Khash is a traditional dish in Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.Formerly a nutritious winter food for the rural poor, it is now considered a delicacy, and is enjoyed as a festive winter meal, usually by a company of men.

Modern day convention in Armenia dictates that it should be consumed during the month that has an ‘r’ in its name, thus excluding May, June, July, and August (month names in Armenian are derivatives of the Latin names). No such restriction on khash consumption exists in Georgia. A similar food is called piti in the vicinity of Kars Province, although piti is also made from feet of other livestock, primarily sheep.

Khash remains a purist meal with great parsimony in ingredients. The main ingredient in khash is cow’s feet, although other cow parts, such as the head and stomach (tripe) may also be used. The feet (known in Armenian as totikner) are depilated, cleaned, kept in cold water in order to get rid of bad smell, and boiled in water all night long, until the water has become a thick broth and the meat has separated from the bones. No salt or spices are added during the boiling process. The dish is served hot. One may add salt, garlic, lemon juice, or vinegar according to one’s tastes. Dried lavash is often crumbled into the broth to add substance. Khash is generally served with a variety of other foods, such as hot green and yellow peppers, pickles, radishes, cheese, and fresh greens such as cress. The meal is almost always accompanied by vodka (preferably mulberry vodka) and mineral water.

Khash is widely lauded for its supposed healing qualities. Its ingredients include various joints of the cow’s legs and feet, rich in cartilage and other connective tissues. It is widely believed that regular consumption of khash helps heal joint injuries and can even help alleviate or slow down the progress of arthritis

You can find authentic Armenian Khash on many Armenian Restaurants in Los Angeles.

Chee kufta (also called khema or kheyma) is a raw meat dish/delicacy from Armenian cuisine, similar to the Turkish çiğ köfte or the European steak tartare. It is made with either beef or lamb, and usually served as an appetizer.

In the beef variant, ground beef is used. Tendons and fat are removed before grinding the beef. Relatively expensive high-quality beef has to be used so that the meat can be safely served raw. London broil or top round are recommended choices for the ground beef.

Since lamb is considered a “clean meat”, and popular in Armenian cuisine, it is often used for chee kufta instead of beef. Both Armenians and Turks use chee kufta as a meze (Middle-Eastern appetizer), served almost freezing. The raw meat is not kept overnight and is reserved for special occasions. The lamb used must be deboned, degristled, and trimmed before it is prepared. The lamb is supposed to be butchered, bought, and prepared the very same day to ensure freshness.

With either meat, finely ground bulgur (durum and other wheat) is required. Other ingredients are mild onions, scallions, parsley, and usually green pepper. Variants of the dish may use tomato sauce, Tabasco, and mint leaves. When served, it may be gathered into balls, or in one piece. Crackers or pita bread are sometimes used to consume it.

In an episode of Taxicab Confessions set in Las Vegas, a young male Armenian tourist confirms to the cabdriver that his buddy (also a young male Armenian) is right that he would marry a woman who could prepare good chee kufta.

You can find authentic Armenian Chee Kufta on many Armenian Restaurants in Los Angeles