Armenian cuisine has long attracted the attention of the peoples of the world. Its formation began with the appearance of the Armenian people in the 6th century BC.Along with the development of the people, culinary traditions appeared, which have survived to this day. Armenians have long been engaged in cattle breeding, which led to the presence of a large number of meat dishes in the national cuisine. In addition, thanks to cattle breeding, many dairy products appeared. First of all, we are talking about all kinds of cheeses, as well as drinks made on the basis of sour milk.
In Armenian cuisine, thanks to the development of agriculture, grains of millet, wheat, rice, polba, barley are widely used. Beans, beans, mountain peas, lentils were widely used from legumes. And, of course, it is difficult to imagine an Armenian table without a lot of greenery and vegetables.
Since ancient times cooking was conducted by Armenians on the hearth, which was called tonir. Utensils used clay. Toner is used for baking bread, cooking cereals and vegetables. It also smokes a bird and fish. Many dishes of Armenian cuisine have received a name, consonant with the name of the dishes, in which they are prepared. An example is tapak, putuk, kucch. The tradition of giving the name of dishes, depending on the name of the dishes, was adopted by Azerbaijanis and Georgians.
The culinary peculiarities of the Armenian cuisine were reflected in the technological process. As a rule, it is quite complex and requires a lot of effort and time. For example, the preparation of dishes from fish, meat, vegetables can not do without whipping and stuffing, and, as you know, these operations are labor-intensive. In addition, to prepare the final dish, you often have to prepare several semi-finished products, which are then combined together. As a result of the difficult process of cooking, cooks receive a dish( product), with an enriched unique taste.
Armenians can combine different kinds of meat when preparing food. An example is an ancient dish of argonak, in which there is chicken and deer meat. The taste of Armenian dishes differs significantly from the dishes of other nations due to the peculiarities of heat treatment. Armenian culinary specialists can cook the same dish, fry it and, in conclusion, extinguish it.
A characteristic feature of Armenian dishes is spicy and piquant taste. This is due to the fact that the preparation uses a large number of spices and seasonings. It is known that Armenian culinary specialists have in their arsenal almost 300 species of wild flowers and herbs that are added to the dishes. The most common spices are coriander, black pepper, tarragon, mint, thyme, basil, onion, garlic. Confectioners use cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, vanilla, cloves.
Another feature of the Armenian cuisine is the use in cooking of melted butter, and not fat, as is customary in other nations. The oil is added to soups, used for extinguishing meat, fish, poultry, used for frying. Less often Armenian culinary specialists use vegetable oils. The most popular sesame oil. It is necessary for cooking dishes from eggplants and beans, as well as fish.
The most popular product in Armenian cuisine is meat. Such products as sujuk( a kind of raw sausage) and basturma are known at present all over the world. Their peculiarity is sharpness. For a long time Armenians love shish kebab( khorovats).As a rule, it is prepared from pork, sometimes from beef and mutton. Among the birds, chicken and turkey meat is the most common.
A significant place in the Armenian cuisine is given to cheeses. It is produced at home. The taste of this cheese is original and unique, as each family enjoys its secret when cooking it. The remaining whey after processing is processed further. From it they prepare cottage cheese, dry buttermilk. Dishes made from milk are constantly present in the ration of Armenians. Among the bread products is the most common lavash.
To prepare flour dishes, use wheat flour, into which add corn or potato starch. The Armenians also have a special kind of flour - the piranhas. For its preparation use toasted wheat. The most ancient Armenian dishes from flour are hashil and asuda. They resemble flour juicy on grape juice.
The dish is very popular with Armenians, like the crowd. Its preparation differs depending on the season. In the spring, grape leaves are used for its preparation, wrapped in minced meat with rice and spices. Outwardly, the dish reminds everyone of the famous cabbage rolls. In summer and autumn, when most fruits and vegetables mature, quince, pepper, apples, tomatoes, eggplants are used to prepare the tolma.
Armenian cuisine is a unique range of flavors, born by ancient culinary specialists and modernized. Thanks to the preserved traditions of cooking, it can rightfully be considered one of the oldest.