Kutya is a traditional Christmas dish in Russia. It is a porridge made from wheat or rice served with honey, poppy seeds, fruit (especially berries and dried fruit like raisins), chopped walnuts or sometimes even fruit jellies. Kutya is sometimes eaten from one common bowl, this symbolizes unity.
1 pound wheat berries
1 pound walnuts in the shell
2 cups granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, grated
Peel of 1 lemon, grated
1/2 cup raisins, optional
1/2 cup poppy seeds, optional
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped, optional
Confectioner’s sugar
Shell the walnuts. Soak the wheat overnight, covered with water about 1 inch above the grain. Put the pot with wheat on the stove and boil it for 2-3 hours on a very low simmer. There should be just enough water in the pot to keep the wheat from burning. Be sure that the heat is low and watch very carefully. Add water if necessary. Pour off water and rinse with cold water. Pour off all liquid. Spread the wheat berries out on kitchen towels and dry for 2 hours. Place the wheat berries in a food processor and grind them. Remove the wheat berries to a bowl and then grind the walnuts in the food processor. Mix the walnuts with the ground wheat. Add 2 cups granulated sugar, lemon peel, vanilla and the optional ingredients. Mound in a serving dish and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.