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Podlaskian Kutia with Barley and Lime Honey - photo 1
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Podlaskian Kutia with Barley and Lime Honey

Regional Cuisine for Christmas Eve Christmas Desserts Vegetarian Dishes 90 min Easy 4 wyświetleń ~53.86 PLN - (0)
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Description

Kutia Podlaska is a unique, festive dish that is a regional variation of the traditional Christmas Eve meal, deeply rooted in the culture of eastern Poland. Unlike the classic version made with wheat, this recipe is based on barley groats, which gives it a characteristic, pleasantly chewy texture. The heart of the dish is the finely ground poppy seeds, which create a velvety, dark mass that perfectly complements the sweetness of linden honey, valued for its unique, slightly herbal aroma. The richness of dried fruits – crunchy walnuts, delicate almonds, juicy raisins, and dried plums – creates a true mosaic of flavors and textures in every bite. Candied orange peel adds a refreshing, citrus note. Served cold, as one of the twelve dishes, it symbolizes abundance and remembrance of ancestors, serving as a sweet conclusion to the Christmas Eve dinner.

Składniki (12)

Servings:
8
  • barley groats 200 g
  • Blue poppy seeds 16.7 łyżek
  • Linden honey 10 łyżek
  • Walnuts 100 g
  • Almonds 100 g
  • Sultana raisins 100 g
  • Dried plums 100 g
  • Candied orange peel 50 g
  • Water 1100 ml
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • 30% cream 50 ml
  • Almond flakes 15 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~53.86 PLN (6.73 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of pearl barley

1

Pour the pearl barley into a fine sieve and rinse it under cold running water, stirring with your hand until the water draining from the sieve is completely clear. Then transfer the barley to a large bowl, cover it with at least 1 liter of cold water, and set aside to soak for a minimum of 8 hours, preferably overnight. Cover the bowl with a cloth.

Ingredients: barley groats, Water
Soaking is key! It shortens the cooking time, makes the grain fluffier, and easier to digest. Don't skip this step when planning to prepare kutia.

Preparation of poppy seed filling

2

Pour the poppy seeds into a very fine sieve and rinse them twice with boiling water from the kettle. This process is called 'scalding' and helps to eliminate any bitterness. Next, transfer the scalded poppy seeds to a medium pot, add 500 ml of fresh water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to the minimum, cover the pot, and cook the poppy seeds for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they absorb most of the liquid and become soft.

Ingredients: Blue poppy seeds, Water
Use a pot with a thick bottom to prevent the poppy seeds from burning. You can also use milk instead of water for a richer flavor, but remember to keep an eye on the cooking, as milk tends to stick more easily.
3

Cooked poppy seeds set aside to cool completely. Then transfer them to a sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth or a clean cotton cloth and squeeze out the excess liquid very thoroughly. Dry poppy seeds should be ground three times in a meat grinder, using the finest mesh. Each subsequent grinding will make the mixture smoother.

Ingredients: Blue poppy seeds
This is the most important step for achieving the perfect consistency of kutia. If you don't have a meat grinder, you can use a very powerful blender, but you may need to add a bit of honey to make the process easier. Do not use a coffee grinder, as it will 'burn' the poppy seeds.

Cooking the groats and preparing the dried fruits

4

Drain the soaked pearl barley in a sieve. Transfer it to a pot, pour in 600 ml of fresh, cold water, and add two pinches of salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat to the absolute minimum, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and cook for 40-50 minutes. After this time, all the water should be absorbed. Do not lift the lid or stir the barley during cooking. Turn off the heat and let the barley sit covered for another 10 minutes to finish cooking. Finally, gently fluff it with a fork.

Ingredients: barley groats, Water, Salt
Properly cooked spelt should be soft, but each grain should retain its shape and be slightly chewy. Avoid overcooking it into a mush.
5

While the groats are cooking, prepare the dried fruits and nuts. Chop the walnuts and almonds into coarse pieces using a sharp knife on a cutting board. Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water for about 5 minutes to plump them up and make them juicier, then drain them thoroughly in a sieve. Cut the dried plums into small cubes, about 0.5 cm on each side.

Ingredients: Walnuts, Almonds, Sultana raisins, Dried plums
Do not use a blender to chop the nuts – it will turn them into dust. We want the kutia to have noticeable crunchy pieces.

Combining ingredients

6

In a very large bowl, place the finely ground poppy seeds. Add the linden honey. If the honey is crystallized, gently warm it in a jar placed in a pot of warm water until it becomes liquid. Mix the poppy seeds with the honey using a large wooden spoon until a uniform, sticky mass forms. Then add all the prepared dried fruits: chopped nuts, almonds, drained raisins, chopped prunes, and candied orange peel. Mix everything thoroughly again.

Ingredients: Blue poppy seeds, Linden honey, Walnuts, Almonds, Sultana raisins, Dried plums, Candied orange peel
Use a really large bowl. Mixing the kutia ingredients requires space, and in a small bowl, everything will spill out.
7

Make sure the cooked pearl barley is completely cold. Add it to the bowl with the poppy seed and nut mixture. Now gently but thoroughly mix all the ingredients, preferably with a large spoon, making movements from the bottom to the top, so that the barley combines evenly with the rest. Taste the kutia and assess its flavor. If you prefer it sweeter, add another tablespoon of honey. At this point, you can also add optional 30% cream to give the dish creaminess.

Ingredients: barley groats, 30% cream
Adding warm groats to the poppy seeds can cause the mixture to become sour. Patience is key – the groats must be cooled to room temperature.
8

Transfer the finished kutia to the intended dish, such as a glass salad bowl. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours, preferably overnight. This time is essential for the flavors to blend and 'marry', and for the kutia to achieve the proper, compact consistency.

Do not serve kutia immediately after preparation. Cooling and 'resting' in the refrigerator is a key element that brings out the depth of flavor in this dish.

Fun Fact

💡

Kutia is one of the oldest and most symbolic Christmas dishes in Slavic tradition. It was believed to be a dish for the souls of ancestors who visit the homes of their loved ones on Christmas Eve. Each ingredient has meaning: poppy seeds symbolize the afterlife, honey represents heavenly sweetness, and grains symbolize life, fertility, and rebirth.

Best for

Wigilia Boże Narodzenie Spotkania rodzinne w okresie zimowym

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve kutia always well chilled, in small individual bowls or in one larger serving dish from which everyone can help themselves. Just before serving, decorate the top with optional toasted almond flakes and a few halves of walnuts for an elegant look and added crunch.

🥡 Storage

Store kutia in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. It can be stored for 4-5 days. Interestingly, many believe that it becomes even tastier with each passing day as the flavors meld together more deeply. Freezing kutia is not recommended.

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