The Armenian Kitchen

Cooking enthusiast and Armenian cookbook author,Sonia Tashjian, sent me a recipe for a special food traditionally served on the last Thursday before Easter (Zadik). In Armenian it is ‘Avak Hinkshapti’.

Sonia stated that this recipe is in memory of Jesus’ last moments. When He was on the cross, He begged for water, but the soldiers gave Him vinegar. So this soup is dedicated to that event.

The recipe’s name is TTVEBAS (TTOU= sour + BAS= Lent).

Ttvebas - Photos courtesy of Sonia Tashjian

TTVEBAS - from Sonia Tashjian
(NOTE: This recipe has not yet been tested in The Armenian Kitchen.)

Ingredients:

½ cup of dried peas

½ cup of dried chick-peas, soaked in water overnight (NOTE: 1 cup canned, rinsed chick peas may be substituted to speed up the preparation process.)

½ cup of dried lentils (brown or green)

½ cup of shelled wheat (dzedzadz) (Found in most Middle Eastern stores) NOTE: barley can be substituted

Arishda, on right

1 lb. of fresh spinach, washed and coarsely chopped

½ cup of raisins

½ cup of dried plums, cut into small pieces

½ cup of arishda (homemade pasta) NOTE: any small, flat, not – too- thin noodle may be used

black & red pepper, to taste

salt, to taste

Water or vegetable broth – start with about 6 cups, and add more as needed

To Serve: Drizzle each serving with vinegar (white, red wine, or apple cider vinegar)

Preparation:

1. In a large pot, cook the peas and pre-soaked chickpeas, in 6 cups of water (or vegetable broth); cook for about 30 minutes. Add the lentils and shelled wheat (or barley) and continue to cook until they begin to soften, about 20 to 30 minutes more. If using canned chick peas, they should be added afterthe first 30 minute cooking time.

NOTE: Sonia suggests precooking all of the legumes separately and keeping them in the freezer for recipes such as this.

2. Add the chopped spinach, raisins, dried plums, and pasta; season with salt, and black and red pepper, according to your taste.

3. Continue to cook about 15 minutes, or until all of the ingredients are tender.

4. Serve with a drizzle of vinegar.

Additional Background Information about the Recipe from Sonia:

In reality, the recipe is from before the time of Christ. It is from centuries before, when people used to prepare foods with grains and legumes to serve to the gods. The grain, legumes & dried fruits are from previous year & symbolize the harvest. But the fresh spinach represents the arrival of spring. Because this recipe is full of grain and legumes, the vinegar helps make it more digestible.

Sonia Says:

1. I always use dry peas and chick peas and soak in water overnight.

2. I always cook the legumes separately & keep them in the freezer, so that whenever I need it I can use them. But if you are going to cook the dry legumes together, first put the peas and chickpea in to cook, then the wheat and lentils are added in the same pot.

For the wheat I mean dzedzadz. The reality is in Armenia, they rarely use barley. It's used more in Russian cuisine.

3. This is not a creamy soup; we use a lot of water as the base.

4. It is a Lenten soup, so it must be made without meat broth. There is no butter or oil in the recipe. There are a lot of such soups in Armenian traditional cuisine.

5. In the picture, the pasta on the right is the arishda. You can use the simple Italian pasta, flat & not thin (as a substitute).

6. To serve: Use whatever kind of vinegar you have. I use apple vinegar, because I prepare it in my house.

I don’t know about you, but we’re all about tradition when it comes to Easter. Here’s a recap of some our Easter favorites.

Zadigi Kahke (Easter Cookies)

If you haven’t already gathered onion skins to color eggs for Easter, you’ll have to scurry to do so. If that isn’t an option, there are other ways to color hard-cooked eggs naturally. Click here to learn how.

As far as baking goes, chorag takes center-stage at Easter, as do Easter Cookies (Zadigi Kahke).

Just a suggestion: We sometimes have Easter Egg Salad to go with the chorag. It's a nice way to jazz-up otherwise boring hard-cooked eggs.

The main meal? Lamb, of course! Lamb roast ... Lamb shish kebab.

For side dishes, just scroll through our two recipe lists and select what strikes you. (Our go-to side dishes include rice or bulgur pilaf, and fassoulia without the meat.)

Another side dish option, Easter Spinach Salad, comes from Rose Baboian's "Armenian- American" cookbook.

There’s absolutely NO question what dessert will be … Paklava, of course!

As we celebrate Easter, we wish you all a glorious day!

Krisdos haryav ee merelotz! Orhnyal eh harootiunun Krisdosee!

Christ is risen from the dead! Blessed is the resurrection of Christ!

Are leftover Easter eggs taking up too much space in your refrigerator?

Teereet (tirit)

Put them to good use in two of our tried-and-true recipes (teereet, Armenian potato-egg salad), or add them in this simple recipe featuring springtime fresh asparagus.

Photo from eatingwell.com

Roasted Asparagus with Garlic-Lemon Sauce

Ingredients:

2 lbs. asparagus, trimmed

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

Sauce Ingredients:

2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons crumbled Feta cheese

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Garnish: 2 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Toss asparagus with oil and salt in a large bowl. Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast, stirring once halfway through, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Combine mayonnaise, Feta cheese, garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl. If sauce is too thick, add 2 tablespoons water to thin it out.

To serve, drizzle the asparagus with the sauce and garnish with chopped hard-cooked egg.

If you prefer, the asparagus may be grilled instead of roasted.

To grill asparagus:

1. Preheat your grill for high, direct heat.

2. Break or cutting off any tough bottom ends. Place the asparagus on a plate. Toss with a little olive oil and salt.

3 Grill the asparagus spears for 5-10 minutes, until slightly charred and fork tender, turning them now and then so that they brown evenly.

I felt certain of the title the moment I decided to write the book: Stories My Father Never Finished Telling Me.

It represents a dilemma that will be familiar to many Armenian-Americans born after the tumult that dislodged our parents and grandparents from their homeland.

My father, Nishan Kalajian, had the misfortune to be born in Diyarbakir, Turkey in 1912 at the core of the imploding Ottoman Empire. For him, the Armenian Genocide was not a distant, historic event but the defining reality of his life. He lost his mother, his home and everything familiar before being cast into the world alone.

I knew that much from an early age, but I desperately wanted to know more: How he survived, how he kept his wits and his faith, how he moved forward without being consumed by bitterness and hate. My father volunteered none of it. He dealt with his most painful memories in a most Armenian way, by pushing them aside.

My mother understood this better than anyone. She warned me never to ask him about such things and I never did, at least not directly. But every so often when an opportunity presented itself, I’d approach the topic obliquely and with great caution.

When he responded at all, my father often shared only a scrap or two before changing the subject or retreating to his books. It was left to me to figure out the importance of each scrap, and to connect it to whatever had come before or after. This is how my life-long conversation with my father continued, in fits and starts, yielding scattered pieces of a puzzle that I’m still trying to complete more than 20 years after his death.

As a writer, I felt compelled to tell as much of my father’s story as I could because I believe it holds important lessons. But I also wanted to tell my own story about growing up in the shadow of a great cataclysm with a father who would not talk about what he had experienced.

The book’s subtitle, Living With The Armenian Legacy of Loss and Silence, conveys my challenge in learning to appreciate a complex cultural inheritance that is rich and wondrous but also dark and painful to contemplate.

Most important, I wrote the book for my daughter and for her generation in hopes that they’ll figure out how to celebrate the best parts of that inheritance while finally vanquishing the pain.

Stories is my third book, and the first I’ve published independently. It's available in print and as a Kindle e-book. You won't find it at your local book shop but they can order it for you—or you can order one yourself through Amazon or other online book sellers.

Or just click here.

A highlight of our weekend in Naples, Florida last month was the sour-cherry martini I drank at a Persian restaurant.

I was about to order something prosaic when I spotted the description on the drink menu. Just reading the words “sour cherry” brought back memories of my father.

When I was young, he tried to introduce me to sour cherry preserves, a treat from his Old Country childhood, but I wouldn’t bite. Why would a kid growing up in the land of Snickers want sour fruit?

Years later, as an adult, I gave in and discovered the delightful tang of tart cherries in sugar-sweet syrup. Since then, I’ve thought of them as an occasional breakfast treat, the perfect counterpoint to strong coffee and salty Armenian cheese.

The martini was a bit sweet for my taste but still very good, and the best part was waiting at the bottom of the glass: three small, preserved cherries. Instant nostalgia! I made a mental note to renew my relationship with sour cherry preserves when we got back home, but we failed to spot any in several trips to our usual Middle Eastern grocery stores.

Noyan Sour Cherry Preserves

Then out of the blue, someone mentioned that a Persian market had recently opened a few miles from home. Robyn and I went to check it out—and what did we simultaneously spot on a shelf? Noyan brand sour cherry preserves from Armenia.

Was that a hint?

Robyn often recounts the stories of recipes that require serious trial-and-error work and even multiple preparations. This sometimes results in both of us having to taste, taste and taste again. It is a sacrifice that we make for you, dear readers.

But here was a challenge I had to face alone: How to make a proper sour-cherry martini? I had no choice but to try and sip, and then try and sip again.

And again.

Before I share the recipe, I must confess I’m no martini expert but I do know that some people take their martins very seriously. Not me. I don’t get fussy about my gin, mostly because I never cared much for gin.

So if you’re offended by a vodka martini, or by my use of red vermouth in this one, beware that I’m one of those unsophisticated drinkers who thinks anything in a martini glass is a martini. I encourage you to take my recipe as a suggestion and conduct your own experiment.

Just remember to save some cherry preserves for breakfast.

Armenian Sour Cherry Martini

3 oz. vodka (or gin)

1 oz. red vermouth

.5 oz. sour cherry syrup

Three preserved sour cherries

Place a few ice cubes in a martini shaker and pour in the vodka and vermouth. Mix in a few teaspoons of the syrup from the preserves. Shake gently to blend. Spoon three of the preserved cherries into a martini glass, then strain the martini mixture over them. Drink while chilled.

Armenian Stewed Dried fruit

Our recent post about sour cherries drew a comment from our frequent contributor Ara, who noted that he’d made his own sour cherry preserves. That got me thinking: It’s been too long since I cooked with fruit.

We happened to have a generous supply of dried apricots, figs and prunes on hand – all traditional Armenian favorites – so I tossed them all in a pot, added just enough water to cover and turned up the heat.

The result was a treat I remember as anything but. Stewed, dried fruit falls into the fairly large category of foods I remember seeing the old folks eat when I was too young to appreciate anything that wasn’t coated in chocolate.

The much older me has come to appreciate fruit of all sorts, more so now that I’m trying hard to steer clear of cakes, ice cream and most other desserts in order to avoid being unable to squeeze through the kitchen door.

Yes, I’m aware that dried fruit is on the outs in some healthy-eating circle because of its concentration of sugar, but it’s also loaded with fiber and other good stuff. I figure it has to be better for me than eating a doughnut, if only because it isn’t fried.

I do like sweets but not if they’re too sweet, so I don’t add sugar to my stewed fruit. You certainly can. And following Ara’s excellent recommendation regarding the cherries, a little Armenian brandy certainly can’t hurt.

But I chose the simplest preparation: just fruit. It only takes about 15 minutes and can be served cold, warm, or hot, but I definitely recommend spooning it over plain madzoon.

Armenian Stewed Dried Fruit

Ingredients:

Two cups dried apricots, figs and prunes mixed together. (You can use any combination of fruits you like.)

¼ cup sugar (optional)

Water.

Directions:

1. Cut larger pieces of fruit into bite-size pieces, trimming and removing any stems.

2. Place fruit in a sauce pan and add enough water to cover.

3. Add sugar and stir it in now if you like an extra sweet, thick syrup.

4. Bring to boil, then reduce to a low boil and cover. Stir and check occasionally.

5. Reduce liquid to about a third of original level, then refill.

6. Let the liquid reduce again and cook until the fruit is soft. Add more water if you want more juice.Remove from heat.

Serve hot, warm or cold as you like.

Brown Rice (image from Wikipedia)

When I posted a recipe for ‘Lentil and Brown Rice Salad with Cumin Dressing’, a comment appeared asking for the Armenian translation of ‘brown rice’. Because my ability to speak-read-understand Armenian is limited, I started to seek an answer from my Armenian community.

Here’s what transpired:

1. From the Internet: “Brown rice” in Armenian: շագանակագույնբրինձ. –OR- shaganakaguyn brindz.

2. Sonia Tashjian from Yerevan suggested this information and translation for “Brown rice”:

“In Armenia, there hasn't been the culture of rice as widely as in the East. In the region of Marash there had been, & in the fields of Ararat, before Soviet Union. Because of the fear of malaria, the Soviets had dried the fields of rice in Armenia.

So if there is no culture of brown rice & the only rice known by the Armenians was white rice, how we could we have synonym for brown rice? or black rice? or wild rice? I think your reader (might be) from Armenia. It's better if your reader could visit a market & find whatever he/she searches.

Perhaps, brown rice is- srjakuyn rice, coffee colour.”

3. Neighbor Marian Amiraian and my Aunt Arpie suggested: Sourjakouyn prindz, ‘the color of coffee’ rice. Both stated that they never heard of brown rice being used in any Armenian recipes, nor had they ever heard an Armenian word for it.

4. Translation suggested by Ara Kassabian:

“Regarding brown rice, I honestly do not know. The word for whole wheat bread is "sev hats" (black bread), so maybe brown rice is "sev brintz" (or "sev prints", in Western Armenian pronunciation). Or possibly "luman prints" (whole rice). I don't think I've ever thought about this before, since I don't really like brown rice and I never saw it sold in Armenia or in the Armenian market... I suppose you can always ask for "sev prints" and, when you get a blank look, explain that it is rice that has not been peeled (chegeghvuvadz prints).”

5. And finally, thoughts about this topic from CK Garabed, the master of Armenian words:

If there is (a word for brown rice in Armenian), I'm not aware of it.

I checked a couple of my cookbooks - Baboian, Uvezian, and found nothing.”

CK summed it up best with the following statement:

“Unless there is an Armenian recipe that calls for brown rice, there's no point to having a word for it.”

There it is, folks. If you know of an actual Armenian translation for “brown rice”, we’d love to hear from you.

Here’s a quick and easy recipe that I posted 5 years ago. It was one of my mother-in-law’s go-to recipes that was enjoyed by all. It’s not too late to show Mom how much you love her by whipping up this easy recipe today – or any day!

Armenian Walnut Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

¼ lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted & slightly cooled

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup milk

1 cup chopped walnuts (the Armenian ingredient)

NOTE: Chopped pecans can be used instead of walnuts.

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, milk, beaten eggs and vanilla.

3. Blend the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture using an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon just until combined.

4. Fold in the chopped nuts.

5. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

6. Grease the bottom and sides of a 8”x12” rectangular baking pan.

7. Pour the cake batter into the pan, spreading the batter evenly.

8. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. Cool completely.

10. To serve, cut into squares -- large or small. The size is up to you.

My last physical examination revealed that it was necessary for me to change my diet by avoiding white flour, white rice, white sugar … basically anythingthat’s beenoverly processed.

All I could think of was not being able to enjoy my favorites -lavash, chorag, paklava, and so on.

As I lamented over this medically-induced “sentence’, I realized the only thing to do is adapt – to find alternate recipes using whole grains, whole wheat, etc.

(Is there such a thing as whole wheat phyllo dough? If so, please let me know!)

The recipe I’m sharing does not include one “white” ingredient; in fact, it sounds like one my doctor would have suggested. It boasts chickpeas, tahini, sesame seeds, and brown rice. Nothing bad here!

(Perhaps now, someone can conjure-up a real Armenian word for “brown rice”?)

As I discover more recipes – or convert those already in our repertoire, I’ll post them just for you!

Creamy Chickpea and Brown Rice Pie (Photo from Diana Herrington)

Creamy Chickpea and Brown Rice Pie

Serves 4 to 6

(Recipe adapted from Diana Herrington, http://realfoodforlife.com)

Creamy Chickpea Pie Filling Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

1 small garlic clove, minced

¼ cup chopped parsley, optional

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 -15 oz. can chickpeas, drained, and rinsed

¼ cup Tahini (sesame seed paste)

Salt and pepper to taste

Filling Directions:

Filling Steps #1 and 2

1. Sautė onion in a little olive oil until onions begin to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, parsley (if using), cumin and coriander, and cook 1 more minute.

2. Add chickpeas and Tahini. Mix together, adding a little water, if necessary, to achieve a creamy, sauce-like consistency. Stir and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Fine chickpea flour

Brown Rice Pie Shell Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds

1 cup cooked short grain brown rice** (cooked according to package directions)

2 Tbsp. fine chickpea flour

1/4 to 1/2 cup water

(**I used Uncle Ben's parboiled long-grain brown rice, and it worked well.)

Shell Directions:

Shell Step #1

1. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on the bottom of a pie pan that has been lightly coated with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, place cooked brown rice and chickpea flour. Add water, a little at a time. Gently mash with a fork to create a sticky dough-like mixture. (NOTE: Do not add water all at once!)

Shell Step #3

3. Place rice mixture in pie pan. With wet fingers, press rice mixture to create a ‘crust’.

4. Spoon in chickpea filling, spreading evenly.

5. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 450° F oven for 25 - 35 minutes.

Ready to bake

Serve with a tossed salad.

AGENCHIK SOUP

Just in from Sonia Tashjian… another recipe representing Musa Dagh, my maternal grandparents homeland.

Sonia wrote:

“Have you heard about AGENCHIK (aganch means “ear” ) soup? It’s a Musadaghian traditional soup. The name of the food comes from the shape of the (dumplings which resemble an ear and are added to the soup). Although the ingredients are simple, and the taste is delicious, it is very laborious (to prepare).”

If you’re up to the task, here is the recipe for …

Agenchik Soup from Sonia Tasjian

AGENCHIK SOUP

Ingredients and Directions for the Dough:

1 cup of water

1 tablespoon of oil

1 tablespoon of vinegar

Dash of salt

flour as needed

Combine the liquid ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the salt and enough flour to form a soft, non- sticky dough. Set aside.

Preparation of the meat-filled dumpling

Ingredients for the Filling:

300 gr (about 2/3 lb.) of minced (ground) meat

1 onion, chopped

Allspice, to taste

red and black pepper, to taste

chopped parsley (if desired)

Ingredients for the Soup:

1 L. (about 4 cups) of matsuni (madzoon/yogurt)

50 gr (about 3 Tbsp.) of butter

1 tablespoon of flour (or one egg)

1 tablespoon of mint

Preparation:

1. Cook the chopped onion with the meat (until onions are soft and the meat is browned. Drain any excess fat. Add the spices & a little amount of water if needed. Let it cool.

2. Knead the dough, then open it with a rolling pin. Cut circles 3.5 cm (about 1 ½ in.) in diameter, put the filling, close it, by shaping a semicircle, then pinch the edges. Bake them in the oven (set to about 350°F), until they (begin to brown).

3. Then prepare the soup: Mix the matsuni with the flour (or an egg) & bring to the boil. Then add 1 L. (about 4 cups) of boiling water & the butter.

Add the baked dumplings to the soup & serve mint on top.

NOTE: There are three different kinds of soups to in which to add the agenchiks (dumplings)…

1.- In tanabur (only matsuni with mint)

2.- Matsuni & tomato paste mixed soup (it's special only for Musadaghian kitchen) + lemon + mint + garlic

3.- Tomato & pepper paste + garlic + mint + lemon

What do you do when guests are coming for dinner, and the dessert that’s planned can’t be made because a key ingredient is unavailable? Come up with ‘Plan B’, of course!

That’s what happened this past weekend; I was in a dessert bind. Unknowingly, Douglas, my sous chef, came to the rescue! Earlier in the week, Doug felt like having a simple, yet special for dessert, so he went to the refrigerator and whipped up a yogurt dish.

We always have plain yogurt, honey, and pistachio nuts on hand; that’s a given. When Doug realized we still had some Noyan Sour Cherry Preserves leftover from his martini project, he knew he had the makings of a winning dessert. Trust me, it was sublime!

Doug's 'Yogurt with Honey, Sour Cherry Preserves, and Pistachios

Recalling this successful, impromptu delight, I followed suit, making Doug’s “Yogurt with Honey, Sour Cherry Preserves, and crushed Pistachios”.

Here’s how to make it …

Yogurt with Honey, Sour Cherry Preserves, and Crushed Pistachios

Serves 4 to 5

Ingredients:

2 cups of rich, creamy plain yogurt (any kind will do, really, as long as it’s plain and of good quality)

Honey

Sour Cherry Preserves (we used Noyan brand from Armenia which is usually found in Middle Eastern stores)

Garnish: A few tablespoons of crushed pistachio nuts

Step #2

Directions:

1. Place the yogurt in a mixing bowl.

2. Drizzle about 2 Tbsp. honey into the yogurt, and whisk until blended.

3. Distribute the yogurt into 4 or 5 individual serving bowls.

4. Spoon a little of the sour cherries with some of the liquid on top of the yogurt.

5. Garnish each with crushed pistachios and serve.

As we begin our summer season on Memorial Day, let us remember the men and women who died while serving our country.

We thank and salute you!

The women in my family are particularly fond of onions – all varieties. It doesn’t matter how they’re prepared either – sautéed, boiled, broiled, grilled, stuffed – or just plain raw.

Here’s an onion recipe inspired by my maternal grandmother. She was a master at making fresh red pepper paste that went into just about everything, including this recipe.
Caramelized onions offer an amazing sweetness that ultimately impart a most- tantalizing flavor to so many dishes.


Caramelized Onion Relish

Caramelized Onion Relish

Ingredients:

5 medium-sized onions, thinly sliced

2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste

3 Tbsp. mild red pepper paste (available in most Middle Eastern stores) diluted in 2 Tbsp. water (NOTE: 3 Tbsp. tomato paste with a dash of paprika and/or cayenne pepper can be substituted)
1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. dried mint, crushed

1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed

½ tsp. Aleppo red pepper (or ½ tsp. paprika)

Use a mandoline to evenly slice onions.

Directions:

1. Sautė thinly sliced onions in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until they begin to turn golden brown. This will take about 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt, to taste. (This helps to draw moisture from the onions which aids in the caramelization process.) Cook and stir for another 5 minutes.

Onions begin to caramelize.

Red pepper paste mixture

2. In a small bowl, blend together the red pepper paste, water, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and seasonings. Add the mixture to the onions, stirring occasionally; cook for about 3 to 5 more minutes. Adjust seasonings and add a bit more olive oil, if necessary.

How To Serve:

We most-often serve this as a topping for bulgur pilaf, but it can be combined with warm, cooked potatoes, or added to tomato sauce for pasta. For an ultra -special treat, top a freshly baked lahmajoun with it, or slather it on a juicy lamb burger!

Christine Datian is one busy cook. She often has her recipes posted in online and print magazines, as well as on this site. She sent me her most recently published recipe which she wishes to share with TheArmenianKitchenreaders.

Christine's Grilled Chicken and Bulgur Salad

Her recipe for Grilled Chicken and Bulgur Salad, perfect for summer, is the featured recipe (the Editor’s Selection, to be exact) in the June issue of Sunset Magazine.

Christine points out the following about her creation:

“This main-course salad is similar to the Middle Eastern pita salad called fattoush and is especially crisp if you use thin pita chips rather than thick ones. If you leave out the chicken, it also works as a side dish for grilled lamb or kebabs.”

Grilled Chicken and Bulgur Salad

Prep time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 2 cups)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup medium bulgur*

1 boned, skinned chicken breast half (about 1 lb.), pounded until 1/2 in. thick

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided

1/2 teaspoon paprika, divided

1 cup chopped romaine lettuce

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

1 cup halved and sliced English cucumber

1/2 cup Kalamata olives

2 cups pita chips

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Preparation:

1. Put bulgur in a large bowl. Cover with 1 cup boiling water and let soak until water is absorbed, 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Heat grill to high (450° to 550°). Brush chicken with 1 tbsp. oil and sprinkle on both sides with half the salt, pepper, and paprika. Grill, turning once, until cooked through, about 5 minutes; set aside.

3. Add remaining oil, salt, pepper, and paprika, plus all other ingredients except feta, to bowl of bulgur and toss to combine.

4. Slice chicken. Divide salad among 4 plates and top with chicken and feta.

*Bulgur--steamed crushed wheat--comes in three sizes. We like the texture of medium, but you can use another size; just adjust the soak time accordingly.

Recipes keep rolling in from my food-friend, Sonia Tashjian. This time Sonia sent me a recipe called “TARKHANABOUR”, (Tarkhana Soup) another specialty of Musa Dagh. Hers is the ‘summer version’ of an otherwise, winter-time dish.

Tarkhanabour (Photo courtesy of Sonia Tashjian)

Here is some background information regarding tarkhana from Sonia :

“TARKHANA is an ingredient made in summertime, (and stored in jars for winter use). Our villagers prepare it by boiling the matsun (yogurt), then pouring it on cracked wheat (a kind of large bulghur used for pilaf), put salt & dried mint in it, cover it & let it cool a whole night. Then the next day, shape it with fingers (see photo below) & put to dry under the sun.

Tarkhana (Photo courtesy of Sonia Tashjian)

In wintertime, before preparing the soup recipe, put 5-7 pieces of tarkhana in hot water for 2 hours, then when the vegetables are cooked, mix them in the soup, pour some tomato paste & cooked matsun (this is also special for Musa Daghian, to cook the strained matsun, then put in the jars for winter), continue to cook.”

The recipe which follows is the summer style tarkhanabour which does not include the dried tarkhana.

Sonia continued:

"The reality is we are trying to prepare the tarkhanabour without that dried tarkhana. Because of that, our recipes are different - we are creating the image & taste of (winter tarkhanabour).

The winter style is similar, but contains potatoes, cabbage, onion, chick peas & beans in addition to the dried tarkhana.

There are other kinds of tarkahana in western Armenia. They used to prepare it with some (dried) beans, chick peas, lentils & wheat)."

Now for Sonia's recipe...

“TARKHANABOUR” - the summer version of a Musa Daghian soup

Ingredients:

10 fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 carrot, 1 pepper, 1 potato, 1 onion, 1 zucchini, 1 tomato - all chopped into a similar size so they will cook evenly

½ cup large-sized bulgur (#3)

1 cup boiled matzun (yogurt) – or ½ cup sour cream

Red and black pepper, cumin and dried mint, according to your taste

Garnish: chopped coriander leaves (also known as cilantro or Chinese parsley)

Procedure:

1. Cook, over medium-high heat, the green beans, carrot, and potato in enough water to cover the vegetables until they’re tender. Add the rest of the vegetables and continue to cook until they soften. Do not drain any excess liquid.

2. When the vegetables are tender, add the bulgur, matsun (or sour cream, if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and cook for about 15 minutes or until the bulgur is softened. Season with red and black pepper, cumin and mint.

3. Before removing from the stove, stir in the coriander.

The end result should be soupy – and - eaten with a spoon.

Most important, I wrote the book for my daughter and for her generation in hopes that they’ll figure out how to celebrate the best parts of that inheritance while finally vanquishing the pain.

Or just click here.

When a food dilemma arises, I can count on Ara Kassabian to come to my rescue.

When I lamented about having to forego some of my favorite recipes which contain white flour and white sugar – such as paklava, I asked readers if anyone knew if there’s such a thing as whole wheat phyllo dough. I even contacted the Athens company, but unfortunately they don't make a whole wheat version of it.

Ara responded quickly by sharing a link for a recipe called baklavash which uses lavash in place of phyllo dough for traditional ‘baklava’ (aka 'paklava' to Armenians).

With so many brands of whole wheat lavash on the market, this would be a cinch to make! I purchased the Turlock Bakery lavash locally, and just learned that our brand new Trader Joe's carries whole wheat lavash, too. What a discovery!!

Finding a suitable substitute for the white sugar, however, will be quite another story.

NOTE: The 'paklavash' recipe has not yet been tested in TheArmenianKitchen, but once that’s done, I’ll share our evaluation and photo.

Paklavash

Adapted from the baklavash recipe from http://www.phamfatale.com

Yields: 12 pieces

Basic Ingredients:

4 sheets whole wheat lavash

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, melted

Nut filling Ingredients:

2-1/2 to 3 cups ground walnuts or pecans

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Simple syrup:

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

juice of half a lemon

Garnish: 2 tablespoons pistachios, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a bowl, combine the ground nuts and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

3. Measure the pan you plan to use for baking and cut the sheets of lavash to fit the inside dimensions of the pan.

NOTE: Using a fork, prick each lavash sheet. This will allow the butter and syrup to seep through to prevent the paklavash from becoming dry.

4. Brush melted butter on the bottom of a 9”x13”pan. Place one sheet of lavash which has been cut to fit the pan on the bottom of the pan. Brush generously with melted butter. Sprinkle a layer of the nut mixture.

NOTE: Make sure you generously butter each layer of lavash.

5. Brush the next sheet of lavash with butter, placing the buttered-side down on top of the nut layer. Brush more butter on the top of that sheet, and sprinkle more of the nut mixture on top. Continue the process until all of the nut filling and lavash pieces are used. You should end up with a sheet of buttered lavash as the top layer.

6. Using a sharp, serrated knife, carefully cut through the layers of lavash creating a diamond pattern. (Cut 3 evenly-spaced strips lengthwise, then 3 diagonal cuts. Or, if you prefer, cut into 12 squares.)

7. Bake the paklavash for 30-35 minutes at 350°F until lightly golden.

8. Prepare the simple syrup while the paklavash is in the oven:

In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water and 1 cup granulated sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

9. Remove the paklavash from the oven; drizzle with the cooled syrup. Allow to sit for at least 2 hours before serving.

Do you remember Asbury Park back in its hey-day? No? Well, I sure do.

Van Hotel, Asbury Park


My family on the front porch of the Van Hotel, late 1950's (L to R: my brother Drew, sister Dawn, Mom, and me having a bad hair day!)

My family stayed at the Van Hotel on 6^th Ave owned by the Eretzians. It was our summertime home-away-from-home.

Sixth Avenue was “Armenian Central” with the Hye Hotel, owned by the Kulhanjian family, diagonally across the street, and the Roosevelt-Hye up the block.

Grace Haronian's family photo taken on the steps of the Hye Hotel

No matter which hotel you stayed in, all of the Armenian families inter-mingled, whether it was on one of the hotel front porches, or on a beach blanket on the sand a few blocks away.

Ara Kulhanjian

I still bump into Ara Kulhanjian from time to time here in Florida, and we reminisce about the good-old days.

Ara was kind enough to share one of the Hye Hotel’s recipes with me along with a little anecdote about the sumptuous buffet they served every weekend.

Here’s what Ara said:

“Pore” is stomach in Armenian. The original recipe is for stuffed mussels in the actual mussel shell. We had to just make the pore (stuffing) at the Hye hotel since we went thru about 80 lbs. for our buffet every weekend and obviously stuffing 1500 to 2000 mussels for the buffet became too labor intensive. I think about how we did an extravagant buffet each weekend accompanied with Prime Rib on Saturday night and Shish Kebab on Sunday night which included dessert and champagne for $4.75 per person - this was in the 60's.”

Media Pore - original recipe from Hye Hotel

Ingredients:

3 lb. Onions chopped

1 cup Olive Oil

3 cups Uncle Ben's Rice

1/2 cup Pignolia Nuts (Pine Nuts)

2/3 cup Currants

8 cans minced Clams (drained) ========

together it will make 6 cups Clam Juice

2 bottles Clam Juice =================

3 Tbsp. Allspice

3 Tbsp. Cinnamon

3 Tbsp. Sugar

1 tsp. Black Pepper

3 tsp. Salt

2 Ibs. Mussels - fresh (Make sure they are closed when buying!)

Directions:

1. Chop onions fine and let simmer in olive oil for at least 15 min.

2. Drain minced clams. Save juice and 2 bottles make 6 cups. Add all to onions.

3. Let it come to a boil. Add rice. Cook 10 min.

4. Add spices & nuts & currants & fresh mussels and let it simmer till all liquid is absorbed (approx. 1 hr.)

NOTE: Stir a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!! Burns very easily!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In our recent quest for more wholesome – and locally produced - ingredients, Doug and I were excited to discover a hidden gem less than 15 minutes from our home.

Heritage Hen Farm sits on 15 acres, surrounded by businesses and housing developments. Driving down the street, you’d never realize it existed, except for the line of customers parked on the side of the road, waiting patiently for their turn to shop.

Farm-fresh Eggs

Apparently, this place has been around for a while and has quite a following. The ‘store’ hours are limited, and the few items they sell are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

As we found out, new customers have a limit on how many eggs they may purchase on their first visit. We were fortunate to have secured 6 beautiful eggs. By the way, the eggs are not dyed. What you see are the natural colors of the eggs, straight from the hens. Pretty, aren't they?

(When I mentioned ‘store’, it’s really a trailer so tiny, only the young woman selling the items could fit inside. The only other large object inside is the refrigerator which holds the perishables.)

Raw yogurt in a lovely, recyclable jar

Regular customers knew to bring a shopping bag and recycled jars and egg cartons from their previous purchases. Heritage Hen Farm is serious about recycling; we paid a $5.00 jar deposit with our purchase of 20 oz. of raw yogurt! When was the last time you paid a deposit for a bottle or jar of anything?

We give Heritage Hen Farm a TON of credit for their hard work and dedication in preserving the original method of farming, especially in the heart of Boynton Beach, Florida.

Why not check out what your neighborhood has to offer? You might be surprised by what you find!

TTVEBAS - A Holy (Maundy) Thursday Armenian Recipe

Preparing for Easter? Hop to it!!

Easter Greetings!

Looking for ways to use leftover Easter eggs? Read on...

Doug's new book tells a very Armenian life story while sharing lessons learned along the way

The buzz is all about sour cherries -- and it's one heck of a buzz!

Stewed fruit: A traditional Armenian treat

What's the Armenian word for "Brown Rice"? Nobody seems to know exactly.

Happy Mother's Day!

Creamy Chickpea and Brown Rice Pie

AGENCHIK SOUP - A specialty from Musa Dagh

Yogurt with Honey, Sour Cherry Preserves, and Crushed Pistachios

A Day of Remembrance ...

Caramelized Onion Relish

Christine Datian's Grilled Chicken and Bulgur Salad

TARKHANABOUR - A specialty soup recipe from Sonia Tashjian

Doug's new book tells a very Armenian life story while sharing lessons learned along the way

Paklavash - Paklava made with whole wheat lavash instead of phyllo dough

Media Pore - an original recipe from the Hye Hotel, Asbury Park, NJ

Heritage Hen Farm - a hidden gem in Boynton Beach, FL