Culinary traditions of Armenia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Armenian cuisine (Armenian: Հայկական խոհանոց) includes the foods and cooking techniques of the Armenian people, as well as traditional Armenian foods and drinks. The cuisine reflects the history and geography of 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, stewing, grilling, baking, boiling and puréeing.[1] Lamb, eggplant, and bread (lavash) are basic features of Armenian cuisine. Armenians traditionally prefer cracked wheat to maize and rich. 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, cracked wheat, buckwheat, bulgur, semolina, farina, and flour (pokhindz). 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, green 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]
The Erebuni Fortress, a place where early traces of food were discovered
A typical spread in an Armenian household might consist of bread, butter, buttermilk, cheese, matzoon, lecho, fresh and pickled vegetables (t‘tu), basturma and radishes. Lunch might include a vegetable or meatball soup with milk such as spas.[4]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, such as pokhindz, which produces flavors that are difficult to replicate.[5] Archaeologists have found traces of barley, grapes, lentils, peas, plums, sesame, and wheat during excavations of the Erebuni Fortress in Yerevan.[6]
Herbs are used copiously in Armenian cuisine, and Armenian desserts are often flavored with rose water, orange flower water and honey.[5] Salads are a staple of the Armenian diet, along with various yogurt soups and lamb stews, which sometimes include apricots.[4]Pomegranate juice is a popular beverage.[7]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.[8]
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.[4] Armenian cuisine also features filled pastry pies called byureg, various types of sausages, toasted pumpkin seeds, pistachios, pine nuts, basturma, and dolma.[5]
Cinnamon is a commonly used spice in Armenian cuisine; it is used in soups, desserts, fish and other foods. Salads are served with a lemon-cinnamon dressing alongside as an accompaniment to meat kebabs.[6] In a survey of Armenian-American cuisine, ginger was rated an important spice.[9][4]
In Armenia, the most important cooking appliance is the tonir (Armenian: Թոնիր). In ancient times, the tonir was worshiped by the Armenians as a symbol of the sun in the ground. Pagan Armenians made tonirs resembling the setting sun "going into the ground" (the Sun being the main deity). The underground tonir, made of clay and stone, is one of the first tools in Armenian cuisine as an oven and thermal treatment tool. Therefore, the tonir used to be placed in the middle of most ancient Armenian households. Armenians are said to have invented underground tonirs.[10][11] It is mostly used to prepare breads such as lavash, tonir bread, matnakash, gata, bokon and more,[12][13][14][15] but also grilled meats such as khorovats, as well as sometimes msho, or lula kebab and grilled vegetables such as eggplants, tomatoes, bell peppers, chili peppers and more.[16][17]Skewers (շամփուր, շամփուրներ; shampur, shampurner) are also commonly used to impale and cook vegetables, or meats. The kasavan (կասավան) is used to roll out dough, while the tava (տավա) is an important cooking utensil, used to bake stuffed flatbreads such as zhingyalov hats, or to cook meats dishes such as tjvjk.[18][19] Other utensils used in Armenia include the samovar (սամովար) used to prepare and serve tea, or other beverages and the srjep (սրճեփ) used to brew and serve Armenian coffee.[20][21]
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."[22] The poem contains many Armenian terms for common foods. Some of the terms found in Andreas are:
At the Mantenadaran, a museum in Armenia's capital city of Yerevan, is a manuscript written in Middle Armenian, an archaic version of the language used today. Researchers believe it presents the recipe for a cake or sweet bread: The list of ingredients seems to contain sugar, flour, and nuts. Another manuscript, probably even older, has a diagram of a cow and its cuts on one of the yellow stained pages.[23]
An article discusses the traditional foods mentioned in Armenia's national epic Sasna Tsrer (Daredevils of Sasun), particularly focusing on the heroes’ eating habits as a lens into cultural history. Among the named dishes are ghavurma (perserved meat with tail fat), khashlama (hearty meat stew), zhazhik (strained whey cheese similar to ricotta), harisa, pilaf (made with rice, lamb, onions, pomegranate and seasoning), Saint Sargis memorial porridge (made with seven roasted and ground grains: wheat (pokhindz), chickpeas, red or white beans, barley and millet). Mixed with boiling water and topped with melted butter and pepper. Dried fruits and nuts, aghands (a sweet made by boiling flour with fruit syrup) honey and butter, lavash, wine, pomegranate wine, tea and coffee.[24]
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.[25]
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".[26]
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.[4] Bread is an important staple of Armenian cuisine.[6] So are soups, stews, porridges, puddings, salads, and rice dishes prepared using either grain or legumes, like pilaf (փլավ; plav), a food made out of grains (rice or bulgur), eetch (Էտչ), an Armenian bulgur-based salad, or fasulye (ֆասուլյե), an Armenian bean stew and many more examples, but this section will exclude Armenian stews, soups and salads including grains, or legumes, as these are touched upon in their respective sections in this article.[28]
Kofta (կիփֆա) can be made with bulgur, finely chopped vegetables, herbs and meat. There are variations intended to be eaten cold or served hot. The most popular Armenian variety of kofta is Gavari kofta (Գավառի կիփֆա), uniquely pale and tender, for It is either steamed, or simmered rather than fried. Therefore, it has no crust. Made from finely minced meat mixed with bulgur, herbs such as parsley, coriander, and sometimes mint, and spices such as salt, black pepper, allspice and cinnamon, it focuses on a soft texture instead of a crispy exterior.[29]
Sini kufteh (սինի կիփֆա) is a dish similar to kibbeh, but layered and baked in a baking dish. The two outer layers are made with bulgur, minced meat, onion and spices. The inner filling includes butter, onion, minced meat, pine nuts and spices.[31]
Armenian harissa
Harissa (Armenianհարիսաharisa, 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.[32] 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. Spices and herbs used in the dish include salt, black pepper, garlic and bay leaves. A piece of butter is often put on top of the harissa.[33]
An Armenian depiction and description of a sweet version of ghapama and Its ingredients
A common dish in Armenian cuisine is pilaf (փլավ; plav). Pilaf is a seasoned rice, bulgur, or shelled wheat dish often served with meats such as lamb or beef. Some variations use a dough, or bread cover on the rice for a better taste. There are multiple types of pilaf in Armenia. One of these is Karmir Pilaf (կարմիր փիլավ), an Armenian red rice dish made with butter, rice, onions, herbs, spices (especially sumac), tomato paste and sometimes meat. The word karmir means "red" in Armenian, referring to the red color of the dish.[34] Wedding pilaf or Chamichov pilaf (հարսանիքի փլավ; չամիչով փլավ ) is made by combining rice, dried fruits, nuts, honey, cinnamon and other spices is also a popular variety in Armenia.[35] Another version is made by combining vermicelli or orzo with rice cooked in stock seasoned with mint, parsley and allspice.[36] One traditional Armenian pilaf is made with the same noodle rice mixture cooked in stock with raisins, almonds and allspice.[37] 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.[38] 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 was a specialty of Zeytun.[39]
Arishta with vegetables, herbs, spices, walnuts and butter
Arishta (արիշտա) are traditional Armenian noodles made from flour, eggs, water, and salt, cut into short strips and dried. They are usually boiled, then served with melted butter. They are sometimes topped with matzoon, lecho (spicy tomato sauce), garlic, herbs, spices, breadcrumbs or walnuts.[40]
Lapa is a kind of savory riceporridge or gruel eaten in Armenia, but it also is an Armenian word with several meanings.[41] One is "watery boiled rice, thick rice soup, mush"; lepe refers to various rice dishes differing by region.[42] Antranig Azhderian describes Armenian pilaf as a "dish resembling porridge".[43]
An Armenian appetizer based on legumes is topik (Թոփիկ), a dish, sometimes thought of as a vegetarian meatball, consisting of a chickpea-based paste, usually mixed with potatoes or flour, surrounding a filling of onions, nuts, currants, and flavored with herbs, spices, and tahini, It is a traditional lenten dish.
In Agn (present-day Kemaliye) a thin flatbread called loshig was baked and dried. It was soaked 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.[44]
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 pickledcabbage (t‘tu), whereas Yazidis eat it with knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare).[45] 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.[46] The region of Western Armenia, where millions of Armenians lived prior to the Armenian genocide, has 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 areas 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.[47]
Armenian tomato, bell pepper and eggplant-based condiments like lecho, or ikra in an Armenian supermarket
Armenian cuisine features a large array of tomato, bell pepper and eggplant-based condiments, one Armenian sauce that is also the base of some Armenian dishes is lecho (Armenian: լեչո). It is made with tomato, bell peppers, paprika, onions, garlic, black pepper, oil, parsley, bay leaves, and salt. It can be served hot.[57] Ikra (Իկրա) is an Armenian condiment made from roasted eggplants mashed with tomatoes, onions, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, chili, oil and herbs like parsley and garlic.[58][59]
Armenian matzoon-based sauces are also popular in Armenia. Matzoon alone can also be used as a sauce, and spices and herbs are often added to it then. Red jajek (Armenian: կարմիր ջաջիկ), also called matsnaprtosh (Armenian: մածնաբրդոշmatsnaprt'oš) in Artsakh, is a matzoon sauce made with matzoon, sour cream, red beet, onion, garlic, black pepper, dill, coriander and sometimescucumber (optional).[60] For regular jajek, the red beet is excluded.[61]
Armenian walnut sauce with bell pepper
Walnut sauce is popular in Armenian cuisine and there are multiple variations of it, one of them is the Ashtarak sauce (Աշտարակի սոուս), which is an Armenian walnut and garlic sauce from Ashtarak, made with walnuts, garlic, vinegar or lemon juice, and salt.[62] Other varieties combine the walnut sauce-base with other ingredients, such as bell pepper, or beans.[63]
Armenian plum sauce
Some Armenian condiments are made of a tomato-based sauce, that is then combined with fruits, or only fruits with herbs and spices. One of these is plum sauce, a sauce made from either regular, or sour plums, herbs and spices. Other such sauces may be made with apricots, or cornelian cherries.
Armenian cuisine also features a large array of fruit syrups that are used as condiments. These are called doshab (դոշաբ). Grape doshab, mulberry doshab, carob doshab, rose hip doshab, apricot doshab and pomegranate doshab (also known as narsharab, նարշարապ; or nuri matsuk, նուռի մածուկ) are the most common variations of doshab, . This condiment is also used in multiple foods, like stuffed apples, matzoonsharots, pestil and chi kofta, while It can be used as a condiment for every dish, or as a topping for desserts such as gata and as a medicine, especially for iron deficiency anemia (carob version).[64][65][66][67]
Traditional cheeses served at an Armenian restaurantArmenian cheeses near herbs
Cheese is a staple of Armenian cuisine and traditionally was eaten daily. The process of making the Armenian cheese lori (լոռի) begins by boiling, similar to halloumi cheese. It is preserved in a brine solution.[68][1]Chechil (չեչիլ) and tel panir (թել պանիր) are types of braided Armenian string cheeses akin to mozarella.[69][70][71]Yeghegnadzor (եղեգնաձոր) is an Armenian steamed cheese named after the city of Yeghegnadzor and is 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 six months before consumption. The texture is semi-soft and crumbly.[72][73][74]Chanakh (չանախ) is an Armenian brined cheese that is soaked in pots. It is semi-hard and has a sharp, salty flavor.[75][76][77]Mklats panir (մգլած պանիր) is an Armenian cheese, characterized by its green, or moldy appearance and a texture similar to Roquefort cheese. It is primarily produced in the Shirak Province and certain mountainous areas of Armenia.[78][79]Ktor panir (կտոր պանիր) an Armenian cheese made from sheep's, cow's milk, or a mixture of both. In terms of quality, ktor panir is similar to cream cheeses like bryndza, but its production process is more primitive.[78][80]Motal (մոթալ) is a cheese made with sheep milk and is flavored with wild herbs such as thyme. It is characterized by its aging process in tki/tiks (տիկ), which are leather containers made from sheep or goat hides. This method dates back 5000 years.[81][79]
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.[82]
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.[51]
Other dairy products
A bowl of liquidy MatzoonA bowl of matzoon with herbs and spices
Matzoon (Armenian: մածուն, matsun) is an Armenian fermented milk product similar to yogurt and the most important dairy product in Armenian cuisine.[83][84] Matzoon has multiple uses. Matzoon can be strained to obtain kamats matzoon (քամած մածուն), which was produced for long-term preservation by draining matzoon in cloth sacks. Afterwards it was stored in leather sacks or clay pots for a month or more depending on the degree of salting. Matzoon can also be used to make butter (կարագ), chortan, tarhana, tahn and other dairy products. Matzoon can also be used as a condiment, where It is combined with spices and herbs.[85][86][87] Tahn (թան), similar to ayran in Turkey, is a matzoon-based drink made by mixing matzoon with water, salt, herbs like mint, tarragon, parsley, or thyme and sometimes vegetables like cucumber, or scallions. (Baboian's recipe also includes a sweet version made with sugar). This may have originated as a way of preserving yogurt by the addition of salt.[88]Tan is the traditional Armenian name for strained yogurt.[89] Strained yogurt that was boiled with water until completely solid is called yepadz madzoun (Եփած մածուն; cooked yogurt) and it could be stored for use in winter soups.[51] Butter was made by beating matzoon in a churn.[51]
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.[90] 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 matzoon, includes dried fruits, nuts, baking spices and assorted candied fruits.[91]
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.[92] 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.[93]
Sar (սար), or seruts’k (սերուցք) is a creamy dairy product made by simmering fresh buffalo, sheep, or cow milk, then cooling it slowly, during which a thick layer of cream forms on top. This cream is then skimmed off and sometimes lightly fermented. It is often served with honey, bread, or fruit, especially at breakfast or during special occasions. It is also used for desserts, like with gata (food), kadaif, or baklava, but some eat It freshly. It can also be used as a filling for pancakes.[94][95][96]
Chortan (Armenianչորթան) is a dairy product made from strained yogurt, drained buttermilk, or drained sour milk by shaping it and letting it dry. It can be made in a variety of forms, like rolled into balls, sliced into strips, and formed into chunks. Chortan is mentioned in the 19th century Armenian epic poem Daredevils of Sassoun, said to be based on an 8th-century oral tradition.[97][98]
Rezhan (ռեզհան) is a type of Armenian cream. While on its way to become butter, it is slightly under-churned, giving it a honey-like consistency.[citation needed]
Tarhana is a mixture of yogurt and bulgur wheat.[99] 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.[100] Traditionally, it was stored in cloth bags.[51] 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.[44] 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.[101]
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Fruits and other sweets
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Perspective
Fruit-based desserts
Pestil, Sharots, Alani and other dried fruit products being sold at a market in Yerevan
The main ingredients used in most Armenian sweets, especially fruit-based sweets are honey, fruits, nuts, matzoon and sesame. Both dried and fresh fruits are used.[102] There are many fruit-based Armenian desserts including smoked peaches and nuts cooked in honey. There also are various fruit compotes.[4]Sharots (շարոց) is a traditional Armenian confection made from halved walnut kernels threaded onto a string and coated with a spiced grape, pomegranate, or apricot-based mixture.[103][104][105][106][107] Sharots has its own specific method of preparation that includes the use of a blend of cinnamon, clove, and cardamom, which contributes to its distinctive flavor and aroma that differentiates it from similar confections.[108][109][110][111]Matzoon combined with fruits, nuts, honey and doshab (like pomegranate molasses, or grape syrup), is a popular dessert in Armenia. Cinnamon is heavily used as spice for desserts like fruit compote, or sharots.[102]
The apricot (սալոր) species prunus armeniaca is named after Armenia.[112] 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.[113] Armenian peaches (դեղձ) were reportedly traded westward during the era of Alexander the Great.[114] One Soviet-era writer reports that Armenia's apricots, peaches, walnuts and quinces are "equal or superior to the world's best grades".[115] Another writes "Armenian peaches are famous, and her brandies are popular throughout the world".[116]Mulberries (Թութ) have also been used since ancient times and can be used in multiple ways, as in gata, compotes, soaked in water as a kind of soup, or even in pilafs.[117]Grapes, figs, and pomegranates are also popular.[6]Plums, pomegranates, grapes, apples, apricots, pears, peaches and watermelons are commonly used to make bastegh (Armenian: պաստեղ), a dried "fruit leather" that can be either served regular, or sour (t‘tu).[102][118] Alani (ալանի) are pitted dried fruits stuffed with ground walnuts and sugar. Apricots are the most commonly used fruit for alani, but figs (walnut stuffed figs) and other fruits are also used. Armenian sweet stuffed apples are made with hollowed out apples that are stuffed with a sauteed mixture of diced apples, diced pears, walnuts, hazelnuts, currants, butter, cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. After being stuffed, they are baked in the oven.[119]
Cakes
Assortment of Armenian cakes in a bakery
Armenia features a large selection of cakes. Many of these cakes were invented in Soviet Armenia, while others predate Soviet Armenia. Most Armenian cakes use chocolate, nuts, coffee, honey, caramel, cream. While some also use fruits, like apricots.[120]
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, cream, butter, and egg[121]) and a buttercream that mainly consists of butter, chocolate, brandy and condensed milk on top of each other. When finished the cake gets covered in the aforementioned buttercream, and shreds of chocolate, or leftover dough-crumbles.[122][123]
The Marlenka cake (Մառլենկա) is a layered Armenian honey cake, which is composed of multiple thin layers of honey-sweetened sponge cake with a filling made from caramel cream. It is typically topped with a dusting of crushed nuts, or cocoa-based icing. The ingredients generally include honey, flour, eggs, sugar, and butter.[124][125] It is similar to medovik (մեդովիկ), a cake that is also widely popular in Armenia.[126]
The Sharlota cake (Շարլոտա տորթ) is a layered cake with coffee and chocolate-flavored sponge cake layers, and a coffee-based cream. The batter is made from eggs, honey, baking soda, and flour, divided into three parts, with coffee and cocoa added to two of them. The cream is made by mixing butter, condensed milk, coffee, cognac, and vanilla. The cake is assembled by layering the sponges with cream and topped with more cream and chocolate.[127]
Yughatert (յուղաթերթ) is an Armenian cake made from thin layers of dough, butter and honey. The dough is mixed with eggs, milk, baking soda, and butter, then rolled, brushed with butter and honey, folded six times, and baked. After baking, it is cut into squares and drizzled with warm honey.[128]
Tghamardu Ideal (Տղամարդու իդեալ) is a classic layered cake featuring soft biscuit layers, chocolate frosting, and walnuts. The dough is made from sugar, eggs, honey, cognac, vanilla, flour, and baking soda, with walnuts folded into it. The batter is divided and baked in layers, then brushed with chocolate syrup and filled with a cream made from butter, condensed milk, and walnuts. The cake is finished by covering it with more of the cream and decorating it with dark chocolate and walnuts.[129]
Tsiranov tort (Ծիրանով տորթ) is a layered cake with a dacquoise base and apricot cream. The dacquoise is made from whipped egg whites, sugar, and flour. The apricot mousse is prepared with apricot puree, brown sugar and whipped cream. The cake is assembled with these layers, chilled, and often garnished with apricot murabba.[130]
Armenian-American cookbook author Rose Baboian mentions a matzoon-spice cake with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves served with coconut and walnut topping. Her recipe for fruitcake, also made with matzoon, includes dried fruits, nuts, baking spices and assorted candied fruits.[131]
These are the most common examples of Armenian cakes, but there are many more types of Armenian cakes. Most other Armenian cakes, are fruit cakes made with raspberries, peaches and other fruits.[132]
Pastries
Armenian pakhlava
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.[133][134] It is diamond-shaped and often has either one hazelnut, almond, or half a walnut placed on each piece.[135][136] It is often served at special occasions like Armenian Christmas or Armenian eastern.[137][138] 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 that Jesus spent in the desert.[139][140] 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.[141] 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.[142][143] 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.[144] Armenians say the name of the pastry, which they call paklava, derives from the Armenian word bakh (Lent) and helvah ("sweet").[145]
Armenian decorated Gata
Gata (Armenian: գաթա) is an Armenian pastry or sweet bread. There are many variations of gata in Armenia.[146][147] One popular variety of it is khoritz (khoriz), a filling that consists of flour, butter and sugar. Gata can also include other fillings alongside khoritz, including nuts, (most commonly walnuts, while peanuts can also be used), dried fruits (prunes, apricots, raisins, berries), lemons, or mulberries.[117][55][148] Some variations include placing a coin inside the dough before the gata is baked, and it is said that whoever receives the piece with the coin is to be blessed with good fortune.[55][148]
Nazook filled with khoritz and fresh, as well as dry fruits that is dusted with powdered sugar
Katnashorov (կաթնաշոռով) is a soft Armenian pastry filled with sweetened and often fruit-infused quark. The dough is made of flour, yeast, milk, sugar, eggs, and butter. After being filled and baked, the pastry is dusted with powdered sugar.[citation needed]
Ponchik (Armenian: պոնչիկ) is a deep-fried piece of dough shaped into a flattened sphere, that turns into a puffed up sphere upon frying, and then becomes a flattened sphere after it is opened. Ponchiks are filled with custard (plain, vanilla or chocolate mostly), while nowadays, they are also filled with nutella, caramel and even jam. In Armenia, ponchik has evolved from its possibly medieval Armenian (although under different name) and Soviet roots into a beloved street and café dessert with a distinctly local character. While the Russian ponchik is often unfilled, or filled with jam and resembles a normal donut, the Armenian version is always filled with custard and puffy, collapsing after It is opened. Tutalik (Armenian: տուտալիկ) is another Armenian doughnut-like dessert similar to doughnut holes, Armenian doughnuts are sometimes also referred to as chickies.[151][152]
Puddings and porridges
Anoushabour, also called "Armenian Christmas pudding", or "Noah's pudding"
Shpot (շփոթ), or Aghandz (աղանձ) is an Armenian pudding made by boiling fruit juice (usually grape, but sometimes mulberry) with flour and spices (cinnamon, cloves and cardamom) until thickened. When finished, It is topped with nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds).[24]
Khavitz (խավիծ) is a traditional Armenian sweet porridge made by slowly toasting wheat flour (pokhindz) in butter until golden brown, then cooking it with milk and honey, or sugar until it becomes a thick porridge. It is sometimes flavored with cinnamon.[156]
Katnapour (կաթնապուր), or katnov (կաթնով) is an Armenian rice pudding made by cooking rice in sweetened milk until creamy. It is flavored, as well as dusted with cinnamon and eaten either warm or cold.[citation needed]
Confections and cookies
Cigarette cookies dusted with powdered sugar
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.[157][158][150] When finished the pastry gets dusted with powdered sugar.[157]
Dziranamahig (ծիրանամահիկ) are rolled, crescent-shaped Armenian cookies filled with a mixture of apricots, sugar, and chopped nuts, baked until golden, and dusted with powdered sugar, traditionally enjoyed around Christmas.[citation needed]
Popoques in a bakery
Popok (փոփօկ), or Popoques (փոփօքեր), are small Armenian walnut-shaped confections made with a pancake-like dough consisting of flour, eggs, sugar, butter, and milk. The dough is pressed in a special walnut-mold and then baked in that mold. When finished, they are brushed with melted chocolate from the inside and filled with caramel cream, or heated sweetened condensed milk that also resembles caramel cream.[citation needed]
Mrnabuyn in a bakery
Mrjnabuyn (մրջնաբույն) Armenian sweet made from crushed nuts and honey or condensed milk mixed with crumbs and shaped into small clusters resembling an ant's nest. It is usually covered in chocolate.[citation needed]
Khurabia (Ղուրաբիա) and nshablit (նաշաբլիթ), are two cookies mostly made with almonds, sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon, while nshablit also includes egg. They are mostly eaten during the Easter, Christmas and New Year celebrations.[6][159][160]
Halva (հալվա) is a type of sweet confection made from flour, nuts, or seeds and the usually combined with sugar syrup or honey. In Armenia, it is traditionally made at home by roasting pokhindz in oil and pouring doshab (grape syrup), sugar syrup, or honey over it, then letting it cool.[citation needed]
Armenian walnut and pumpkin murabba served alongside tea and matnakash
Armenian cuisine features a variety of meat dishes. Grilled meats, dried meats, cooked meats, sausages, and leaves, vegetables, or dumplings stuffed with meat are the most common ones.
Grilled meats
Chicken khorovats, onions and potato slices with pork fat in between, that was grilled in a tonir
Grilled meats are common in Armenia and are omnipresent at market stalls, where they are eaten as fast food, as well as at barbecues and picnics. 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. The oven usually used for grilling meats in Armenia, is the tonir (Թոնիր), an underground oven used to cook meats, vegetables and breads.[17] 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.[6][164] 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."[22]Roasted piglet, called gochi (գոճի), is a traditional holiday meal prepared for New Year's celebrations, while roasted pork chops, also known as chalagach (չալաղաչ), are a favored item for barbeques.[164]
Khorovats (խորոված) is an Armenian barbecue,[165] that can be made with lamb, pork, beef, chicken, fish, or veal. A typical khorovats is made of marinaded chunks of meat grilled on a shampoor (skewer) inside of a tonir. When finished, It is served alongside Armenian side-dishes, like lavash, kanachi, vegetables, condiments such as jajek, matzoon, ajika, lecho and more.[17] Potatoes, onions, tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, or other vegetables may be skewered alongside the meat, or on the same skewer as the meat for more flavor.[4]
Msho kebab (մշո քեբաբ) is an Armenian kebab from the historical mush region, that is made from minced lamb or beef mixed with onion, garlic, black pepper, paprika, allspice and cumin. Parsley and mint are also used in its preparation. It is grilled and served with lavash, condiments, as well as grilled vegetables and kanachi herbs.[citation needed]
Losh kebab (լոշ քյաբաբ) — Armenian-style grilled meat patty made from ground beef or lamb, grated onion, parsley, salt, black pepper, and sometimes paprika, as well as aleppo pepper. It is shaped into round patties and grilled, often served with lavash, grilled vegetables, fresh herbs (kanachi), and matzoon.[167]
Urfa kebab (Armenian: Կոլոլակ Ուրֆայից, lit.'Meatballs from Urfa'), is a grilled meat-dish made of spiced minced meat interspersed with eggplant slices.[168]
Orukh (Armenian: օրուխ) and Khanum budu (Armenian: Խանում բուդու), are two Cilician specialties. These fried patties, or kebabs are usually made with a combination of rice or bulgur, ground meat, eggs, parsley, oil, salt, and black pepper. They are cooked on skewers.[169]
Kiufta/Kololak (Armenian: կոլոլակ kololak), meaning meatball comes in many types, such as Hayastan kiufta, Kharpert kiufta (Porov kiufta), etc.
In Armenian cuisine, dried meats and sausages are a traditional way of preserving and intensifying the flavor of meat, often prepared by salting and seasoning the meat with spices, these meats are served as part of meze spreads, paired with cheese, fresh herbs, condiments and lavash, or incorporated into hearty dishes to add depth and richness.[170]
Basturma (Armenian: բաստուրմա) is a salted meat that is dried, and cured, before being rubbed with a special spice-paste called cemen (չաման). Basturma is used in multiple ways. Armenian pizzerias in cities like Yerevan, Boston and Los Angeles serve basturma topped pizza.[171] Armenian restaurants also serve basturma topped burgers,[172] basturma can be added to salads,[173] and basturma with omelette is also a common breakfast item in Armenia.[174] Basturma, or a basturma omelette can also be wrapped inside a lavash, alongside other ingredients like tarragon, chechil cheese, and garlic matzoon.[175] This way of wrapping food is common in Armenia.[6] According to Nigol Bezjian, Armenians who survived the 1915 genocide brought basturma with them to the Middle East. Bezjian recalls that his grandmother used to prepare "basturma omelets fried in olive oil with pieces of lavash bread". He notes that Armenians from Kayseri were particularly renowned basturma producers.[171] According to some sources, the first recorded mention of Basturma was between 95 and 45 BC in Armenia during the reign of Tigranes the Great, where it was known as aboukh (Armenian: աբուխ).[176][177] 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".[178] While others say that the basturma we know today was invented in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.[179]
Armenian dried yershig
Yershig (Armenian: երշիկ yershik or սուջուխ suǰux) is a spicy beef sausage that is dried, and cured. Other than the Turkish version of sujuk, it is a lot denser and spicier. It is made from ground beef mixed with garlic, cumin, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. The meat is stuffed into casings and dried for several weeks. This sausage is mostly served as a cold cut, but it can also be fried.[180][181]
Tehal (տհալ), or ghavurma (ղավուռմա), is a traditional Armenian preserved meat made by salting, boiling, and frying beef. The meat is then stored in clarified butter or mutton fat to keep it through the winter. Ghavurma is usually served sliced, wrapped in lavash bread with herbs and t‘tu, or as a side dish with vegetables or pilaf.[citation needed]
Bumbar (բումբառ) is an Armenian sausage made out of intestines filled with minced meat, onions, spices and in some variations, chickpeas, or even rice. It is often seasoned with allspice, cinnamon, black pepper and salt.[citation needed]
Cooked meats
In Armenian cuisine, cooked meat-dishes are part of everyday life and are served in multiple settings. Along with cooking, baking and stir frying are also common methods to prepare meats.[182]
Armenian khurjin served at a restaurantInsides of a khurjin
Khurjin (խուրջին) is an Armenian dish named after a traditional saddlebag, reflecting its distinctive pouch-like shape. Resembling an oversized khinkali when only focusing on Its looks, it is made by filling a round sheet of thin dough with meat, vegetables such as onions, tomatoes and bell peppers, herbs such as garlic, parsley, mint and tarragon and spices such as black pepper, cumin, paprika, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and sometimes sumac, and then gathering and twisting the edges at the top to seal it like a bundle. The khurjin is then baked until golden, holding in all the juices. When served, it is often sliced open to reveal the steaming filling inside.[183][184][185][186]
Tjvjik (Armenian: տժվժիկ) is an Armenian dish which is mainly based on liver (lamb, beef, pork or chicken), which is cooked, or stir fried with onions, tomatoes, spices like garlic, black pepper, salt, and herbs like coriander, parsley, thyme and summer savory. In addition to liver it can include any other offal.[187]
Khokhob (խոխոբ) is an Armenian poultry dish made with either duck (most popular variation), pheasant, chicken, or turkey. The meat is cooked with tart fruits like barberries, apricots, or raisins, kanachi herbs, nuts, and warm spices. Khokhob is either served with vegetables, potatoes, or bread. A garlic, walnut and pomegranate sauce goes along with the dish.[188][189]
Kyalla (քյալլա) is an Armenian dish from Gyumri, made by slow-cooking a cleaned sheep or cow head, often in a tonir, until the meat becomes tender. The cooked meat and skin are chopped, seasoned with spices, as well as herbs and placed in the head. The dish is then served with garlic, torshi and lavash.[190]
Kchuch (Armenian: կճուճkč̣uč̣) is an Armenian dish made of vegetables, spices, herbs (mostly garlic), tail fat, meat and/or fish. Its is often described as a casserole and served in a clay pot.[citation needed]
Stuffing leafs, vegetables and meat (mostly poultry) with either rice, bulgur, meat, or other ingredients, is a common and ancient practice in Armenian cuisine. Most stuffed dishes in Armenia go by the name of dolma (տոլմա), while some stuffed dishes retained their own ancient names. The origins of dolma, as suggested by The Oxford Companion to Food, likely stem from Armenian culinary traditions before becoming integrated into Turkish cuisine.[191]William Pokhlebkin, a specialist on culinary history and cookbook author, contends that the dish's inception traces back to Armenian culinary heritage:[192]
"From the 17th to the early 19th century, Armenia was divided between Turkey and Iran. During this period, Armenia's economy, its human and material resources declined, but its spiritual and material culture remained unchanged, and Armenian cuisine did not perish. On the contrary, Armenians contributed to the cuisine of the Seljuk Turks, so many truly Armenian dishes later became known in Europe through the Turks as, allegedly, Turkish cuisine (for example, dolma)."[192]
There are multiple types of stuffed leaves. The most common ones are stuffed vine leaves, and stuffed sorrel. These are stuffed with a filling consisting of rice, or bulgur, minced meat, onions, herbs such as parsley, coriander, and mint and spices like black pepper and allspice. Matzoon, pomegranate syrup, lecho and other condiments may be served alongside them.[194]
Stuffed vegetables
Stuffed vegetables are just as common in Armenian cuisine as stuffed leaves. There are multiples types of stuffed vegetables, the following are the most common ones.
Eggplant stuffed with the usual filling, as well as labneh and garnished with pomegranate and herbs
There are two versions of stuffed cabbage in Armenian cuisine. The version of stuffed cabbage that includes meat in its stuffing is called msho tolma (մշո տոլմա), and is filled with ground meat, rice, onions, herbs like parsley, and spices such as black pepper and allspice. While stuffed cabbage, that does not include meat in its filling, is called pasuts tolma (պասուց տոլմա;lenten tolma), and stuffed with red beans, chickpeas, lentils, cracked wheat, tomato paste, onion, as well as multiple spices, that can also be found in the spice mix chaimen. Armenian cooks sometimes use rose hip syrup, or grape syrup to flavor stuffed cabbage rolls. As the name says, these are prepared during lent.[197][198]
Stuffed onions (լցոնած սոխ) is a dish consisting of the outer layer of an onion being stuffed with minced meat, rice, chopped onion, garlic, parsley, mint, tomato paste, olive oil or butter, pine nuts, raisins or currants, salt, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon or cumin and pomegranate molasses. They usually are served in a sauce consisting of pomegranate molasses, as well as olive oil and often topped with matzoon.[199]
Stuffed meat (poultry) dishes are rather rare in Armenian cuisine, but also one of the most ancient stuffed foods of Armenian cuisine.
Amich (ամիչ), also known, depending on the poultry used, as Armenian-style stuffed turkey, or Armenian-style stuffed chicken, is a dish in Armenian cuisine made from poultry, most often turkey, or chicken that is stuffed with rice and dried fruits. The name of the dish appears in manuscripts of the Armenian authors Faustus of Byzantium and Elishe from the 5th century. Historically, the dish was prepared using pheasant, rice, and dried fruits.[205][206]
Dumplings
Dumplings are a popular food in Armenia. Dumplings have been popular in Armenia and Georgia since the 13th century, where the Mongols brought them with them.[207][208] Since then, multiple Armenian varieties have evolved.
Armenian manti surrounded by potential garnishesArmenian boraki with drops of garlic matzoon on the side
Boraki (Բորակի) and Manti (մանթի) are two kinds of similar Armenian dumplings typically filled with spiced ground meat and onions, wrapped in thin dough, and often baked, or fried. Boraki and Manti are formed as small cylinders, or boats with an open top, with Manti being a lot smaller than boraki, the cylinders are sometimes lightly boiled in broth and then baked, or fried, or directly baked and fried. They usually sit in an Armenian tomatoe-sauce called lecho, which consists of bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, oil, salt, hot peppers, herbs, spices and sometimes vinegar. Boraki and Manti are served garnished with either matzoon, and spiced with paprika/aleppo pepper, sumac and/or dried mint and chopped garlic, or only with melted butter, paprika/aleppo pepper and garlic.[209][210]
Armenian lavashov rulet in the freezing-section of an Armenian supermarket
Lavashov rulet, or lavashov patetner (լավաշով ռուլետ; լավաշով փաթեթներ) is type of Armenian dumpling made by wrapping seasoned minced meat and sometimes vegetables in dough, or lavash bread and then baking, frying or even grilling them. The filling usually includes spiced ground lamb or beef mixed with onions, garlic, and herbs. This type of dumpling can be found in every freezing section of an Armenian supermarket.[citation needed]
Bread has been an essential part of the Armenian diet for thousands of years and remains a staple food, reflecting both cultural traditions and daily nutrition. Traditionally baked in an underground oven called the tonir, bread is one of the most important features of Armenian cuisine. Bread and cheese (Armenian: հաց ու պանիր, Armenian pronunciation:[hɑt͡sʰupɑˈniɾ]) are considered a national snack in Armenia, eaten throughout the day and served alongside a variety of dishes.[213] A common Armenian expression is: "Hats u panir, gortst banir" — "Eat bread and cheese, and work."[213] During times of scarcity, bread with cheese often served as a substitute for meat.[213]
Matnakash (Armenian: մատնաքաշmatnak’aš) is a soft and puffy leavened bread, made of wheat flour and yeast. It is shaped into an oval loaf and then scored with a unique pattern resembling a coffee bean. The characteristic golden or golden-brown crust is achieved by coating the surface of the loaves with sweetened tea essence before baking.Lavash from Yerevan
Lavash (Armenian: լավաշ) is a thin flatbread usually leavened and traditionally baked in a tonir. The dough is made from flour, water, salt and sometimes a small amount of yeast. It is rolled out thin before being slapped against the hot walls of the tonir to bake quickly. Lavash can be eaten fresh, dried for later use, or used to wrap meats, vegetables, and more, making it versatile in both everyday meals and festive occasions.[214][215]Choreg/bsatir at an Armenian Easter celebration
Katnahunts, also known as bsatir (Armenian: կաթնահունց; բսատիր) is a traditional Armenian Easter bread made from a yeast dough of flour, sugar, milk, butter, eggs, citrus zest, and spices such as mahleb and cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. The dough is kneaded, left to rise, and then shaped into braids, the form the braids are stretched into can either resemble a loaf, or a large doughnut-shape. It can be filled with dried fruits, chocolate, or nuts. Before baking, the dough is brushed with egg yolk and sprinkled with sesame.[216]Armenian bread bokon
Bokon (Armenian: բոքոն) is an Armenian bread with either a flat loaf, or rhombus shape that has a soft crumb and sometimes a hole in the center. Made from leavened dough and brushed with egg white, it is popular in Armenia.Tarehats served alongside other holiday itemsTarehats[hy; ru] (Armenian: տարեհաց) is an round Armenian bread baked for New Year or Christmas. Made with wheat flour, milk, and butter, it has a hole in the center and is decorated with seeds or fruits. A coin, or bean is hidden inside for luck during the holiday cutting.
Zhingyalov hats (Armenian: Ժինգյալով հաց) are flatbreads filled with different greens, which include spinach, coriander, parsley, basil (purple basil), tarragon, scallions, dill, and mint. Spicws that may be added to this filled flatbread include salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, sumac, thyme, and savory. While some also add Armenian cheeses to the flatbreads fillings. There is a variety of combinations that can be used in the bread and these greens can also be substituted for other greens. Zhingyalov hats is prepared by placing the greens and other ingredients into the flatbread. The bread is then folded into the shape of a boat. Upon which it is cooked on a tava and then eaten.[221][222]
A depiction, as well as a description of lahmajo and Its ingredients in Armenian
An Armenian cheese-filled byurek in the shape of a square
Byoreks (Armenian: բյորեկ), are savoury pies made with phyllo pastry and stuffed with a variety of fillings. Panri borek (Armenian: պանրի բորեկ), or cheese borek, also known as khachapuri amongst many Eastern Armenians, is the most widespread variant in Armenian homes and bakeries. It is typically filled with cheeses such as lori, chechil, or motal. The filling is often mixed with herbs like tarragon or parsley and encased in folded or rolled phyllo dough. In some regions, lavash is often used instead of phyllo. This variety is often served during breakfast, or at festive gatherings.[223][224]Msov borek (Armenian: մսով բորեկ, "meat borek") is a savory pastry made with seasoned ground beef or lamb, often including onions. It is usually fried and served hot. In the diaspora, triangular fried versions are especially popular and often appear on meze platters during New Year's and Easter feasts.[225]Spanakhov borek (Armenian: սպանախով բորեկ), or spinach borek, is filled with chopped spinach and cheese, and sometimes eggs or onion. It is reminiscent of the Greekspanakopita, but reflects Armenian taste with a different seasoning and different cheese blends. It is eaten both warm and cold and is also prepared without dairy during Lent.[226][227] 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.[228] From the latter term came the later Arabic name iflaghun, which is mentioned in the medieval ArabcookbookWusla 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.[229]
Semsek (Armenian: սեմսեկ) is an Armenian dish made with a smooth dough that is shaped into a circle with braided edges. It is topped with a mixture of minced meat, onions, garlic, and oftentimes, vegetables such as baked tomatoes, or bell peppers. It is seasoned with paprika, cumin, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and herbs like parsley, tarragon, mint, purple basil, or coriander.[230]
Other dough-based dishes that are not of Armenian origin, but popular in Armenia, include shawarma, khachapuri and pizza (Which is often garnished with basturma in Armenia).[171]
A variation of eetch that serves chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce on the side
Eetch (Էտչ) is a traditional Armenian bulgur-based breakfast-dish, appetizer, or salad, similar to tabbouleh.[231] Its main ingredients include bulgur, tomatoes, and red bell peppers, which give it its vibrant red color. It also includes olive oil, onions, lemon, parsley, mint, sometimes scallions, and is seasoned with salt, black pepper, and paprika.[28]
Loligov dzvadzekh, or Pamidorov dzvadzekh (լոլիգով ձվաձեխ; պամիդորով ձվաձեխ) is a common breakfast-dish in Armenia. Essentially a scramble with tomato as the base. This dish also includes onions, bell peppers, garlic and herbs (tarragon, purple basil, and coriander). A variation of this dish adds Armenian cheeses to the scramble. It is usually served with lavash bread and sometimes basturma.[232] Lolikov mkhlu (Լոլիկով խլու) is an Armenian breakfast dish that combines eggs (often shirred) with slow-cooked tomatoes. The dish is made by sautéingshallots in butter, then adding cherry tomatoes and simmering them with herbs, as well as spices, such as thyme, purple basil, black pepper and salt. to create a flavorful tomato confit. Whole eggs are cracked on top of the sauce, while butter is added as well. After that It is cooked until done.[233] Basturma with omelette and lecho sauce is also a common breakfast item in Armenia.[174] Basturma, or a basturma omelette can also be wrapped inside a lavash, alongside other ingredients like tarragon, chechil cheese, and garlic matzoon.[175] This way of wrapping food is common in Armenia.[234] According to Nigol Bezjian, Armenians who survived the 1915 genocide brought basturma with them to the Middle East. Bezjian recalls that his grandmother used to prepare "basturma omelets fried in olive oil with pieces of lavash bread".[171]
Triangular shaped cheese and spinach-filled byureks
Byureks, small cheese, meat, spinach, or herb-filled savory filo pastries are also a popular breakfast item amongst Armenians.
Khash (խաշ), sometimes colloquially called the "Armenian hangover cure", is a basic dish of simmered cowhooves. The hooves are thoroughly cleaned, then boiled slowly for several hours, often with garlic and salt until the meat becomes tender and the collagen dissolves into a thick, clear broth. It is traditionally served plain, with salt, garlic, parsley and lavash added at the table.[235][236] Khash is often seen as food to be consumed in the morning after a party, as it is known to be consumed during battle hangovers and eaten with a "hair of the dog" vodka chaser.[237] Khash is mentioned in 11th century medieval Armenian texts.[235]
Meals in Armenia usually start with a spread of appetizers (nakhutest, նախուտեստ), also known as mezes (մեզե), that are served for the table, which consists of multiple food options that can be consumed.[238]
Armenian depiction, as well as description of multiple types of t‘tu and their ingredients
T‘tu (թթու) are pickled vegetables often served as an appetizer. Vegetables that are used to be pickled include cabbage, cucumber, tomato, carrot, cauliflower, beetroot, eggplant, bell pepper, garlic, onion and turnip. These are often preserved in brine or vinegar and spiced with garlic, herbs, or chili. T‘tu may accompany other Armenian appetizers on the table, or be wrapped in lavash alongside other ingredients.[240][241]
Kanachi (կանաչի) is an Armenian appetizer consisting of a combination of fresh herbs that are accompanied by a raw vegetable. Purple basil, mint, parsley, tarragon, coriander, leek and radishes are among the most common herbs and vegetables served.
Stuffed leaves and vegetables, also known as tolma (տոլմա) can be served as appetizers. Vine leaf tolma may be served as an Appetizer, but the most popular stuffed vegetable/leaf to be served as an appetizer is stuffed cabbage. There are two versions of stuffed cabbage, the one that is stuffed with meat is called msho tolma (մշո տոլմա), and is filled with ground meat, rice, onions, herbs like parsley, and spices such as black pepper and allspice, while meatless stuffed cabbage, is called pasuts tolma (պասուց տոլմա;lententolma), and stuffed with red beans, chickpeas, lentils, cracked wheat, tomato paste, onion and multiple spices, that can also be found in the spice mix chaimen. Armenian cooks sometimes use rose hip syrup, or grape syrup to flavor stuffed cabbage rolls. As the name implies, these are often prepared during lent.[244][245]
Voloran (վոլորան) is an Armenian appetizer consisting of grilled, as well as spiced bell peppers, and carrots being wrapped inside slices of fried eggplant. While other versions wrap walnut paste in fried eggplant slices. Both versions are usually spiced with garlic, salt and pepper, while the walnut paste used in one of the versions may include matzoon. When finished, they are usually served with either pomegranate seeds, dill, and/or pomegranate molasses.[246][247]
Mshosh (մշոշ) is an Armenian appetizer made with lentils, dried, or fresh apricots, cooked onions and walnuts. The lentils are cooked until soft, then mixed with the chopped dried, or fresh apricots, chopped walnuts and cooked onions. Olive oil, lemon juice, herbs such as parsley and tarragon are added, along with spices such as salt, black pepper, paprika and cumin. The dish is typically served at room temperature.[248]
(A fried cheese-stuffed pastry called dabgadz banir boerag,[249] and stuffed mussels (midye dolma),[250] may also be served.
Toasted pumpkin seeds (Armenian: տուտումի գուդ, romanized:tutumi gud) are a popular snack.[249]
An Armenian appetizer sometimes thought lf as a vegetarian meatball, is topik (Թոփիկ), a dish, consisting of a chickpea-based dough-paste, usually mixed with potatoes or flour, surrounding a filling of onions, nuts, currants, and flavored with herbs, spices and tahini. It is a traditional lenten dish.[6][251]
Takuhi Tovmasyan discusses several Armenian mezzes in her book Sofranız Şen Olsun including stuffed mackerel, a dish of beans in sauce served over lavash called fasulye pacasi, and a type of olive-oil based appetizer with mussels called pilakisi.[252]
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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:
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.
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.[257]
Manti with matzoon: an essential component of mantapour
Mantapour (Armenian: մանթապուրmantʿapur) 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.[258]
Putuk (Armenian: պուտուկputuk) 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.[259]
Khashlama (Armenian: Խաշլամա) is a traditional Armenian vegetable and lamb stew. It is usually cooked over a tonir, and when finished eaten together with lavash.[262][122]
Kololak (Armenian: կոլոլակ, or կոլոլակով ապորKololakov apoor) – is a soup made with meatballs (consisting of ground meat, rice, onion, egg, and black pepper) and vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions, 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 of this article).[270]
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.[271]
T'ghit (Armenian: թղիթ) is made from pastegh (thin rolled-up sheets of sour plum purée),[272] 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.[273]
Snkapur (Armenian: սնկապուրsnkapur) – is a soup made with sautéed mushrooms, onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic, cream, and black pepper. It is made by puréeing all ingredients together.
Bozbash (Armenian: բոզբաշbozbaš) – a mutton or lamb soup that exists in several regional varieties with the addition of different vegetables.[275] 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".[276]
Matsnaprtosh (Armenian: մածնաբրդոշmatsnaprt'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:[282][283]
Armenian cuisine includes many typical seafood dishes like fried mussels (midye tava), stuffed calamari (kalamar dolma), mackerel (uskumru) and bonito (palamut).[6]
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.[5]
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: սիգsig) – a whitefish from Lake Sevan, native to northern Russian lakes (endangered species in Armenia).
Karmrakhayt (alabalagh) (Armenian: կարմրախայտkarmrakhayt) – a river trout,[284] also produced in high-altitude artificial lakes (e.g., the Mantash Reservoir in Shirak Province).[285]
Mas (Armenian: մասmas) – literally means "piece"; a piece of leftover bread from the making of nshkhar, given to worshippers after church service.
Matagh (Armenian: մատաղmataġ) – sacrificial meat; can be of any animal such as goat, lamb, or even bird.
Drinks
Summarize
Perspective
A bottle of TanArmenian coffeeJermuk is a bottled mineral water originating from the town of Jermuk in Armenia, and bottled since 1951
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.[286] Armenians introduced the coffee to Corfu when they settled the island, where it is known as "eastern coffee" due to its Eastern origin.[287] 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.[288] 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).[289]
Armenian-produced beer (Armenian: գարեջուրgareǰur) 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.
Armenian brandy (Armenian: կոնյակkonyak), 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 three 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.
Oghi (Armenian: օղիòġi) – an Armenian alcoholic beverage usually distilled from fruit;[302] also called aragh.[303]Artsakh is a well-known brand name of Armenian mulberry vodka (tuti oghi) produced in Nagorno-Karabakh from local fruit.[304] In the Armenian Diaspora, where fruit vodka is not distilled, oghi refers to the aniseed-flavored distilled alcoholic drink called arak.[305][306]
Tuti oghi (Armenian: թթիօղի t’t’i òġi) - mulberry oghi. It is the most popular variation of this alcoholic drink[307]
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).[308][309]
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: նռանգինիnran kini), apricot, quince, etc. In some cases, these fruit wines are fortified.
Mineral waters
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.[citation needed]
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