Kollyva (Greek Memorial Boiled Wheat) Recipe

Name: Kollyva (Greek Memorial Boiled Wheat) Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 300 min
Total time: 315 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds of wheat (hulled); 7/8 cup of walnuts (ground); 7/8 cup of almonds (ground blanched); 1 1/3 cups of sesame seeds (crushed toasted); 2 1/4 cups of chickpeas (ground or chickpea meal or flour); 1 pomegranate (seeds); 1 pound of sugar ( confectioner's ); 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons of raisins; 2 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon (ground); 2 1/2 teaspoons of cloves (ground); 2 1/2 teaspoons of parsley (finely chopped); 3 1/2 tablespoons of salt (sea); 5 to 6 lemon leaves; Optional: Jordan almonds (koufeta, decoration); Optional: Silver dragees (decoration)

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 5 hrs

Total: 5 hrs 15 mins

Servings: 24 to 32 servings

Yield: 24 to 32 cups

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In Greek: κόλλυβα, pronounced KOH-lee-vah

Kollyva is a traditional dish served at funerals and memorial services. It is generally served from a large tray, spooned out into cups or on small plates. There are many versions, but all start with whole wheat kernels. It is generally made in large quantities so all who attend can receive a small amount.

2 pounds wheat, hulled
7/8 cup walnuts, ground
7/8 cup almonds, ground, blanched
1 1/3 cups sesame seeds, crushed, toasted
2 1/4 cups of chickpeas, ground or chickpea meal or flour
1 pomegranate (seeds)
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons of raisins
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
2 1/2 teaspoons cloves, ground
2 1/2 teaspoons parsley, finely chopped
3 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
5 to 6 lemon leaves
Jordan almonds, koufeta, decoration, optional
Silver dragees, decoration, optional

Wash the wheat well.
Boil in plenty of water for 5 to 10 minutes and drain.
Transfer to a large pot and add fresh water, covering the wheat plus 3 inches.
Boil until the wheat kernels open (in a pressure cooker, this takes about an hour; in a regular pot, at least 2 hours).
When the wheat is done, stir in the salt, cook for another 2 minutes and remove from heat.
Place the lemon leaves in the bottom of a colander and add the cooked wheat on top to drain.
Spread the wheat and lemon leaves out on a clean white towel laid out on a marble or stone surface to dry (about 4 to 5 hours).
Combine ground cinnamon and cloves to mix well.
When the wheat is completely dry, add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Place on doilies on a tray and decorate with Jordan almonds and silver dragees according to church custom.

Kollyva is served in heaping tablespoons in cups or on small plates to each person attending the funeral or memorial service.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
300	Calories
8g	Fat
54g	Carbs
9g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24 to 32
Amount per serving
Calories	300
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	10%
Saturated Fat 1g	4%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 790mg	34%
Total Carbohydrate 54g	20%
Dietary Fiber 7g	25%
Total Sugars 25g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 2mg	11%
Calcium 88mg	7%
Iron 3mg	15%
Potassium 361mg	8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.