Cuisine of Armenia is part of Armenian cuisine, which is also the cuisine of the Armenians in the Armenian Diaspora. Given the geography and history of Armenia, Armenian cuisine is a representative of the cuisine of the Mediterranean and the Caucasus, with strong influences from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and, to a lesser extent, from the Balkans.[1] It is also to note that Armenians themselves have greatly influenced the culinary traditions of nearby countries or cities, such as Aleppo.[2] The preparation of a large number of meat, fish and vegetable dishes in the Armenian kitchen requires stuffing, frothing and pureeing.[3] Lamb, aubergines, youghurt, and bread (lavash) are basic features of the Armenian cuisine. Armenians use cracked wheat (burghul) in preference to maize and rice popular among its Caucasian neighbors (Georgia and Azerbaijan).
Meals in Armenia often start with mezze, a spread of appetizers served for "the table".[1]Lavash, extremely thin leavened wrap bread made from wheat flour, is the usual accompaniment for mezze.
Boeregs are another popular appetizer and fast food. These are savory pies made with phyllo pastry and stuffed with cheese (banirov boereg, from Armenian: banir for cheese) or spinach (similar to spanakopita in Greek cuisine). Misov boereg is a bread roll (not phyllo pastry) stuffed with ground meat (similar to Russian pirozhki).
Barbecue is very popular in Armenia, and makes the primary offer of main courses in most restaurants. It is often eaten as fast food.
Khorovats – khorovats is the Armenian word for "kebab". In Armenia itself, khorovats is unique in that it is often made with the bone still in the meat. Western-Armenians outside of Armenia generally call it by the Turkish name "shish kebab" and generally cook the meat with bones taken out. On the other hand, in Armenia, the word "kebab" is used to refer to a similar dish which is called "losh kebab" or "lule kebab" by diasporan Armenians and Turks. In Armenia today, the most popular meat for both khorovats and (losh) kebab is pork due to Soviet-era economic reasons. The Armenians outside of Armenia usually prefer lamb or beef depending on their background, and chicken is also popular.
Armenian soups include spas, made from yogurt, hulled wheat and herbs (usually cilantro),[4] and aveluk, made from lentils, walnuts, and wild mountain sorrel (which gives the soup its name).[5]Karshm is a local soup made in the town of Vaik in the Shirak province. This is a walnut based soup with red and green beans, chick peas and spices, served garnished with red pepper and fresh garlic.[6]
Another soup, khash, is considered an Armenian institution. Songs and poems have been written about this one dish, which is made from ham hocks and herbs made into a clear broth. Tradition holds that khash can only be cooked by men, who spend the entire night cooking, and can be eaten only in the early morning in the dead of winter, where it served with heaps of fresh garlic and dried lavash.
T'ghitcitation needed is a very special and old traditional food, made from t'tu lavash (fruit leather, thin roll-up sheets of sour plum puree),[7] which are cut into small pieces and boiled in water. Fried onions are added and the mixture is cooked into a purée. Pieces of lavash bread are placed on top of the mixture, and it is eaten hot with fresh lavash used to scoop up the mixture by hand.
Other soups include kiufta soup made with large balls of strained boiled meat and greens, snkapur, a mushroom soup,[8], and bozbash, a mutton or lamb soup that exists in several regional varieties with the addition of different vegetables and fruits.[9]
Kololik – soup cooked from mutton bones with ground mutton dumplings, rice, and fresh tarragon garnish; a beaten egg is stirred into the soup before serving.[11]
Mantapour – beef soup with manty; the manty are typically served with yogurt, accompanied by clear soup.[12]
savory phyllo pastry filled with meat, cheese or vegetables
Banirov Boereg - with cheese
Spinach Boereg - with spinach and cheese (same as greek Spanakopita)
Tepsi Boereg
Sou-Boereg
Misov-Boereg - (not actually a beoreg because it is not made of phyllo dough or phyllo-like dough. it is basically a roll of bread stuffed with ground meat)
Salads
Amarva Khorvadz -- barbecued vegetables mixed together, traditional Armenian Salad
Tabouleh -- wheat and mint salad - Originating in the Middle east
Fattoush -- pita bread salad - Originating in the Middle east
^ Pokhlebkin, V. V. Russian Delight: A Cookbook of the Soviet People. London: Pan Books, 1978
^ Irina Petrosian and David Underwood, Armenian Food: Fact, Fiction & Folklore, published by Lulu.com, ISBN 1411698659, p. 60 (parts accessible through Amazon Online Reader).
