I couldn't think of what you meant until you mentioned wheat and then it clicked. This is so important in our Christmas Eve meal. This is one of the oldest and most traditional foods.

Did you know that it was a tradition that the father would take a spoonful of the kutia and throw it to the ceiling and if it stuck - the family would have a prosperous
new year? Not something my family did but I do remember my mom and dad telling me about it and I would beg them to try it (not with our white ceilings LOL)

Kutia is one of the tradional 12 foods eaten for the Christmas Eve dinner. Some eat it first but its a matter of choice in families. We eat it at the end of our Christmas Eve dinner. The point is that everyone must at least have a
spoonful.

Kutia is also left for the "Duch" (the spirit of those who passed away or could not be with us). Ukrainians leave a plate at the table Christmas Eve for the "Duch" and Kutia is generally served the "Duch."

Merry Christmas!

Halyna

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KUTIA
From: Yonkers Ukrainian Fest
Source: Ukrainian Daughter’s Cookbook by the Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada, Daughters of Ukraine Branch, Regina, Saskatoon

The first dish of the twelve traditional meals served during a Ukrainian Christmas Eve Supper is always "Kutia". The following recipe is from the "Ukrainian Daughter’s Cookbook" from the Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada, Daughters of Ukraine Branch, Regina, Saskatoon. There are more complicated versions of "Kutia", but the basic recipe is the same. It should be sweet. The wheat celebrates the staff of life and the honey represents the spirit of Christ.

2 cups wheat
3 quarts water
1 cup poppy seed
2/3 cup of sugar
1/3 cup honey, dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans
raisins, plumped (optional)

Dry the wheat in an oven at 250 degrees F for one hour, stirring occasionally. Wash and soak in cold water overnight.

Next morning, bring wheat to the boiling point; simmer for 3 to 4 hours, until the kernels burst open.

Scald the poppy seed and simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and grind witheither a mortar and pestle or a food processor using the finest setting. Set aside.

Combine honey and sugar in hot water. Set aside.

Before serving, add the sweetened mixture, poppy seed and the nuts to cooled, boiled wheat.

Halyna's Notes: We always left the walnuts and raisins as an individual add-in. Kutia can be thicker or runnier, I have had it both ways. Each family makes it to their own liking. My family likes it a bit runny.