Bonvoyageurs

Luxury travel, escapes, cruises and city breaks for discerning business and leisure travelers

  • Home
  • Countries
    • Africa
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Asia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Japan
      • South East Asia
    • Australasia
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Italy
      • Luxembourg
      • Russia
      • United Kingdom
    • Middle East
      • Israel
    • N. America
      • Canada
      • Caribbean
      • Mexico
      • USA
    • S. America
      • Argentina
  • Luxury Escapes
    • Chesapeake Bay
    • China
    • French Riviera
    • India
    • Israel
    • New England
    • Rocky Mountaineer
    • Rovos Rail
    • Safari
    • Thessaloniki and Halkidiki
  • Travel Tips
  • City Breaks
    • Basel
    • Florence
    • Hong Kong
    • London
    • Montreal
    • New York
    • Nice
    • Paris
    • Prague
    • Puerto Vallarta
    • Shanghai
    • Tel Aviv
    • Vienna
    • Washington
  • Cruises
    • World’s Best Cruises
    • Alaska Cruise
    • Baltic Cruise
    • Caribbean Cruises
    • Danube River Cruise
    • France Seine River Cruise
    • Li River Cruise
    • Mediterranean Cruises
    • Panama Canal Cruise
    • Rhine River Cruise
    • Russia River Cruise
    • South East Asia Cruise
    • Yangtze River Cruise
  • Hotels
    • The Athenaeum Hotel – London
    • The Broadmoor ~ Colorado Springs
    • Cape Grace Hotel – Cape Town
    • Coopmanhuijs – Stellenbosch
    • Hotel Danieli Venice
    • Emerson Inn by the Sea – Rockport
    • Fairlawns Boutique Hotel – Johannesburg
    • Fairmont Chateau Frontenac – Quebec City
    • Le Guanahani – St Barts
    • Hyatt Regency Coconut Point ~ Bonita Springs
    • Oyster Box Hotel – South Africa
    • King David Hotel – Jerusalem
    • Velas Vallarta – Puerto Vallarta

BEST of Armenia food : Harissa, aka Herriseh !

July 16, 2014 by Denis 1 Comment

BEST of Armenia food : Harissa, aka Herriseh !

Read our previous posting: “Best of Argentina food: the Asado!”

Harissa, which I could also call chicken risotto with wheat, is not only the national dish of Armenia, but also a rallying symbol for Armenia’s courage and fortitude across centuries of tribulations! A stick-to-the-ribs comforting dish perfect for a cool day!

 

Harissa

Harissa

 

Photo BarevArmenia.com

Here’s the recipe for chicken Harissa (or Herriseh) from TheArmenianKitchen.com :

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, approximately 3 lbs.
8 cups water
2 cups whole wheat kernels, rinsed in cold water and drained
2 tsp. salt, or to taste
cumin
paprika, optional
butter, optional

Directions:
1. Rinse chicken. Place in large pot with 8 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook, with lid tilted, for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked.
2. Remove chicken from liquid; place on platter until cool enough to handle. Discard skin, bones and fat. Shred chicken; cut into smaller pieces, if necessary.
3. Strain broth. Measure broth, and add enough water to make the 8 cups needed. (Note: Some of the original amount of water will have evaporated, so this step is important.)
4. Place broth in large pot. Add wheat, shredded chicken, and salt if necessary. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Remove any foam which rises to the surface.
5. Simmer on a very low heat, covered, for about 4 hours — without stirring! — until almost all liquid is absorbed.
6. Beat vigorously with a sturdy, long-handled, wooden spoon, mashing the wheat and chicken until they resemble thick oatmeal. Adjust salt, if needed.
7. To serve: place in bowls. Add a pat of butter, if desired. Sprinkle with a dash of cumin or paprika.

Robyn’s Notes:
A.) Cooking the chicken a day in advance allows you to chill the broth and discard excess chicken fat.
B.) Time-saving hints:
1. Leftover cooked chicken, lamb or turkey, and commercially prepared broth can be used to
shorten preparation time.
2. Using an immersion or stick blender, instead of beating with a wooden spoon (see step #6), will
save you a lot of time and energy!
C.) Leftover Herriseh freezes well. Just defrost, and reheat with a little extra liquid.

Read our related posting: “Armenia, homeland to its own alphabet!”

Read our next posting: “Best of Aruba food: Keshi Yena!”

Stay tuned to BonVoyageurs.com for more Countries of the World as we share our joie de vivre from around the world.  Luxury escapes and city breaks to Quebec City, New York, Washington, Buenos Aires. In Europe, places like Paris France, Nice France, Provence and the Cote d’Azur (French Riviera), Tuscany and Florence in Italy, Rome, Napoli and the Amalfi Coast. In Asia, countries like China, India, Nepal and so much more!

Filed Under: Armenia, Culinary Delights, Europe Tagged With: Armenia, around the world, Asia, city breaks, Food, Harissa, Joie de vivre, luxury escapes, Quebec City, Travel

« BEST of Argentina food : the Asado !
Belgium, crossroads of French, Dutch and German culture »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Want to join us on the road?

Lovely! Expect to see a note from us in your inbox soon, from wherever we are on the road.

BonVoyageurs on Twitter

Meet the Crew.

TOP 10 travel experts and influencers on social media and rated as one of the most influential travel bloggers in the world, Denis and Lynn Gagnon have been circling the globe for more than 45 years. Former international business travelers, they know how to travel - with class, comfort, and style. Members of the National Press Club, PTBA , NATJA and SATW. Wish to connect? Email them at [email protected].

A NEW addition to the BonVoyageurs team is Atlanta-based travel writer and culinary expert Dominique Gagnon, and travel photographer Justin Ellis. By day, Dominique designs and grows new meaningful consumer brands, while Justin is a neuroscientist and psychiatrist researching early brain development. By night, they are watching Chef's Table while plotting their next culinary and sport adventure.

Where might you be voyaging?