Armenian Easter rice with dried fruit

emointhekitchen

Since ancient times, Armenians have prepared a unique sweet pilaf for Easter. This name for the dish is very symbolic because Ararat is the symbol of Armenia. And the fact that in the last century, after the peace treaty between Armenia and the Republic of Turkey, Ararat remained on Turkish territory, became a tragedy for Armenians.

Armenian Easter is a time of traditions, family and delicious food. One of the most popular Easter dishes is rice with dried fruit. This dish is usually made with apricots, raisins and prunes, but you can use any type of dried fruit you like.

Rice is first cooked with butter, then dried fruit is added and cooked until soft and fluffy. Some people also like to add a little sugar or honey to the dish, although it is not absolutely necessary.

It’s a delicious and easy way to bring a little Armenian Easter tradition to your table. Try it this Easter and see for yourself!

We need:

rice
raisins
dried cranberry
walnuts
butter (olive oil)
salt
water – 1000 grams

Procedure:

First, it should be soaked for 3 hours to remove excess starch from the rice. Then wash the rice in several glasses of water until the water remains clear.
Put the washed rice in a pot and cook it in salted water for about 20-30 minutes. Once the rice is ready, put the cooked rice in a colander and rinse it again in running water to prevent it from sticking. Grease the baking dish with a thick layer of butter. Add the rice. Close the baking dish tightly with a lid and send the rice to the oven to stew for 15-20 minutes.

Now let’s deal with dried fruits. Pour boiling water over the dried fruit, boil for 5-7 minutes, and then rinse under cold running water. Melt the butter. Place the dried fruit in the melted butter. Fry the dried fruit and let it simmer while the rice cooks in the oven. Chop and peel the walnuts. When all the ingredients are ready, combine them on a dividing plate, add the cooked rice and top with dried fruit and nuts.

Walnuts can be found here