Koliva

Koliva (Ukrainian Wheat Berry Ritual Porridge)

Koliva is a traditional Ukrainian ceremonial dish of slow-cooked wheat berries sweetened with honey and bound with ground nuts, traditionally served at memorials and other important gatherings.

Prep

20 min

Cook

90 min

Total

110 min

Serves

6 to 8

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) whole wheat berries, soft wheat, not hard durum; substitute with spelt berries if soft wheat unavailable
• •2 L (8½ cups) water, for boiling wheat, plus extra for soaking
• •150 g (5¼ oz) blanched almonds
• •150 g (5¼ oz) walnut halves
• •150 g (¾ cup) honey, wildflower or buckwheat honey for a traditional dark color
• •2 tbsp poppy seeds, optional, traditional addition
• •1 piece pomegranate, optional, for garnish and traditional symbolism
• •1 pinch salt

Steps

1. 1 Soak the wheat berries in plenty of cold water for at least 8 hours or overnight; this softens them and shortens the cooking time.
2. 2 Drain the soaked wheat, place it in a heavy pot, cover with 2 L (8½ cups) of fresh water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer, partially covered.
3. 3 Simmer the wheat for 60 to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally near the end, until the grains are tender and have split open, releasing their starchy interiors. The grains should be soft enough to bite through with no chalky center; drain off any excess water if needed so the result is moist but not soupy.
4. 4 While the wheat cooks, finely grind the blanched almonds and walnuts together in a food processor, taking care to stop before they turn into a paste; you want a sandy, crumbly texture with some small pieces remaining.
5. 5 If using poppy seeds, grind them briefly in a clean part of the processor until they begin to release a faint dark color but are not yet a paste.
6. 6 Warm the honey in a small saucepan over low heat just until it loosens and flows easily; do not boil it, as overheating will alter the flavor and make the mixture harder to bind.
7. 7 Transfer the drained wheat to a large bowl and fluff it with a fork, breaking up any clumps. Let it cool to lukewarm, around 40 °C (105 °F), so it does not cook the honey.
8. 8 Pour the warmed honey over the wheat and stir gently until evenly coated and the grains take on a glossy sheen.
9. 9 Fold in the ground nuts (and poppy seeds if using) until uniformly distributed through the wheat.
10. 10 Pile the koliva into a shallow serving dish or mound it on a platter. Traditionally the surface is smoothed and sometimes decorated with a cross, a circle of poppy seeds, or pomegranate seeds pressed into the top.
11. 11 Garnish with a scattering of pomegranate arils if using, and serve at room temperature. Koliva is traditionally eaten from a common spoon; leftovers keep refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days.