Christmas Grains

With the hopes of a fruitful year to come grains become an important part of the Christmas traditions of farming communities. Both Swedish and Polish culture involved wheat and straw woven decorations for the home and Christmas Tree. Polish Christmas traditions include having some straw or wheat placed under the table cloth. The story is that it represents the straw in the manger that warmed the Christ Child. Another feature of the holiday is a dish called Kutia. It has grain to represent fertility and the future, it has poppy seed to tell us life needs some spice, and honey to wish sweetness and joy in the coming year.

Kutia

1 cup cracked or pearlized wheat
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup poppy seed
1/2 cup honey
2 cups water

Soak the wheat for a couple of hours in a pot, then bring the wheat to a boil. Mix in the poppy seed. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes to an hour. In the mean time add the honey to the water and bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. Add the honey mixture to the cooked wheat and poppyseed. I found I needed to boil this mixture for a few minutes this year to combine it better and reduce the liquid. It will thicken as it cools and a little more of the liquid is absorbed with standing.

Serve cold as one of the individual dishes of the 12 course Christmas Eve Dinner, Wigilijna.