Kutia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kutia is a sweet grain pudding, traditionally served in Ukrainian, Lithuanian and Polish cultures. Kutia is often the first dish in the traditional twelve-dish Christmas Eve supper (also known as Svyateh Vetchnyat). It is rarely served at other times of the year.
It resembles koliva from Serbia or Romania (used usually for funerals), but the latter is mixed only with walnuts, sugar and raisins.
Kutia was also part of a common Eastern Orthodox tradition in the Russian Empire, which has become virtually extinct in Russia as a result of the official atheism of the former Soviet Union. Radonitsa is one such holiday on which it may be served.
Traditionally it was made of wheat, poppy seeds, honey (or sugar), various nuts and sometimes raisins. In many recipes milk or cream is also used.
Nowadays other ingredients (which were unavailable or just too expensive in earlier centuries) like almonds and pieces of oranges are added. In some countries (like Poland), unprocessed wheat grain for kutia is easily available in stores. In others, where it is harder to find, it can be replaced by other similar grains like barley.
