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Pokhindz
Pokhindz: toasted wheat flour with honey, butter and walnuts for New Year
ArmenianPokhindz is one of the oldest Armenian New Year foods, made in village kitchens across Shirak and Lori and still found in Yerevan's markets in December: wheat, or wheat flour, toasted slowly until it smells like biscuits, then rubbed with melted butter, honey and crushed walnuts into a sweet, crumbly mix eaten by the spoonful or pressed into balls. A common mistake is toasting over a high heat; the flour scorches at the bottom while the top is still raw. Chef's tip: keep stirring in a wide dry pan over a low heat until the flour is the colour of milky tea; that slow toasting is where the nutty flavour comes from.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the pokhindz
- 9 oz plain flouror whole wheat flour
- 2 ⅞ oz buttermelted
- 3 ½ oz runny honeywarmed
- 2 ⅞ oz walnutsfinely chopped
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 9 oz plain flour in a wide, dry frying pan over a low heat. Toast for 15–20 minutes, stirring constantly, until it is pale caramel brown and smells nutty. Common mistake: a high heat; it burns in patches.
20 minStep 2: Tip into a bowl and cool for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 3: Add 2 ⅞ oz butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the flour looks like damp sand.
Step 4: Stir in 3 ½ oz runny honey, 2 ⅞ oz walnuts and ½ tsp ground cinnamon until evenly mixed. Serve by the spoonful, or press into small balls. Keeps for 2 weeks in a jar.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pokhindz take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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