Courtesy Wikimedia Creative Commons
My pioneer Ukrainian forebears, homesteaders to Alberta, probably celebrated with this Christmas Kutia bread as the temperature approached -30 outside.
2 cups wheat
3 quarts water
1 cup poppy seed
2/3-cup sugar
1/3 cup honey, dissolved in ¾ cup hot water
½ cup chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans
- Dry wheat in 250F oven for one hour, stirring occasionally. Wash and soak in cold water overnight.
- Next morning, bring wheat to boil, simmer 3-4 hours until kernels burst open.
- Scald poppy seeds, simmer 3-5 minutes. Drain and grind with mortar and pestle. Set aside.
- Combine honey & sugar in hot water. Set aside.
- Add all to cooled boiled wheat.
Why not include this recipe as a part of your holiday festivities?
The recipe comes from the Ukrainian Daughter’s Cookbook from the Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada, Regina Saskatoon.
Paula Pederson 
Is the loaf of bread baked in an oven? The wheat is ground or whole grains? I would like to try this, but I need to understand it better unfortunately
I don’t know, Maria. I saw this recipe and was impressed with the time it would take to make this. Here everyone is so rushed they only make half prepared so called “convenience” foods. Without the fresh ingredients the flavor often suffers.