Khash (dish)

Khash(Armenian:խաշ) is a dish of boiled cow or sheep parts, which might include the head, feet, and stomach (tripe). It is a dish ofArmenianorigin.
Khash and its variations are traditional dishes inAfghanistan,Albania,Armenia,Azerbaijan,Bosnia and Herzegovina,Bulgaria,Georgia,Greece,Iran,Iraq,Turkey,North Macedonia,Mongoliaand somePersian Gulf countries.
The namekhashoriginates from the Armenian verb (խաշել), which means "to boil".The dish, initially calledkhashoy(Armenian:խաշոյ), is mentioned by a number of medieval Armenian authors, includingGrigor Magistros(11th century),Mkhitar Heratsi(12th century), and Yesayi Nchetsi (13th century).
ThePersiandesignationpachastems from the termpāče, literally meaning "trotter".The combination of a sheep's head and trotters is calledkalle-pāče, which literally means "head [and] trotter" in Persian.
Khash is known by the derivationskhashi(Georgian:ხაში) andAzerbaijani:xaş, respectively) it is also known by other designations, namelypacha(Persian:پاچه;Albanian:paçe; Neo-Aramaic:pacha;Mesopotamian Arabic:پاچة,romanized:pacha;Serbo-Croatian:pača;Bulgarian:пача;Hungarian:pacal;Greek:πατσάς),kalle-pache(Persian:کله‌پاچه;Turkish:kelle paça;Azerbaijani:kəllə-paça),kakaj šürpi(Chuvash:какай шÿрпи) orserûpê(Kurdish:سه‌روپێ).
In the medievalArmenianmedical textbookRelief of Fevers(1184), khash was described as a dish with healing properties, e.g., against snuffle. It was recommended to eat it while drinking wine.In case of ailment, khash from the legs of a yeanling (lamb or kid) was advised.
Armenian khash is prepared using boiled cow or sheep parts such as the head, feet, and stomach (tripe). Typically consumed early in the morning during the winter season, it is served with garlic, radish andlavash.InArmeniaand the rest of theSouth Caucasus, khash is often seen as food to be consumed after a party, as it is known to be consumed during battle hangovers (especially by men) and eaten with a "hair of the dog" vodka chaser.
Kalle-pache (kalle-pāče;kalla-pāča; literally meaning "head [and] trotter") consists of a sheep's head (including the brain) and trotters,and is typically seasoned withlemonandcinnamon.Usually consumed as a breakfast soup,kalle-pache is traditional to AfghanistanandIran.
In Iran, kalle-pache is usually cooked in specialty stores, and is served in the morning.It is especially consumed during cold seasons.To prepare kalle-pache, the sheep's head and trotters are collected, cooked, and treated as per the recipe.
Pacha is a traditionalIraqidish made from sheep's head, trotters, and stomach; all boiled slowly and served with bread sunken in the broth.The cheeks and tongues are considered the best parts. Many people prefer not to eat the eyeballs, which could be removed before cooking.The stomach lining would be filled with rice and lamb and stitched with a sewing thread (Arabic:كيبايات).Sheep brain is also included.
The dish is known inKuwait,Bahrain, and otherArabian Peninsulacountries asPacheh(باجه), since the Arabic alphabet has no letters 'p' and 'ch' so the dish is written with 'b' and 'j' as inBajehباجه). A variation of that is found in other Arab countries such as inEgyptand is known askawari'(كوارع), Egyptians eat cow brain and sheep brain.
Albania's popular pache (paçe) consists of a sheep's or any cattle's head, that is boiled until meat comes off easily. It is then stewed with garlic, onion, black pepper, and vinegar. Sometimes a little flour is added to thicken the stew. It is also frequently cooked with cattle feet or tripe. It makes a hot and hearty winter stew.
InTurkish culinary culture,pacha(paça) is a generic word for certain soup preparations, especially with offal, but also without it. In most parts ofTurkey, such as inKastamonu, for instance, the termayak paça("feet pacha") is used for cow, sheep, or goat hooves,and the termkelle paçais used for "head pacha" (chorba). Sometimes the termdil paçais also used fortonguesoup, while "meat pacha" is made withgerdan(scrag endof sheep's neck).In Turkey, the wordkellerefers to a sheep's head roasted in the oven, which is served after grilling at specialized offal restaurants.
TheGreekversion, calledpatsás(πατσάς), may be seasoned with red wine vinegar and garlic (skordostoubi), or thickened withavgolémono. The Greek version sometimes uses calf feet with the tripe.
Specializedtavernasserving patsa are known aspatsatzidika. Because patsas has the reputation of remedying hang-over and aiding digestion,patsatzidikaare often working overnight, serving people returning home afterdinnerorclubbing.