YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Master Chef Sedrak Mamulyan is advising Armenians to prepare traditional Armenian meals for the New Year celebration, and refrain from heavy foods.

“We are among the happy nations to have almost entirely inherited the celebration-ritual meal system from our ancestors, and it would be very good if during the holidays our society would preserve the tradition of serving these foods,” Mamulyan, a renowned chef, TV personality and head of the Development and Preservation of Armenian Culinary Traditions NGO, said at a press conference.

He said that the Navasard Harissa, aka Keshkek, is one of the traditional Armenian meals served during New Year holidays.

The Keshkek’s difference from the ordinary Harissa is that it contains lamb, and not chicken. Another difference, more of a symbolic one, is that Keshkek is not mixed after boiling, in order “for the New Year to be peaceful and without stirs”.

Another traditional New Year dish, according to Chef Mamulyan, is the Ktchakhash, aka Tsandil. The dish is made from grains, beans, peas, and recently also corn. The dish symbolizes harvest.

“There are provinces where traditions of serving these dishes are especially preserved, Syunik for example”, he said, adding that Armenians of Javakheti are also doing a good job in maintaining the traditions.

He also highlighted the tradition of serving the Tarehats (Year Bread), in which a coin is hidden for the lucky guest.

“Holiday tables always included the dolma and ghapama. The round gata is also mandatory, it symbolizes the sun. In times, gatas made in the shape of people or animals were frequently served. Interestingly, If there was a new bride in the household, they used to prepare the pastry in the forms of the woman”, he said.

The chef confessed that in his own family, they categorically do not serve the pork roast, a dish that has become popular in the New Year holiday season in Armenia in the past years.

“We serve turkey, different types of dolma, olive balls, and we always make the Tarehats”, he said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan