Armenian Harissa - Հարիսա

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In ancient times, harissa was considered a ritual and festive dish. It was prepared for festive days (weddings, folk holidays, etc.). After cooking all night in a clay pot in Toner(Թոնիր), it was eaten mostly on Sunday morning. It is considered the national dish of Armenia.

According to Armenian tradition, the patron saint of Armenia, Saint Gregory the Illuminator, wanted to feed crowds of the poor, but it turned out that there was not enough meat. Then he ordered that wheat be added to the pots. When the wheat began to stick to the bottom of the pots during cooking, Saint Gregory exclaimed “harech”, which means to stir. The name of the dish is also derived from this word.

It is a thick porridge made from korkot (wheat) and fatty meat, usually chicken or lamb. Herbs were replaced with meat in harissa during Armenian religious days of fasting and penance. The extremely long cooking process is an essential part of the harissa tradition. Like other ritual dishes, the time required for preparation is also significant.

Harissa has become a symbolic dish of the Armenian resistance movement in Armenia. It is used to commemorate those who died during the Turkish siege of Mount Musa Dağı in 1915. It has become customary to eat harissa together as a form of commemoration of those murdered. Every year on the third weekend of September, descendants of the survivors gather to celebrate and eat harissa.

You will need:

5 back chicken quarters
650 grams of wheat
salt
butter
pink peppercorn (or red pepper)
water

Procedure:

Boil the chicken until tender, then remove all the meat from the bones and simmer it until you have broth. Soak the buckwheat into cold water for a few hours. Place in a large pot, add the chicken and broth and start cooking.

Cook and stir over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat. When the mixture thickens, stir with a wooden spoon. Cook until a thick, homogeneous porridge forms. Stir regularly to prevent sticking. Finally, add salt. Add salt at the end, then serve with lavash, melted butter, and radish in a separate bowl. Season with red pepper.