Memorial Kutia with Rice and Raisins

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make memorial kutia? Get your ingredients ready. Use whatever rice you like best and know how to cook so it stays loose and fluffy, and use seedless raisins (golden raisins look especially nice).

2. Step 2:

   

   Rinse the rice well in several changes of water — warm water works best. (I picked up this trick from an Uzbek cook making pilaf: rice rinsed in warm water and kept covered with warm water until you use it doesn't break up and turns out fluffy after cooking.)

3. Step 3:

   

   Rinse the short-grain rice well in warm water; you can let it soak a bit, which helps it cook faster and more evenly.

4. Step 4:

   

   Cover the rice with water and cook until tender, keeping the ratio in mind: 2 cups of water per 1 cup of rice. Once it boils, cook over low heat so it cooks evenly. You can also use the microwave — cook uncovered at full power for 10 minutes (mine is 800 W), then salt to taste and finish at medium power, adding water if needed.

5. Step 5:

   

   The golden raisins also need a good rinse — hot water is best here, since dried fruit is often coated with an oily film to help it keep, and hot water washes it off better. Then pour boiling water over the raisins and let them plump up, drain them in a sieve, and blot them dry with a paper towel.

6. Step 6:

   

   Put the butter in a skillet.

7. Step 7:

   

   Add the sugar and the prepared raisins. Bring it to a gentle simmer — the sugar dissolves into the butter and forms a caramel that coats the plumped raisins.

8. Step 8:

   

   The caramelized raisins are ready — they're what we'll dress the kutia with. Keep in mind they're very sweet, and the added caramel makes the whole dish sweeter still, so adjust the sweetness of the kutia by how many raisins you add.

9. Step 9:

   

   The rice is done — it should be fluffy and not watery.

10. Step 10:

    

    Stir the caramelized raisins into the kutia and mix.

11. Step 11:

    

    Rice kutia with raisins is traditionally served at the memorial table in small deep bowls, set out evenly around the table along with honey and pancakes.