"The corner was brought!"

— two girls entered the house.

Decorated - nowhere better.

One was in an old, moth-eaten fur coat, the other in a torn coat.

Both are wearing old handkerchiefs, smeared with soot, work gloves, and in their hands - a net with an opened can of lard.

"Oh, Mommy, whose dirty children are these?"

cried my aunt.

My sister and I couldn't stand it and burst out laughing.

The masquerade was successful, our parents did not recognize us.

And of course, where to go, they treated us with sweets and cookies...

I lived half my life in a small village in the Luhansk region.

We didn't go to nativity scenes.

After all, the communist government had a nice ride through the Ukrainian East - it was shameful to walk around the houses, it was considered "old age".

That is, begging.

But the children loved to visit their neighbors on Christmas Eve with a jar of kuti, treat them to porridge and receive candies and cookies in return.

Mom always made kutyu from rice with honey, poppy seeds and raisins.

But I cook it with wheat, season it with honey, poppy seeds and raisins.

Although the traditional one is, of course, made with uzvar, I will tell you about my version of the Christmas Eve main course.

So let's cook!

You will need:

  • a glass of wheat;

  • 200 g of raisins;

  • 200 g of walnuts;

  • 50 g of poppy seeds;

  • two tablespoons of honey.

Photo: instagram.com/juliya_levicka

Step-by-step preparation:

1.

Wash the wheat well, soak overnight in two glasses of water.

You don't have time or you forgot to soak it - pour it for a couple of hours.

The water may be cold.

2.

When the time is up, drain the water and fill it with three glasses of fresh water.

As the wheat boils, cook over low heat.

It will take about 2-2.5 hours.

Most of the grains should flake off and reveal their light interior.

They haven't peeled yet, but there is no more water - add more liquid!

3.

While the wheat is cooking, wash the raisins and poppy seeds.

Pour boiling water over them in separate bowls.

Let them steam for half an hour.

Then drain the water.

4.

Dissolve honey in a glass of warm boiled water, pour your prepared wheat, add poppy seeds, raisins and nuts.

Kutya is ready!

Read more recipes on Yuliya Levicka's page at instagram.com/juliya_levicka

Read also:

  • Ukrainian kutia for Christmas Eve - a step-by-step recipe

  • Kutia: a classic recipe

  • Simple New Year's salad "squirrel"