Khash

Խ ա շ

all-day bone broth

The easiest way to describe khash is that it’s a rich broth made of calves’ feet. But the real answer is more of a social ritual involving at least four people that starts at the crack of dawn (or no later than 9 a.m.) and lasts through several toasts—and vodka shots—before ideally leading to a nap. The day typically ends with Armenian coffee and sweets—and a plan for the next khash party.

Not too long ago, khash parties were for men only (the hangover cure of champions), but the events have become a lot more inclusive in recent years. The best time of the year for khash events is late fall and winter. By November, Yerevan’s GUM market is ready with khash party supplies, the sidewalk lined with tables holding impeccably white calves feet, the hoof ends neatly pointed toward the customers. Inside, stacks of lavash rolled into tubes and dried are sold for the specific purpose of crumbling into the broth to thicken it. If the season for khash in Yerevan is over, those who need their fix can head into the snow-capped mountains. One summer, Ara and his family went by taxi to Mount Aragats, a volcanic peak northwest of Yerevan, to eat khash. After inviting the driver to join them, they sat beside a clear alpine lake, sopping up the broth with lavash.

In California, Ara makes khash not only for parties but also to recover from triathlons. With all the collagen in the broth, it has to have some sort of restorative properties. Calves’ feet, which give the broth its rich body, can be found at Middle Eastern or kosher butcher shops, as well as at Asian markets. Ara likes to add onion and garlic to the broth for flavor, but in Armenia the broth is made solely with the bones and water. When throwing a khash party, have both dried and fresh lavash at the table so everyone can customize their bowl, crumbling dried lavash into the broth to thicken it while draping fresh lavash over the bowl to keep it “cozy.” So you may want more lavash at the table than is called for in this recipe. Everything else on the table—the minced garlic, salt, lemon wedges, and herb and cheese plate—is all there to enhance the khash experience. (Ara also offers Aleppo pepper at the table.) And there is always vodka to help with digestion. “You cannot eat khash without vodka,” the saying goes, “they are like brothers.”

Serves 8

BROTH

4 lb [1.8 kg] calves’ feet, each foot cut into 3 to 6 pieces

1 yellow onion, quartered

4 garlic cloves, peeled but kept whole

TO SERVE

8 sheets homemade Lavash (page 48) or 4 sheets store-bought lavash

1 head garlic, broken into cloves and peeled

¹/₂ tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

3 lemons, cut into wedges

DAY ONE To make the broth, place the feet in a 12 qt [12 L] stockpot and cover with cold water. Refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 2 days, changing the water once or twice. This allows the meat to soften and removes any impurities, resulting in a cleaner-tasting broth.

Drain the water and rinse the feet. Return the feet to the pot and cover with about 2 in [5 cm] of water. Add the onion and garlic cloves. Bring the pot to a boil, then partially cover and lower to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 hours, checking the water level occasionally to ensure the bones are always covered. The broth will have a yellow tint from the fat; using a ladle, skim as much of the fat from the top as you can. When the broth is ready, the meat should feel tender when pierced with a fork and slide off easily from the bone. You can also test to see if the broth is done by dipping a finger (if you are tolerant to heat) or the spoon into the broth and then pressing your fingers together or holding the spoon against a plate. If the broth feels sticky, it is ready. If not, cover and continue to simmer for 1 hour more and test again (the broth should not take more than 8 hours).

Let the broth cool with the onion, garlic, and meat in it. At this point, the broth can be refrigerated overnight.

Cut the lavash pieces in half. Keep half of them in a plastic bag to prevent them from drying out. (If they feel dry, mist them with a little water, wrap them in a kitchen towel, and let them soften.) Leave the remaining lavash uncovered at room temperature to dry. This can be done overnight. If the lavash isn’t crisp, toast the pieces in an oven heated to 350ºF [180ºC] for 6 to 8 minutes. This lavash will be used to crumble into the broth to thicken it.

DAY TWO When the broth is completely cold, a layer of yellow fat will have risen to the top. Use a spoon to scrape off and remove the fat from the top. Pull out the large bones, leaving the meat behind, and bring the broth to a simmer.

Before serving, place the peeled garlic cloves in a mini food processor and blend with the salt. (This step takes away some of the raw bite of the garlic, but it is optional; you can also serve the garlic minced without the salt.) Transfer the garlic to a bowl and set on the table along with the remaining ingredients for serving.

To serve, divide a couple of pieces of meat into each bowl and spoon the hot broth on top. Advise guests to add 1 tsp of garlic, a squeeze of lemon, and a generous pinch of salt before tasting. From there, they can season it more as they please.

Before eating, crush dried lavash directly over the bowl and mix it into the broth, and offer fresh lavash alongside for dipping. If you’re so inclined, pour your guests small shots of vodka.

Khorovats
ARMENIAN GRILLING

While grilling meat on skewers is common around the world, the act is taken on with rare passion in Armenia. The celebratory nature of khorovats was on full display on May 8, 2018, when the country’s Velvet Revolution culminated in the election of Nikol Pashinyan as prime minister. Traffic stopped in Yerevan to make room for a citywide party, and revelers dragged their charcoal-fueled mangals into the streets, dancing with skewers of meat pointing at the sky. That’s what makes khorovats easy to like: the equipment is mobile, the preparation is simple, and the chargrilled results can fuel a party.

It doesn’t take a revolution to go all-in on a khorovats feast, though. Something as simple as good weather and an opportunity to get together with family and friends can be reason enough to celebrate.

For those unacquainted with the term khorovats, think of shish kebab, except that instead of meat and vegetables threaded onto the same skewer, the two are cooked separately to ensure both are evenly cooked. The biggest difference between a mangal (a khorovats-style grill) and an American grill is the lack of grates; cooks prop long skewers of meat and vegetables over either side of the mangal, suspending the meat and vegetables directly over the embers without worrying that some pieces will stick to the grill.

Some styles of khorovats are also cooked in a tonir, picking up the smoke left from the embers of the fire that fueled a lavash-baking session. But the more direct connection between khorovats and lavash is that the flatbread is simply practical to have on hand. Wrap a sheet around the meat and tug on the skewer until you unsheathe it like a sword.

We learned about the nuances of khorovats during a conversation with Armen Qefilyan, a chef in the northern town of Alaverdi. Qefilyan took home first place in a national khorovats competition in 2009, a victory that allowed him to grow his business. He now operates two restaurants catering to tourists visiting UNESCO World Heritage monasteries along the Debed Gorge. To Armen, there might as well be a metaphorical Debed Gorge separating the act of dragging a mangal into the street and how he prepares championship-worthy khorovats. Compared with most of the khorovats we saw, where flames licked the meat as it cooked, Armen favors a gentle fire, one that allows him to hold his hand over the coals and count to twelve. For his winning entry in the competition, he seasoned lamb with salt, paprika, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried savory, and threaded the meat onto skewers with lamb tail fat in between the pieces to enhance richness. To present his entry to the judges, he placed the lamb on a sheet of lavash and scattered pomegranate seeds on top.

Armen’s low-and-slow khorovats technique yields not only exquisite lamb but also tender pork chops, which we ate under a tree at his namesake restaurant, Armen’s. Yet there is a place for flame-licked char in khorovats cooking. In Stepanakert, we stepped into a local police hangout and ordered pork khorovats, watching as the cook threw branches into the corner of the stone mangal, causing the flames to crawl up its sides. Our chops, which came bundled in lavash with sliced onions and herbs, were charred in parts, but they were also salty and juicy—and so memorable we wished we could have returned for more. Taking these two extremes into consideration, we opt for the middle ground, somewhere between a gentle and roaring fire, which gives more room for whatever is on the menu that day.

With a bit of prep and our guide on page 162, you’ll be grilling like a champion in no time.

A Guide to Khorovats

Before you start, go over options for setting up a grill and then make a seasoning rub. With the following guidelines, you’ll be able to scale up or down the amount of food you prepare, depending on how many people you’re feeding.

1. CONFIGURE YOUR GRILL

Mangals are rectangular boxes made of steel; they run about 6 to 8 in [15 to 20 cm] deep and 12 to 18 in [30.5 to 46 cm] wide, and can be anywhere from 2 to 10 ft [0.6 to 3 m] long. The length isn’t the important part, though; it’s the width that matters. Because a mangal does not have grill grates, the skewers need to act like grates. You get this effect by propping the skewers across the mangal like rungs on a ladder.

Before you start, ensure you have skewers that fit comfortably crosswise on your mangal. In Armenia, they’re called shampoors, but elsewhere they go by other names, such as shashlik skewers or kebab skewers. The most important thing is that they are long, metal, and either flat or beveled but never round (this allows the meat to stay snugly in place as you rotate the skewers). Search for “mangal” online and chances are you’ll be directed to some appropriate skewers.

If you’re all set with skewers but short a mangal, make one out of a classic round Weber grill. Simply remove the grill grate and make sure your skewers are at least the diameter of the Weber. Place one skewer across one side of the mouth of the grill and one skewer across the other side of the grill to make a rectangle. This will hold your skewers and allow you to rotate your skewers without burning your hands. If your skewers aren’t long enough but you have an old barbecue chimney starter, try to place it upside down in the center of the Weber and scatter the charcoal pieces around it. Then you can prop the skewers over the grill like spokes on a bicycle.

And if you don’t have a Weber grill but are out camping or having a picnic, configure a mangal with a large, deep aluminum foil roasting pan. Just place coals on the bottom and start them up, lay skewers right on top, and you’ll have a super-makeshift, disposable mangal.

If you’re working with a gas grill, see if the skewers are long enough to fit across the grill without falling in. Or try to remove half of the grates. On the open section, lay a fish basket across the grill and use it as a way to prop the ends of the skewers on one side so they don’t fall in.

If you can’t do without the grates, just ensure that the grill grates you are using are very clean and lightly oiled to prevent meat and vegetables from sticking.

2. MARINATE AND SKEWER THE MEAT

We took a cue from Armen Qefilyan and kept the seasonings simple, allowing the quality of the meat to shine through and the fire to do the rest of the work.

Seasoning Rub

Makes enough for 20 lb [9 kg] of meat or fish, about 6 khorovats parties

¹/₂ cup [85 g] kosher salt

¹/₄ cup [28 g] dried thyme

¹/₄ cup [28 g] dried savory (preferably summer savory)

3 Tbsp ground black pepper

3 Tbsp sweet paprika

Mix all the ingredients together and store indefinitely in an airtight container at room temperature.

For every 1 lb [455 g] of meat or fish, marinate with 2 tsp of Seasoning Rub and one-quarter of a thinly sliced yellow onion.

3. PICK A PROTEIN

Beef tenderloin, rib eye, pork loin, pork tenderloin, pork riblets, leg of lamb, lamb chops, whole trout—you get it, the choices are endless. The one thing that stays constant is the size of the cubes used for khorovats.

With the exception of chops and whole trout, the meat is best when cut into cubes of similar size so they cook evenly. Generally speaking, plan on 3 lbs [1.4 kg] of boneless lamb, pork, steak, or chicken thighs for six to eight people. In Armenia, you never want to be short on meat in case that party of six unexpectedly increases to a party of ten. Plus, leftovers make good sandwiches smashed between pieces of Matnakash (page 68).

FOR BONELESS MEAT: Cut the meat into 1¹/₂ to 2 in [4 to 5 cm] cubes. In a large bowl, mix the meat well with the Seasoning Rub and one-quarter of yellow onion per lb [455 g]. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Thread the pieces of meat onto skewers straight through the center of each cube, so that the pieces touch each other (but are not squished together). Leave enough metal exposed at the ends so the skewer can be propped onto the edges of the grill.

FOR BONE-IN MEAT: Marinate the meat the same way as the cubed meat, but ensure the bone runs alongside the skewer when skewering the meat. Lamb and pork chops can be skewered this way. Depending on the size of the cuts, two large chops and three to four small chops can fit on one skewer.

For trout, use the same amount of seasonings to marinate the fish but shorten the marinating time to 30 minutes. Skewer the fish from the mouth to the tail so the skewer runs parallel with the backbone, and use one large skewer per fish.

4. COOK THE PROTEIN

Keeping an eye out for all the variables, such as the heat, the type of grill, and the meat itself, is all part of the fun and experience of khorovats.

START THE FIRE: One of the keys to good khorovats is hot coals. Any lump hardwood, such as mesquite, oak, or even grapevine, will work. If you have a chimney starter, start the coals in it by crumpling up newspaper into balls at the base and then placing the lump hardwood on top, using pieces of different sizes to enhance the fire-catching abilities of the chimney. Light the paper at the base of the chimney and let it burn until the coals start to catch fire and glow. Using a grill mitt, lift the chimney by the handle out of the grill. Then pile the coals back up with grill tongs, adding a little more charcoal to keep the fire going. Let the coals burn until gray and covered in ash, with no black showing, then spread them out across the grill for even, direct-heat cooking.

TEMPERATURE CHECK: When you can hold your hand over where you’re placing the skewers for no more than 5 seconds, the fire is ready to go for quick-cooking, tender cuts of meat and any kind of fish. For tougher cuts of meat that benefit from slower cooking times, opt for a flame that’s slightly cooler and allows you to hold your hand over the coals for 6 to 7 seconds. Keep an eye on the charcoal as you work, adding more to fuel the fire if the coals start to cool before you’re ready to call it a day.

START GRILLING: While cooking, rotate the skewers often and keep them near the center of the grill where it’s hotter. Flare-ups happen when rich cuts of meat drip fat into the coals, and they can add a nice char, but they should be few and far between. If you have too many flare-ups, move the affected skewer to a cooler part of the grill.

For tender boneless cuts, such as beef tenderloin, rib eye, pork loin, pork tenderloin, and tender bone-in cuts, like lamb chops, cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side or until nicely golden brown, with a bit of char in places.

For tougher cuts of meat, like pork ribs, beef ribs, and leg of lamb, cook for at least 10 to 15 minutes per side, rotating often. Calculate longer cooking times for bone-in chicken pieces, too.

5. SERVE UP THE KHOROVATS

Have a large bowl with a thinly sliced yellow onion ready so that when the meat comes off the grill, you can pull the meat off the skewer with tongs directly into the bowl. Give it a good mix so that the juices mingle with the onion and then sprinkle some chopped flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, and dill over the top (a handful of each chopped herb will do the trick).

6. REMEMBER THE VEGETABLES

While the grill is going, grill vegetables, too. In Shushi, an ancient fortress city outside of Stepanakert, Saro Saryan runs a guesthouse where he feeds visitors with khorovats, including potatoes threaded onto skewers interspersed with pieces of pork fat. Smoky and rich, they were a highlight of the feast. Options for vegetables include Anaheim or Hungarian peppers, whole tomatoes, whole eggplant, and either whole or sliced potatoes.

For all vegetables, coat them in a little oil and season with a little salt and pepper—the grill will do the rest of the seasoning. Consider grilling vegetables like eggplants and tomatoes before the meat because they can be served at room temperature (or turned into Khorovats Salad, page 167).

GRILLED EGGPLANT: Use 1 long, slender eggplant, such as Italian eggplant, for two or three people. Cut off the stem ends and then skewer the eggplant from end to end. (If they are small, you may be able to fit 2 on each skewer.) Coat with a little oil and season with salt. Cook the eggplants, rotating every 5 to 10 minutes, until they are tender all the way through, with the skin mostly charred in places but not completely black, 15 to 20 minutes. Slide the eggplants off the skewers. To serve, split open each eggplant and season with salt, pepper, a little oil, and chopped herbs, such as cilantro, flat-leaf parsley, and dill.

GRILLED TOMATOES: Pick 1 sturdy ripe tomato per person. Trim the stem ends and thread them onto the skewer from end to end. Coat with a little oil and season with salt. Cook the tomatoes, rotating once, until the skin begins to blister and turn black, 4 to 6 minutes. Slide the tomatoes off the skewer and season with salt and pepper.

GRILLED POTATOES: Pick 1 Yukon gold potato or 2 fingerling potatoes per person. If using Yukon golds, slice them crosswise into 1 in [2.5 cm] rounds. If using fingerlings, slice off the tips of each potato. Coat the potatoes with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to rub the oil and seasonings over the potatoes evenly. Spear the Yukon gold slices crosswise at a slight diagonal, ensuring there is space between each piece to encourage even cooking. Spear the fingerling potatoes from end to end. Grill, rotating the skewers every 5 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes.

7. REMEMBER THE LAVASH

You can also use a hot grill to cook up sheets of lavash for a khorovats feast. The difference is that you’ll need grill grates or a way to prop a large (two-burner) cast-iron griddle across the grill. It’s also best to cook lavash before anything else so the coals are at their hottest. For more on grilling lavash, see page 53. If you aren’t planning on making lavash, buy some to have handy for eating with khorovats.

8. USE THE OVEN

If it rains on your khorovats parade, take the party inside and make use of the oven and its broiler setting. This is where casserole-friendly Urfa Kebab (page 169) can save the day.