Zhingyalov hats facts for kids
Zhingyalov hats (Armenian: Ժենգյալով հաց), also known as zhengyalav hatz, is a tasty flatbread filled with finely chopped herbs and green vegetables. It's a traditional food for Armenians, especially from the Nagorno-Karabakh and Syunik areas. This special bread is a big part of their culture and is enjoyed by many.
In 2015, the Republic of Artsakh even held a festival just for Zhingyalov hats! It was a way to celebrate this unique and delicious dish.
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How is Zhingyalov Hats Made?
Making Zhingyalov hats is a bit like an art! It involves carefully preparing the dough and choosing the right mix of greens.
The Special Dough
First, a simple dough is made without yeast, which means it's "unleavened." This dough is then rolled out until it's super thin, almost like paper. This thinness is important for the final texture of the bread.
Picking the Right Herbs
The filling is what makes Zhingyalov hats so special. It's a mix of 10 to 20 different kinds of herbs and green vegetables, both wild and grown in gardens. These greens are finely chopped and mixed with a little oil.
The secret to a great Zhingyalov hats is getting the herb mix just right. Some greens, like lettuce, spinach, and beet greens, form the main part of the filling because they have a mild taste. Other herbs with stronger flavors, like chervil or allium, are used in smaller amounts. Sour-tasting greens, such as rumex, and spicy ones, like laserpitium, are also added carefully. Bitter greens, like taraxacum, are used very sparingly. Sometimes, people also add bryndza (a type of cheese) and fried onions to the mix for extra flavor.
Cooking It Just Right
Once the dough is filled with the herb mixture, the Zhingyalov hats are cooked quickly. They are usually fried for about 10 minutes on a special round griddle called a "saj" or "sajin" (Armenian: սաջին). Another way to cook them is in a tonir, which is a type of clay oven, for just a couple of minutes.
When it's ready, Zhingyalov hats is often eaten with drinks like beer, doogh (a yogurt drink), or wine. It's especially popular during the Great Lent, a time when many people eat plant-based foods.
