Make Yourself an Armenian Meal
Mmmhmm, food. Just about the best thing about traveling is tasting different types of food - and Armenia definitely doesn't underperform when it comes to delicious cuisine. Here are all the recipes you need to make yourself a full, authentic Armenian meal.
Bean paste: This is a thick spread I enjoyed enough to choose over all other possible side dishes, because while it's something that might not be typically Armenian, I've never had something quite like it anywhere else. My grandmother does say there's a similar dish in Romania, but I've never tried it and so can't say whether the two are at all similar. The Armenian version is heavily seasoned with garlic (as are most Armenian dishes - yum!) and topped with coriander and pomegranate arils (seed pods).
Dolma: Leaf wraps are found in many countries, but my favorite kind of dolma is actually vegetable dolma - where the meat filling isn't wrapped into wine leaves, but stuffed into a variety of vegetables. This dish isn't unique to Armenia, but it's certainly typical of its cuisine! The stuffed vegetables are served warm with freshly ground garlic and cold matsoun, Armenian yogurt.
Lavash: Armenian flatbread, lavash is soft and eaten with almost anything, but particularly barbecue and wraps (mostly using different cheeses and fresh herbs). Traditionally made in a tandoor (vertical, cylindrical oven in the ground), lavash is slapped against the hot sides of the oven with a large pillow. It's quite fun to watch! Another typical type of Armenian bread is matnakash - and while it's also termed flatbread, it's much thicker and doughier than lavash.
Tan: A drink mainly reserved for summer (but hey, who here eats ice cream only in summer?), tan is a thick and simple yogurt drink made with the aforementioned matsoun, water, cucumber, herbs, salt and garlic. Yep, there's the garlic again! I personally am not a fan of tan, but it's very typically Armenian and can't really be omitted from this list. Give me a good kompot anyday!
Gata: Last (but certainly not least) is the dessert. Gata is a type of puff pastry with a rich and creamy filling, and while there are many regional variations I'm sure it's delicious every time. A perfect, light dessert to finish off your Armenian meal!
Several links on this list lead to a wonderful food blog by Armenian homechef Heghineh, where you can find text, photo and video instructions to many delicious foods - and not just Armenian ones, either! If you're a fan of cooking, you really need to have a poke around her website. I'd love to hear from you if you make any of these dishes!
