Probably, with full confidence we can say that one of the most popular dishes in the territory of not only Armenia, but the whole of Transcaucasia is khash. This is not only very healthy, but also a very tasty dish. The main recipe for hash came from ancient times and has undergone very few changes.
It so happened historically that khash was food for peasants, it was prepared from late autumn until the warm days. Given that the hash recipe requires a lot of time to prepare, and it is taken to eat it early in the morning - the dish is very satisfying, then the housewives cook it from night.
Those who have already tried this ancient dish often wonder how to cook hash on their own. In fact, the recipe for hash is simple, somewhat reminiscent of cooking jelly and does not require special knowledge in cooking. Of the products required: beef legs (1.5 kg), scars (0.5 kg), several heads of garlic, radish, salt. As well as a bunch of parsley, basil, tarragon.
Before cooking, it is necessary to properly prepare the beef legs (singe and scrape), then rinse, divide (chop) into pieces and let stand for 24 hours in cold water. You can soak it in running water or just pour it with cold water, which then needs to be constantly changed every 2-3 hours. After that, rinse again, transfer to a not very wide pan and pour water 15-20 cm above the laid legs.
During the preparation of hash, a boiling point is strictly forbidden. Boil without salt, periodically collecting foam and fat.
Scars must also be pre-prepared - clean and rinse, then pour cold water and cook until the smell disappears completely. After this, the broth needs to be drained, the scars washed, cut and added to the boiling feet. If the meat is easily separated from the bones, the khash is ready. At the end, add the removed fat to it.
The table is served directly "from the fire" very hot, to it - salt, radish, chopped garlic, diluted with broth, spicy greens and pita bread.
Traditionally, it is customary to eat khash in Armenian cuisine , scooping up the gruel with dry pita bread, but you can also use a spoon, which is more common in modern meals. Despite the early times, hash is usually served vodka; it is believed that this dish “will not work” without it.
The process of preparing the leftover meat scraps after processing the carcasses in the Armenian cuisine is creative. So, one of the classic examples of such "creativity" can be called a hash recipe, called French, and its variations - Liones, Red.
In the process of cooking, a mixture of chopped meat and vegetables with seasonings is fried in a pan. In preparing this dish, you can safely experiment with the ingredients, choosing those ingredients that you like or are simply more accessible. The single requirement for all varieties of this dish is that for easy and quick cooking everything should be very finely chopped.
Each of the ingredients you choose will bring something to the dish, give the meat additional taste, color and flavor, so there is no need to be afraid to show your imagination. The dish turns out to be very tasty and original, and the question of how to cook a hash so that it turns out “like a neighbor” is very difficult. To do this, you will have to select exactly those products that were used to prepare this particular hash.
If you decide to experiment and develop your own hash recipe for example with vegetables, then try adding potatoes to the dish. It can be used both already boiled and raw. Raw grate, or cut into cubes. You can cook hash either to a soft consistency, or to a golden crust - to your taste.
The cooking process, like everything else, also gives you the right to choose, since there are two approaches to the cooking process. You can cook each component of the dish separately, combining everything together only at the end, or gradually add the ingredients one at a time. This dish is ideal for those who like to experiment in the kitchen, and because of its simplicity, even a novice housewife can handle it.