Khorovats are Armenia's version of a kebab, and they're an unavoidable element of the country's cuisine. Charcoal manghals (grills) with a man twisting skewers filled with enormous chunks of meat over an open flame can be found in restaurants and truck stops, on street corners and in family homes. The favored cuts of meat are pork, lamb, and beef, with little marinating or seasoning. Condiments, according to Armenians, detract from the meat's inherent flavors. While peppers and onions may occasionally appear on the skewers, they are entirely decorative.

The 'greens' are served with the khorovats salad, which is consisting of fried tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, greens, and onion. Wrap it all up in lavash, a fantastic native flatbread, for a simple culinary delight.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. boneless leg of lamb cubed into 1 inch pieces, ½ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 3 large garlic peeled and crushed, 1 teaspoon dry white wine, 1 bay leaf, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon oregano fresh chopped, ½ teaspoon rosemary fresh, 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 large onions white or yellow peeled and cut into, 8 wedges each, 2 large green peppers cut into 8 pieces each, 12 medium mushrooms stemmed and cleaned, 2 large tomatoes cored and cut into 8 wedges, 8 wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning on the grill.

Instructions

• Place lamb cubes in a large container
• In a medium bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, wine , bay leaf, salt, pepper, oregano and rosemary.
• Pour marinade over lamb, stir thoroughly, cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Pre heat your grill to medium high
• Thread separate skewers of lamb, onion green pepper, and mushrooms
• Baste vegetable with some of the reserved marinade.
• Put the lamb and onions first as they will take about 12 minutes to cook, add the green peppers and mushrooms after about 5 minutes and lastely the tomatoes they only take about 3 minutes to cook.
• Remove from grill and skewers, you can re-skewer, alternating the ingrediens or just put the lamb and vegetables on a platter.
• Serve with lavash and Hamim enjoy!

Every Middle Eastern country has their take on the classic kofta, but nothing comes close to the Armenian version. Minced beef is gently seasoned and combined with crushed wheat and onions, just like its near east counterparts. They're also rolled into the shape of a tapered spinning top. Armenians, on the other hand, prepare theirs in a broth rather than grilling them. A simple chicken broth is commonly used, with a splash of pomegranate molasses and brown sugar adding an Armenian zest. Kyufta is a rich, well-flavored meat that is served sliced with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Ingredients

• 1/2 slice bread,crust removed, 1/4 cup milk, 1 cup parsley, 1 pound ground lamb, 1/2 medium onion, 2 cloves garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon sumac, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 pinch mace, 1 medium potato, 3 inches in diameter, sliced 1/4-inch thick, 1 medium tomato, 3 inches in diameter, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Instructions

• Turn on the broiler. Soak the bread in milk until all milk is absorbed, then mash it into a paste
• Process the parsley in a food processor and add to a large bowl with ground lamb and set aside.
• Process onion and garlic until very finely chopped. Add to bowl with bread and lamb mixture.
• Add the salt, cumin, sumac, cayenne pepper, allspice, pepper and mace and mix gently until the ingredients are well-combined.
• Put the mixture into a casserole dish and place under the broiler until browned, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and reduce heat to 375 F.
• Slice the potato and tomato into pieces about 1/4-inch thick and add to the meat mixture, first a layer of potatoes and then of tomatoes.
• Cover the casserole with aluminum foil or a lid and cook on the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes.

Dolma, which is pronounced 'tolma' in Armenia, is another dish you might recognize. They're a staple across the eastern Mediterranean, made with a mixture of minced beef, onion, rice, and other spices wrapped in a vine leaf. The Armenian dolma, on the other hand, is unique, both in terms of preparation and the ingredients utilized. Every Armenian grandma has her own dolma recipe, but they all agree that how the leaves are prepared is crucial. The secret is to take them out of the boiling water as soon as they become a different color. Armenians are also more daring with their ingredients. Along with the more conventional rice, lentils, tomatoes, courgette, aubergine, mint, red peppers, coriander, and onions can be found.

Ingredients

• 1 (16-ounce) jar grape leaves, 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling, 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced, 4 cloves garlic, finely minced, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon basil, 1 1/2 cups uncookedwhite rice, long-grain, such as basmati, 1/2 cup pine nuts, raw, optional, 8 cups vegetable broth, divided, 2/3 cups lemon juice, divided, plus more for drizzling

Instructions

• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until tender. Stir in rice and hot water to cover. Cover and simmer until rice is half cooked, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in tomato paste, currants, pine nuts, cinnamon, mint leaves, dill weed, allspice and cumin. Let mixture cool.
• Prepare a large pot by placing an inverted plate on the bottom; this protects the dolmas from direct heat when steaming.
• Rinse grape leaves in warm water; drain and cut off any stems. Place about 1 teaspoon of the cooled rice mixture in the center of a leaf. Fold in the sides and then roll into a cigar shape. Place in prepared pot. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Pour in just enough warm water to reach the bottom of the first layer of dolmas. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, or until rice is totally cooked. Check the water level often and add more as necessary.

Even though Armenia is a landlocked country, it has its fair share of fish dishes. The most well-known is Ishkhan, which is named after a variety of trout found in Lake Sevan. Sevan trout are'meatier' than most, and they were sold around the region as early as the 15th century due to their fame. There are an endless number of ways to cook Ishkhan. You have the option of having it boiled, fried, or braised with almonds. The fish is cooked in wine and seasoned with basil, tarragon, chives, and pepper in the most famous meal.

Ingredients

• 2 small whole trouts, 1 cup white wine, 1/2 cup cherry-plum, 3 tablespoons chopped tarragon, 4 shallots, 1 pomegranate (flesh and juice), 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, Sea Salt to taste

Instructions

• Clean trouts, not cutting the stomach completely.
• Grease with salt and pepper.
• Mince cherry-plums, pomegranate, shallots and tarragon and fill the fish.
• The rest of the filling can be served as salad.
• Simmer the trouts in wine on low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Any member of Armenia's vast diaspora will tell you that manti, delectable baked dumplings served in tomato sauce with a garlicky yoghurt on the side, is the dish they miss the most from home. It isn't just the taste that they are missing. It is, without a doubt, Armenia's most social dinner. Almost as soon as the dish is placed on the table, impatient hands will start breaking off the thumb-sized dumplings and dipping them in yoghurt. There are some differences. Some people prefer a hot tomato sauce. Others prefer yoghurt that isn't as garlicky. Manti originated in Western Armenia, although it is popular throughout the country.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, ½ teaspoon water, or as needed, 2 onions, peeled, ½ pound ground beef, salt and pepper to taste, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 (8 ounce) container plain yogurt

Instructions

• Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and water, mixing well with your hands. Add more water, if needed, to form a soft dough. Cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
• Shred the onions and place them in a colander or sieve set over a bowl; drain the juice and discard. Combine the onion, ground beef, salt, and pepper; mix the meat well with a spoon until mashed.
• Divide the dough into two portions and lightly flour a work surface. Keep one piece of dough covered while you roll out the second portion into a rectangle, rolling the dough as thin as you can. Cut the rectangle into 2-inch squares with a knife or pastry wheel.
• Place about 2 teaspoons of the meat filling in the center of each square. Seal the dumplings by gathering the edges of the dough and pinching them together at the top to form a bundle. Transfer the finished manti to a floured plate, and sprinkle more flour over the manti to prevent sticking. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
• Heat the oil and red pepper flakes in a small skillet over low heat just until the pepper flakes have started to color the oil; don't let them burn. Remove from the heat and keep warm. Stir the minced garlic into the yogurt and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook the manti until the filling is no longer pink, and the dough is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain well. Divide the manti among four plates. Spoon the yogurt sauce over the manti and drizzle each serving with the hot pepper oil.