Anoush Abour - an Armenian Christmas Pudding

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

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Description
It's a sweet, fruity, nutty delicacy to be savored with loved ones.

Ingredients
1 cup gorgod (skinless whole wheat)

3 ½ quarts water

1 cup sugar

1 cup California apricots, finely chopped

1 cup raisins (currants or yellow)

½ cup pistachios

1/3 cup pine nuts Garnishes: ¼ cup finely chopped filberts (hazelnuts)

½ cup slivered almonds

½ toasted pecans or walnuts

Ground cinnamon, to taste Pomegranate seeds

Directions
. In a 6-quart pot, combine wheat and water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Cover and let rest overnight.

2. Remove cover. Return to simmer. Simmer gorgod until water begins to thicken. The lower the simmer, the “whiter” the pudding will remain. After about 1 ½ to 2 hours of simmering, add the sugar and continue to simmer. The pudding will begin to take on a thicker consistency.

3. While wheat is simmering, combine fruit, pistachios and pine nuts in a small saucepan with water. Bring to a gentle simmer and allow to cook for about 15 minutes. Thoroughly drain. Add to pudding when pudding is cooled so that fruit will not bleed color into pudding. 4. Pour into serving bowl. Garnish with filberts, slivered almonds, pecans or walnuts and cinnamon. 5. Pomegranate seeds should either be incorporated into pudding uncooked or served separately as a garnish.