Thursday, 23 July 2015

Details Regarding Armenian Lavash Bread

By Kathrine Franks


Different cuisines and cooking styles are seen in the many regions and cultures of this world. Many appreciate the foods they grew up eating, especially the ones that are tied to their culture and heritage. Lavash is the name for a type of flatbread said to originate in Armenia. People have been eating this food for years, all around the world. Also called Armenian lavash bread, this is often prepared homemade. However, there are restaurants and stores that have it available, including some in Los Angeles CA.

Lavash is known for being thin and soft. The unleavened flatbread is made in tandoor. This is consumed in many places, but especially in the area of Caucasus, Western Asia and locations nearby the Caspian Sea. This is the most popular bread in Armenia, Iran and Azerbaijan.

The primary ingredients are salt, water and flour. Thickness of this will vary. Often this is relative to how it is rolled out. Sometimes poppy seeds or sesame seeds are sprinkled on top of the bread before it is baked.

Traditionally, dough is rolled out flat. Then it is slapped against hot walls of a clay oven. When fresh, this is often flexible. It will dry out quickly and become hard and brittle. The softer kind is easier to use for wrap sandwiches. The dried form can be stored for a long time, up to a year, and is often used in place of leavened bread in the Eucharist traditions by the apostolic church.

In Armenian villages, people are likely to see the dried food stacked for later use. Before eating, sprinkling water atop this can rehydrate it and restore its flexibility. The dry lavash might also be employed for quick meals after it has been rehydrated and other ingredients are added. The dried food may also be broken into smaller pieces and added to a dish known as khash.

Eaten fresh, this is often soft and used as a wrap filled with cheese, herbs and other items. In Turkey, Iran and other parts of the middle east, this might be incorporated into special wraps and paired with kebabs. For Armenians, it is considered a staple of their cuisine. In the region known as Kashmir, this food is called lavase. This is a simple food item that locals eat regularly, mostly in breakfast dishes. The tradition of these people is to give this to friends, family and neighbors to symbolize good omen or food abundance.

Many Armenian painters have works featuring women baking this bread. A popular portrait of this kind was done by a famous painter from the Soviet era known as Minas Minassian. This piece is on display at the National Museum of Art located in Yerevan. The print by Armenian-American Manual Tolegian titled Armenian Ladies Baking Lavash was chosen by President Gerald Ford to hand in the White House bicentennial collection. Lavash-related art is common in this culture.

A number of recipes incorporated this item of food. People looking for recipes can find many online or use ones passed down from the family. The bread can be used soft or crispy in many dishes. This may be a cuisine staple in Armenia and nearby areas but it is also popular and well-liked among other regions and cultures.




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