, basil, scallions, dill, and mint. There is a variety of combinations that
can be used in the bread and these greens can also be substituted for other greens.
The greens are placed in the bread, and then the bread is folded like a into the
shape of a boat. After that it is cooked and then eaten.[116][117]
Semsek (Armenian: սեմսեկ) - is an Armenian dish made with a smooth dough that is
topped with mixture of minced meat, herbs, and spices.[118]
Breakfast
The modern Armenian breakfast consists of coffee or tea, plus a spread of cheeses,
jams, meats, vegetables, eggs, and breads. Armenians living in the Diaspora often
adopt local customs. Thus, Armenians in Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt may include "ful"
(stewed fava beans in olive oil).
Traditional Armenian breakfast dishes are hearty. They included:
Khash, sometimes colloquially called the "Armenian hangover cure", is a basic dish
of simmered cow's hooves.[119][120] Khash is mentioned in 12th century medieval
Armenian texts.[119],Byoreks (Armenian: բյորեկ), are pies made with phyllo pastry
and stuffed with cheese (panirov byorek, from Armenian: panir for cheese, Eastern
Armenians refer to this as Khachapuri) or spinach (similar to spanakopitain Greek
cuisine). They are a popular snack and fast food, often served as appetizer. Su
byorek lit. 'water burek' is a lasagna-style dish with sheets of phyllo pastry
briefly boiled in a large pan before being spread with fillings. Msov byorek is a
bread roll (not phyllo pastry) stuffed with ground meat (similar to Russian
pirozhki). They are thought to have entered Armenian cuisine in the middle ages
through the Byzantine Empire, when early versions of this dish were known as
plakous (savoury version). It was borrowed into Armenian as plagindi, plagunda, and
pghagund.[121] From the latter term came the later Arabic name iflaghun, which is
mentioned in the medieval Arab cookbook Wusla ila al-habib as a specialty of the
Cilician Armenians who settled in southern Asia Minor, where they later on had
interactions with the neighboring Crusader kingdoms. Thus, the dish may have
traveled to the Levant in the Middle Ages via the Armenians, many of whom migrated
there following the first appearance of the Turkish tribes in medieval Anatolia.
[122],Loligov dzvadzekh (Armenian: լոլիգով ձվաձեխ) is a very common breakfast-dish
in Armenia. Essentially a simple scramble with tomato as the base. Some iterations
of this dish can include, most commonly, onions and bell peppers. Herbs (tarragon,
purple basil, and coriander) also get added to the dish. It is usually served with
traditional lavash bread, and a variation called Pamidorov dzvadzekh (Armenian:
պամիդորով ձվաձեխ), which also adds cheese (like Chechil) to the dish.[123]
Appetizers
Meals in Armenia often start with a spread of appetizers served for "the table".
[124]
Lavash together with basturma/aboukh, soujoukh, cheeses (chechil, and other
armenian cheeses), and sauces (matsoon, jajek, lecho, or ajika) often get served as
an appetizer.[125]
Armenian appetizers include stuffed vine leaves (called yalanchy sarma, a type of
dolma), a fried cheese-stuffed pastry called dabgadz banir boerag,[104] stuffed
mussels (midye dolma)[126] and several types of pickled vegetables generally known
as torshi.[127] Toasted pumpkin seeds (Armenian: տուտումի գուդ, romanized: tutumi
gud) are a popular snack.[104]
Chickpea balls called topik are a common Armenian appetizer; they are spiced with
currants, onions, and cinnamon and served with a tahini sauce.[5][128]
Takuhi Tovmasyan discusses several Armenian mezzes in her book Sofranız Şen Olsun
including stuffed mackerel, a dish of beans in sauce served over stale bread
(leftover lavash may be used also) called fasulye pacasi, and a type of olive-oil
based appetizer with mussels called midye pilakisi.[129]
Salads
Many, if not most, Armenian salads combine a grain or legume with fresh vegetables—
often tomato, onions, and fresh herbs. Mayonnaise is used in Western or Russian-
inspired salads (such as Olivier salad). Examples of Armenian salads include:
Eetch – cracked wheat (Its typical red colour is derived from crushed or pureed
tomatoes) salad, additional ingredients include onion, parsley, olive oil, lemon,
paprika, and bell peppers. It is similar to the Middle Eastern tabouleh.
[130],Lentil salad – brown lentils, tomatoes, onions, in a dressing of lemon juice,
olive oil, and chopped parsley. This salad has many variations, with the lentils
being replaced by chick peas, black-eyed peas, chopped raw or roasted eggplant, or
other ingredients.
Soups and stews
All Armenian soups contain salt.
Spas (Armenian: Սպաս), which is a matzoon-based soup, and a traditional dish in
Armenia.[131][132] Besides matzoon, the main ingredient are herbs, and hulled wheat
berries (i.e. with husks removed). There are many varieties of Spas, like using
rice, barley, or bulgur instead of wheat berries. Butter, onions and meatballs
often get added for a richer taste.[133][134]
Khash, is considered an Armenian institution. Songs and poems have been written
about this one dish. It is made from cow's head, feet, stomach, and herbs cooked
into a clear broth. Tradition holds that khash can only be cooked by men, who spend
the entire night cooking, and can be eaten only in the early morning in the dead of
winter, when it is served with heaps of fresh garlic and dried lavash.[135]
Mantapour (Armenian: մանթապուր mantʿapur) is a soup typically made with matzoon,
beaten eggs, flour, garlic and meat broth, to which Manti, either raw or pre-cooked
are added. Wheat berries are often added to the soup. Matzoon-manti soup is
seasoned with dried mint and consumed hot. There is also another version of
mantapour, which consists of Manti simmered in a clear broth, and then eaten with a
dollop of matzoon or sour cream and parsley on top.[136]
Putuk (Armenian: պուտուկ putuk) is a soup made with broth, mutton, and pre-soaked
chickpeas in clay pots. During the cooking of the mutton and chickpeas, other
ingredients such as potatoes, onions, dried alycha, and saffron are added. Slow
cooking, which often lasts several hours, allows the flavors to fuse. The soup is
served in the clay pot it was cooked in and is often accompanied by an Armenian
leavened bread called Matnakash.[137]
Ajapsandal (Armenian: Աջափսանդալ) is a vegetable stew made of eggplant, onion,
tomato, and bell pepper, cooked in butter, or vegetable oil. It is seasoned with
black pepper, garlic, basil, coriander leaves, parsley and other seasoning.
Sometimes potato, chili pepper, and carrots are added although traditional recipes
do not include them.[138]
Arganak (Armenian: արգանակ arganak) – soup that is based on seasoned meatballs, and
onions, which are cooked in chicken broth, and flavored with lemon juice, egg yolks
and parsley.[139],Karshm (Armenian: կարշմ) is a local soup made in the town of Vaik
in the Vayots Dzor Province. This is a walnut-based soup with red beans, green
beans, chickpeas and spices. It is garnished with red pepper and garlic.
[140],Kyalagyosh (Armenian: քյալագյոշ) — Armenian matzoon soup served over toasted
pieces of Lavash. The soup is prepared with eggs, flour, matzoon, chicken bouillon,
and sour cream. The soup is then flavored with dried thyme, mint, coriander and
onions.[141] There also is a verison that adds lentils to the soup, making the
lentils the main component.[142],Vospapour (Armenian: ոսպապուր ospapur) – lentil
soup made with brown lentils cooked in broth togheter with chickpeas, carrots,
celery, coarse bulgur, and puréed dried fruits (especially apricot).[143] It is
flavoured with fried onions, mint, parsley, and cumin. Variations also include
spices and ingredients like cayenne pepper, cinnamon, tomatoes, eggplants, spinach,
and ground walnuts.[144],Kololik (Armenian: կոլոլիկ) – is a traditional meatball
soup. The meatballs are made with a combination of ground lamb, onions, parsley,
black pepper, salt and other seasonings. The soup is prepared with a combination of
onions, beaten eggs, rice, beef stock, tarragon, basil, and potatoes.[145]
[146],Kololak (Armenian: կոլոլակ, or կոլոլակով ապոր Kololakov apoor) – is a soup
made with meatballs, (consisting of ground meat, rice, onion, egg, and black
pepper) and vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions, that are cooked in a
broth made out of water, butter, green chilli, bay leaves, basil, dill, coriander,
black pepper, cumin, and a sauce called lecho (See: Herbs, spices and sauces part
pf this article).[147],Sokonov (Armenian: սոկոնով, or սոկոնով ապոր, romanized:
Sokonov apoor) – is a soup made with mushrooms, onions, egg, coriander, butter, and
black pepper. When the soup is finished garlic-matzoon, parsley, and red pepper get
put onto the soup for additional flavor.[148],T'ghit (Armenian: թղիթ) is made from
pastegh (thin rolled-up sheets of sour plum purée),[149] which are cut into small
pieces and boiled in water. Fried onions are added and the mixture is cooked into a
purée. After that, pieces of lavash are placed on top. It is eaten hot, and lavash
is used to scoop up the mixture by hand.[150],Snkapur (Armenian: սնկապուր snkapur)
– is a soup made with sautéed mushrooms, onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic, cream,
and black pepper. It is made by puréeing all ingredients togheter.,Blghourapour
(Armenian: բլղուրապուր blġurapur) – a sweet soup made of hulled wheat that is
cooked in grape juice. It can be served hot, and cold.[151],Bozbash (Armenian:
բոզբաշ bozbaš) – a mutton or lamb soup that exists in several regional varieties
with the addition of different vegetables.[152] There is a special kind of bozbash
served in Armenia. It is mamed Shoushin bozbash (Armenian: շուշին բոզբաշ), and is
made from lamb, quince, apple, and mint. This variation of bozbash is "practically
unknown outside of Armenia".[153],Brndzapour (Armenian: բրնձապուր brndzapur) – rice
and potato soup cooked in broth, and garnished with coriander.[154],Dzavarapour
(Armenian: ձավարապուր dzavarapur) – soup made from hulled wheat, potatoes, and
tomato purée. Egg yolks are stirred into the soup before serving.[155],Flol –
(Armenian: ֆլօլ) beef soup made with millet, spinach leaves and sometimes also
cherry-sized dumplings, that are cooked in broth.[155][156],Katnapour (Armenian:
կաթնապուր kat’napur) – a milk-based rice soup, sweetened with sugar.,Katnov
(Armenian: կաթնով kat’nov) – a milk-based rice soup with cinnamon and sugar.,Krchik
(Armenian: Քրճիկ kṙčik) – soup made from pickled cabbage, onions, potatoes, tomato
purée, cracked wheat, potatoes, coriander, parsley, butter, black pepper, and salt.
[157][158],Sarnapour (Armenian: սառնապուր saṙnapur) – is a soup made with peas,
rice, beets and matzoon.,Tarkhana (Armenian: թարխանա t’arxana) – flour and matzoon
soupMatsnaprtosh (Armenian: մածնաբրդոշ matsnaprt'oš) – this soup is made with sour
clotted milk diluted with cold water, with less vegetation than okroshka itself.
Matsnaprtosh is served cold as a refreshment and supposedly normalizes blood
pressure.
The "everyday" Armenian stew is the Dzash (Ճաշ). This is a brothy stew consisting
of meat (or a legume, in the meatless version), vegetables, and spices. The dzhash
was typically cooked in the tonir. It is generally served alongside a pilaf of
rice, or bulgur. It is sometimes accompanied by bread, torshi or fresh vegetables
and herbs. A specific variety of dzhash is the porani (պորանի), a stew made with
matzoon. Examples of dzhash are:[159][160]
Meat and green beans or green peas (with tomato sauce, garlic, and mint or
dill),Meat and summer squash (or zucchini). It is characterized by the liberal use
of dried mint, tomatoes, and lemon juice.,Meat and pumpkin. This is a wedding stew
made with meat, chickpeas, pumpkin, tomato, pepper, and spices.Meat and leeks in a
matsoon.Urfa-style porani, made with small meatballs, chickpeas, chard, and desert
truffles.
Fish
Armenian cuisine includes many typical seafood dishes like fried mussels (midye
tava), stuffed calamari (kalamar dolma), mackerel (uskumru) and bonito (palamut).
[5]
The trout from Lake Sevan is called ishkhan and can be prepared different ways
including a filled version stuffed with dried fruits (prunes, damsons, or apricots)
and a poached version marinated with red peppers. Ishkhan is also sometimes served
in a walnut sauce.[4]
For a relatively land-locked country, Armenian cuisine includes a surprising number
of fish dishes. Typically, fish is either broiled, fried, or sometimes poached. A
few recipes direct the fish to be stuffed. Fish may have been used to stuff
vegetables in ancient times, though that is not common anymore.
There are several varieties of fish in Armenia:
Sig (Armenian: սիգ sig) – a whitefish from Lake Sevan, native to northern Russian
lakes (endangered species in Armenia).
Karmrakhayt (alabalagh) (Armenian: կարմրախայտ karmrakhayt) – a river trout,[161]
also produced in high-altitude artificial lakes (e.g., the Mantash Reservoir in
Shirak Province).[162],Koghak (Armenian: կողակ koġak) – an indigenous Lake Sevan
fish of the carp family, also called Sevan khramulya (overfished)
Main courses
Fasulya (fassoulia) – a stew made with green beans, lamb and tomato broth or other
ingredients,Ghapama (Armenian: ղափամա ġap’ama) – pumpkin stew,Kchuch (Armenian:
կճուճ kč̣uč̣) – a casserole of mixed vegetables with pieces of meat or fish on top,
baked and served in a clay pot,Tjvjik (Armenian: տժվժիկ tžvžik) – a dish of fried
liver and kidneys with onions
Ritual foods
Ritual foods of the Armenian Apostolic Church, is food consumed as part of
ceremonies, rituals, religious observances, and the like.
Nshkhar (Armenian: նշխար nšxar) is the holy communion bread used during mass
(Badarak) in the Armenian Church.[163] It always has a religious (Christian) image
printed on top of it.[164],Mas (Armenian: մաս mas) – literally means "piece"; a
piece of leftover bread from the making of nshkhar, given to worshippers after
church service.,Matagh (Armenian: մատաղ mataġ) – sacrificial meat; can be of any
animal such as goat, lamb, or even bird.
Drinks
Armenian coffee (Armenian: սուրճ) – is a type of strong coffee popular in Armenia.
The main difference between Armenian coffee and Turkish coffee is that cardamom is
used in Armenian coffee, while Turkish coffee doesn't use cardamom.[165] Armenians
introduced the coffee to Corfu when they settled the island, where it is known as
"eastern coffee" due to its Eastern origin.[166] According to The Reuben Percy
Anecdotes compiled by journalist Thomas Byerley, an Armenian opened a coffee shop
in Europe in 1674, at a time when coffee was first becoming fashionable in the
West.[167] In Armenian it is either called հայկական սուրճ, haykakan surč, 'Armenian
coffee', or սեւ սուրճ, sev surč, 'black coffee', referring to the traditional
preparation done without milk or creamer. If unsweetened it is called bitter (դառը
or daruh), but more commonly it is brewed with a little sugar. The coffee gets
poured into the cup from a srjeb (Armenian: սրճեփ).[168],Kefir (Armenian: կեֆիր) –
fermented milk drink,Tan (Armenian: թան) – matzoon drink (still or carbonated),
often flavored with herbs (like parsely and mint) and vegetables like cucumber.
[169],Herbal tea (Armenian: թեյ) – is a type of tea drunk in Armenia. The most
popular flavors are ziziphora, mint, chamomile, and thyme.[170][171],Jermuk
(Armenian: Ջերմուկ J̌ ermuk) – a brand of mineral water from the Jermuk area.
Hayk, Sari – a brand of bottled mountain spring water from the Jermuk area (in
Armenian Hayk stands for Armenian and Sari for from the mountains).,Tarkhun soda
(Armenian: թարխուն t’arxun) – tarragon-flavored soda.,Pomegranate juice (Armenian:
Նռան հյութ) – is a popular beverage in Armenia and can be found in almost all
Armenian cities and villages.[172]
Alcoholic drinks
Beer
Armenian-produced beer (Armenian: գարեջուր gareǰur) is considered to be one of the
favorite drinks of Armenian men. The beer industry is developing barley malt and
producing beer from it. The preparation of beer in Armenia was known from ancient
times. According to the Greek historian Xenophon the manufacture of beer existed in
Armenia when he first arrived there(in the 5-4th century BC). Armenians used beer
grains for brewing (barley, millet, hops).
In 1913 there were three beer factories that produced 54,000 deciliters of beer.
From 1952 to 1978, new factories in Yerevan, Goris, Alaverdi, Abovyan were built
while existing factories were expanded and improved upon. For providing raw
materials for beer production in Gyumri, a large malt plant was launched based in
the production of barley malt of Shirak valley farms (with the capacity of 10,000
tons of production). In 1985, 6,000,000 deciliters of beer were produced.
Popular brands
Kotayk,Kilikia,Erebuni (produced by Kotayk Brewery),Gyumri,Aleksandrapol Archived 1
August 2015 at the Wayback MachineDargettBrandy
Armenian brandy (Armenian: կոնյակ konyak), known locally as konyak is perhaps
Armenia's most popular exported alcoholic drink. It has a long history of
production. Armenian brandy made by Yerevan Wine & Brandy Factory was said to be
the favorite drink of British statesman Winston Churchill. It was the favorite
alcoholic drink of Joseph Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill at
the Yalta conference at 1945.
The history of Armenian brandy (Ararat Brandy) begins in 1877, in the winery of
Armenian merchant N. Tairov (Yerevan). By 1890–1900 Yerevan was becoming a center
for the production of brandy, numbering a number of factories owned by Gyozalov
(1892), Saradjev (1894), Ter-Mkrtchian (1899), and others. In 1899, N. Tairov sold
his factory to Nikolay Shustov's well-known brand in Russia. In 1914, there were 15
factories in the province of Yerevan (the largest the one now owned by Shustov)
produced 210,010 deciliters of brandy. In 1921, the Soviet state took over
Shustov's factory, and it was renamed to "Ararat". This became the main factory for
wine manufacturing.
Despite the fact that only brandies produced in the Cognac region of France have
the legal permission to be called "cognac" according to Western trade rules,
Armenian brandy is called cognac inside Armenia. Yerevan Brandy Factory is now
negotiating to obtain an official privilege to market its brandy as cognac.
Armenian brandy is categorized by its age and method of aging. The rated stars
indicate the age of brandy since its fermentation starting from 3 stars. The most
expensive cognacs have passed additional vintage for more than 6 years and have
special names. The brandy is aged in oak barrels and is made from selected local
white grapes grown in the Ararat Valley which is giving it a shade of caramel
brown.
Popular Brands
AraratNoyArarat Erebuni[173]Ararat Taste, collection Apricot, Cherry, Coffee and
Honey.[174],Ararat Nairi[175],Ararat Akhtamar[176],Ararat Otborny[177],Ararat
Ani[178],Ararat Vaspurakan[179],Ararat Dvin[180]
Oghi
Oghi (Armenian: օղի òġi) – an Armenian alcoholic beverage usually distilled from
fruit;[181] also called aragh.[182] Artsakh is a well-known brand name of Armenian
mulberry vodka (tuti oghi) produced in Nagorno-Karabakh from local fruit.[183] In
the Armenian Diaspora, where fruit vodka is not distilled, oghi refers to the
aniseed-flavored distilled alcoholic drink called arak.[184][185]
Tuti oghi (Armenian: թթի օղի t’t’i òġi) - mulberry oghi. It is the most popular
variation of this alcoholic drink[186]Honi oghi – from hon, a small red berry
(cornelian cherry)Tsirani oghi – from apricots,Tandzi oghi – from pears,Khaghoghi
oghi – from grapes,Salori oghi – from plums,Moshi oghi – from blackberry,Tzi oghi –
from figs,Khundzori oghi – from apples
Wine
The alcoholic drink with the longest history in Armenia is wine. The oldest known
winery in the world was discovered in Armenia. Historically, wineries in Armenia
were concentrated along the Ararat valley. Of particular note was the district of
Koghtn (Գողթն, current Nakhichevan area). Today, Armenian wineries are concentrated
in the Areni region (district of Vayots Dzor).[187][188]
Armenian wine is mostly made from local varietals, such as Areni, Lalvari, Kakhet,
etc., though some wineries mix in better known European varietals such as
Chardonnay and Cabernet. Winemaking took a downward plunge in the years following
the collapse of the Soviet Union, but is undergoing a revival, with the addition of
world-class labels such as Zorah Wines. A yearly wine festival, held in Areni, is
popular with the locals and features wines from official wineries as well as
homemade hooch of varying quality. Armenian wines are predominantly red and are
sweet, semi-sweet (Vernashen, Ijevan), or dry (Areni).
Armenian Highland engaged in winemaking since ancient times. It has achieved
considerable development of Urartu times (9th – 6th centuries. BC). During
excavations in the castle of Teyshebaini around traces of 480 different types of
grapes were found, and in Toprakkale, Manazkert, Red Hill and Ererbunium 200 pots.
The evidences of high-level and large-scale wine production in Armenia are as
foreign (Herodotus, Strabo, Xenophon and others) and Armenian historians of the
5th–18th centuries, as well as sculptures of architectural monuments and protocols.
Armenia's current area began wine production in the 2nd half of the 19th century.
At the end of the 19th century, next to the small businesses in Yerevan, Ghamarlu
(Artashat), Ashtarak, Echmiadzin (Vagharshapat ), there were 4 mill.
In addition to grapes, wines have been made with other fruit, notably pomegranate
(Armenian: նռան գինի nran kini), apricot, quince, etc. In some cases, these fruit
wines are fortified.
Mineral waters
Among the soft drinks Armenian mineral water is known for its healing specialty and
is recommended by doctors. This spring water originates from the depth of earth and
flowing from ancient mountains in the city of Jermuk.
Armenia has rich reserves of mineral water. After the establishment of the Soviet
Union the study and development of multilateral disciplines in these waters began.
First industrial bottling was organized in Arzni in 1927. In 1949, Dilijan and
Jermuk mineral water factories were put into operation. In 1960–1980 “Sevan”,
“Hankavan”, “Lichk”, “Bjni”, “Lori”, “Arpi”, “Ararat”, mineral water bottling
plants and factories were launched, which are involved in the production unit
"mineral water of Armenia". ASSR in 1985 produced 295 million bottles of mineral
water.