A lot of people who come to Armenia will think that Armenian Cuisine is based on meat. However, if you look just a little closer you will find quite a big array of soups. Some of them will contain meat, but the majority will have cereal or different types of greens and vegetables.
Meat soups in Armenia are generally prepared from beef, like Khash. Some will contain chicken, like Arganak or lamb, like Bozbash. Fish is also used in soups. There are many different methods of preparing and each one varies a little bit from another. There are of course traditional way of making them, which probably will top all others. Along with other soups mentioned above Kololik, Kufta soup and Khashlama are some of the most famous meat soups in Armenia.
Cereal soups are the most diverse in the Armenian cuisine. There are dozens of kinds and variations of them. Locals love cereal soups because it is nutritious, much easier to prepare and it tastes just as good. The main ingredients are the endemic types of cereal that are growing in the Armenian Highlands, although foreign ones like rice is widely used as well. Harissa is the most famous one. It is made from a special mix of wheat, emmer and barley.
Despite the love for meat of Armenians, there is a wide range of greens and vegetables soups. The methods of preparation differs greatly for each of the plant. Some will require drying prior to usage and some should be prepared right after cutting for best taste and health benefits. Pipert, Aveluk and Turluh are just a couple of the huge variety of vegetable soups of the Armenian cuisine. Even mushrooms did not go unnoticed. They are good element for this delicious soup.
Armenian cuisine is also rich with soups made from dairy product such as milk or yogurt. The most famous ones are Spas, Katnapour and Katnov. To some they will have a special appeal since they are different from any other type of soup. The base of the soup is usually water, but in this case it is milk or other milk-based product.
All restaurants around the country offer several types of soups. Some will even deliver to your desired location. If you reside outside of Armenia look for an Armenian restaurant in your city, there is a good chance you will find one. If not you can always prepare a delicious soup for yourself and your loved ones.
