Christmas, perhaps, it is simply impossible to imagine without a tasty, sweet kuti. The history of this dish has its roots far in the past; it has more than one century of existence. But each hostess has a special recipe for kutia. Some prefer rice cereal, in other families it is customary to cook wheat porridge, and someone even uses a mixture of various ingredients.
A little information
At its core, kutya is considered a ritual treat, which is usually done on Christmas Eve, Epiphany and commemoration. It is actually very easy to cook it, and some exotic products are not required for this. Although many modern housewives are even afraid to take up the process.
In general, there is no single classic kutya recipe. After all, each family has its own way of preparing this dish, which, as a rule, is passed on from generation to generation. But despite the many differences, all the kutya recipes use the same technology, as well as similar products.
The main ingredients for cooking kutia are a variety of cereals: rice, barley, wheat. And in the role of sweet fillers, usually candied fruit, honey, raisins and other dried fruits, jam, steamed poppy or even marmalade. If you want to supplement your kutia recipe with fresh fruits or, possibly, berries, then it is advisable to add them to the treat just before serving. Only in this way will they retain their taste and natural aroma.
Kutia recipe with honey and raisins
Just a couple of centuries ago, this porridge was made exclusively from millet. And as the filling used honey, poppy seeds and nuts. But cooked according to a reliable recipe, kutia with rice raisins will turn out no worse. Dried fruits will fill the cereal with a unique aroma and expressive taste, and honey will make the treat moderately sweet and delicate. And if this composition is supplemented with small pieces of dried apricots, then this dish will not be equal.
So, for the preparation of kutia with honey, you will need:
- a glass of rice;
- 2.5 cups of water;
- a teaspoon of salt;
- 2 tablespoons of honey;
- 100 g dried apricots;
- same amount of raisins.
Course of action
First of all, sort out the raisins, removing all kinds of specks and twigs. Cut the dried apricots so that its dimensions are close to the grapes. Put both varieties of dried fruits in one bowl and fill with hot water.
Rinse thoroughly several times until crystal clear water is obtained. Then transfer it to the pan and fill it with prepared water. Put the groats on the stove and salt. Bring water to a boil, then reduce power and cook for another 10 minutes.
Send the prepared dried fruits to the hot porridge, having previously thrown them into a colander. Send the prepared honey here too. By the way, it is best to stock up on a fresh liquid bee product. Cover the kuta with a lid and remove from the stove. In this form, leave her alone for 10-15 minutes.
Finally, mix the recipe carefully with raisins and place it in plates. On this sweet, aromatic porridge is ready.
Classic Rice Kutia Recipe
The taste of porridge, which is also called funeral, varies significantly, depending on the base used and dressing. Using the proposed rice kutya recipe with a photo as a basic option, you can learn how to cook traditional Christmas cereal incredibly tasty and quickly.
To get started, prepare all the necessary ingredients:
- 0.5 cup long-grain rice;
- a tablespoon of liquid honey;
- 50 g candied fruit;
- 100 g of light raisins;
- 2 glasses of water.
Cooking method
First of all, sort out the raisins and clean it from the tails. Then wash the dried fruits and fill with water, leaving for 20 minutes aside. After the set time, the raisins will need to be washed and dried again, laying out on a towel.
In order for honey to really soak into the cereal and give the koutia the necessary sweetness, melt it. For this, it is most convenient to use a water bath or microwave.
Before further processing, the rice should be soaked for two hours. This is necessary so that the cereal gets rid of excess starch and becomes friable.
Drain the water in which the rice was steeped and immerse it in a clean liquid. Put the groats on medium heat and bring to a boil, and after a couple of minutes, reduce power to a minimum. Keep in mind that stirring the cereal with a spoon is not recommended. If the rice is on a small fire, it will not burn, but will gradually simmer, absorbing moisture.
After the cereal is completely cooked, and there is no liquid left in the pan, send prepared dried fruits and honey to it. Stir the cooked porridge thoroughly and let it brew for five minutes.
Transfer the hot kuti to a serving dish and garnish with raisins. If desired, you can add other dried fruits, as well as steamed poppy or sugar syrup. So you complement the dish with new accents and make it even more appetizing.
Incredibly tasty and juicy kutya
It is customary to treat relatives and friends with such an amazing dish on the eve of Christmas. This treat symbolizes wealth, abundance and fertility throughout the coming year. But even if you just decided to pamper your family with such an unusual treat, use the proposed kutya recipe with a photo. Do not hesitate, as a result you will get amazing porridge worthy of any feast. And most of all, the kids will surely like it.
So, to prepare a delicious kutya you will need:
- 100 g of raisins, preferably light;
- half as much candied fruit;
- 2 tablespoons of honey;
- 100 g of sweets, best marmalade;
- a handful of nuts;
- a glass of rice;
- 2 glasses of water;
- compote of berries or dried fruits.
The amount of the last ingredient depends on the consistency of kutia that you want to get.
Cooking process
Place the rice in a pan, fill with cold water and place on the stove. Do not forget to rinse the cereals first. Boil the rice until cooked, then pour it with sweet compote. Traditionally, it was customary to serve semi-liquid kutya. But it's up to you: determine the amount of compote you add yourself.
Wash and sort raisins, having rid of any garbage. If necessary, if the berries are dry, fill them with hot water and leave to soften for 15 minutes. Then throw the raisins into a colander and let it dry slightly. After all these manipulations, send the prepared dried fruits to the cooked porridge.
At the end, add kutia with cut candies, honey and candied fruit. Nuts can be put directly into the grits or used to decorate the dishes - as you wish.
Rich kutia with an unusual taste
To prepare Christmas porridge for this recipe, prepare:
- 2 glasses of rice;
- twice as much water;
- half a glass of sugar and poppy;
- a handful of walnuts;
- the same amount of raisins;
- honey and brandy to your taste;
- 0.5 cup prunes;
- the same amount of dried apricots.
Such a treat turns out to be very satisfying and tasty. And this kutia looks really very impressive and rich. Preparing it is no more complicated than a simple funeral porridge.
How to cook
First of all, as always, prepare the basis of the dish - cereal. It is advisable to pre-soak the rice for a couple of hours. But if there is no such opportunity, nothing terrible will happen to the treat, so do not be discouraged. Do not forget to lightly salt the water in which porridge will cook.
Pour poppy seeds with hot boiled water for several minutes. And after it swells, strain it. Now add sugar to the poppy seeds and grate the ingredients thoroughly.
Soak prepared dried fruits in a separate bowl: prunes, dried apricots and raisins. For softening, they will be enough for 20 minutes. Use hot water too.
After the cereal is cooked, and all other products become soft, you can start mixing them. Everything is extremely simple here: send steamed poppy, soft dried fruits, liquid honey and warm cognac to the pan with kutia. Thoroughly mix all the products and leave them under the lid for half an hour.
As a result, you will get an unsurpassed dish with a dizzying aroma and divine taste. Such a treat will surely appeal to all your guests.
A few recommendations in the end
- Using technology for kutya, you can take almost any cereal. If you do not like rice, you can prepare a Christmas dish from millet or barley. Only buckwheat is not suitable for kutya.
- Sweet filling, whatever it may be, does not need a long heat treatment: it certainly should not be boiled or fried.
- To make the dish unique, you can supplement it with poppy milk or honey syrup.
- Serving kutya is customary in the most beautiful dishes available in the house.
- Groats must be cooked in a thick-walled container. This will prevent the porridge from burning and spoiling.
- After mixing all the ingredients, it is advisable to reheat the kuta again - 10 minutes will be enough. To do this, you can use the oven, putting the cereal in a pot. You can also resort to the help of a slow cooker or simply return the pan with porridge to the stove.
- If your kutia is too cool, dilute it with a little stewed fruit juice, fruit juice, milk or warm water.
- Keep in mind that honey and fresh fruits can ferment, being in the porridge for too long. If you plan to serve kutya the next day, do not put these products immediately.