Harisa is an Armenian food,with perennial history.It is mainly cooked during winter. According to the tradition, when Gregory the Illuminator escaped from the pit,he came to Vagharshapat, he was reading sermon for sixty days for pagan Armenians there, and they wereinterested in it. To feed poor people, he ordered villagers to bring a lot of butter and sheep.When they brought it,he ordered them to butcher the sheep.
They put big boilers onto fires,put the meat on it,and the cereal on it.He ordered thick-armed daredevils to mix the meat on it, saying «hareq zsa» (it means “mix this” in old Armenian).This is where this name came from: Harisa.
The method of preparation
First of all the chicken should be cleaned and boiled.Usually fir one kg cereal you need one whole middle sized chicken, you should remove the bones and squeeze the broth.
You should put the carefully cleaned and one day before watered meat and mix it with partially wet cereal,than pour the broth and do not mix it anymore.
After this you should check to see if the water covers the cereal or not.You should put as much water that will cover it,and even a little bit more.Than you should pit it on faint fire and close the lid over.
You should keep the water always full.Open the lid sometimes to see the water is enough or not,add some more if it is not.In this way it will be cooked sooner.
Cook it about 5-6 hours.When the time is over open the lid and mix it.Boil it 15-20 minutes and turn the fire off.It is served with butter.
