Kutia (sochivo, koliva)

Dessert and Cakes | Russian

Kutia (sochivo) is a ritual dish of Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian cuisines. This is a very hearty dish, which is made from whole grains of wheat (less often barley or rice), seasoned with honey and laced with papaver, raisins, nuts, milk and jam (varenye). It is served both warm and cold. In pagan times, kutia was prepared for the funeral repast. Later this dish became traditional for Christmas, as well as on the first Friday of Great Lent. However, this custom (especially in cities) gradually recedes into the past.

Ingredients

Raisins – half a cup
wheat grains – 1 cup
honey – 1 cup
shelled walnuts – 1 cup
papaver – 3 tbsp.

Preparation method (receipt)

Rinse the wheat grains, put in a cauldron or ceramic pot, cover with water at the ratio 1:2, cover with a lid and cook in the oven at 150 °C until the water is completely soaked, for about 1 hour. If the grains are stiff, pour in some boiling water and simmer a bit more. Warm up honey in a saucepan with a thick bottom and mix with 3-5 tbsp. water (do not bring to a boil!). Cover raisins with hot water for 20-30 minutes. Place in a colander and dry. Put papaver in boiling water for 20 min. Put in a sieve to drain, then mortar. Chop nuts. Pour hot honey on the cooked wheat grains, and mix with raisins, nuts and papaver. The dish should be juicy: the honey pouring (water sweetened with honey) will saturate it and will remain at the bottom of the dish in small excess. Serve sochivo (kutia) warm.

raisins wheat grains wheat honey walnuts papaver