Koliva is made for the Memorial Service. It symbolizes everlasting life and hope in the resurrection for the deceased one.
Ingredients
1 lb. soft spring wheat berries
1 c. walnuts, chopped
1 c. almonds, slivered
1 c. raisins (or dried fruit)
½ c. sesame seeds, toasted
½ c. pomegranate seeds
½ c. parsley, chopped
1-2 lbs. powdered sugar
Cooking Instructions
Boil the wheat until soft. After boiling for a while, you may want to pour out the water (which is cloudy and starchy) and fill the pan again and continue to boil. When berries are soft to taste, remove from heat, rinse and drain in a colander before drying. Lay out the drained wheat berries onto a cookie sheet lined with a cloth kitchen towel and spread the berries thin to enhance the drying process. Dry for several hours and occasionally move them around to allow the wetness to evaporate. Place dry wheat into a bowl and add all the ingredients, except the sugar, and mix well. (Opt. dried cranberries or chopped apricots) Omit any ingredient you don’t like. Mound the wheat in a bowl or on a rectangular tray. Cover the wheat with a ¼ inch thick layer of powdered sugar. Use waxed paper to press down on the sugar gently to form a smooth crust. Decorate with Jordan almonds, making a cross in the middle, placing small fresh flowers in the sign of the cross or writing the deceased person’s initials. You may want to put Jordan almonds along the periphery. There is no set way to decorate Koliva. The bowl will be blessed by the priest during the memorial service. Before serving it to the congregation, the powdered sugar must be stirred thoroughly into the wheat and ingredients. Each person who eats the Koliva prays for the soul of the deceased.
