There are many foods and desserts in the world, which are known by the names of different cities and countries and are considered the representatives of particular cultures and nations. Since the beginning of the new century, efforts have been started to record the foods of different cultures. In Iran, these efforts have led to the formation of a list of foods prepared by various ethnic groups and cultures as a measure to preserve and sustain them. Kachi is one of the delicious and nutritious Iranian puddings that is very popular in the city of Abuzaid Abad.

Where Is Abuzaid Abad Located?

Abuzaid Abad is one of the cities of Aran va Bidgol County in the north of Isfahan Province. This city is the center of the Kavirat District of this County and it is 30 km away from Aran va Bidgol City (the center of the county by the same name) and is known as one of the desert cities of Iran. The warm-hearted people of Abuzaid Abad host many tourists every year, most of whom travel to this city to visit the Siazgeh Desert and enjoy its pristine and peaceful nature.

Kachi and Its Historical Background

Kachi is one of the old and native puddings of Abuzaid Abad, which is not cooked anywhere else, even in the cities of Kashan, Aran va Bidgol. This pudding can also be used as a snack that is mostly consumed in autumn and winter. Cooking Kachi requires special raw materials and a special method, and consuming it is also done with special customs in Abuzaid Abad. The people of this city mainly eat Kachi in their family gatherings, and they believe that eating this food in the company of family, friends, and relatives makes it taste better and more enjoyable. Kachi is usually cooked on holidays so that it is possible to have a family and friends get together. Kachi is mostly used in the morning and about two hours before noon (i.e. lunchtime).

Ingredients and Recipe

Corn, wheat, curd, meat, onion, and roasted mint are the basic ingredients of this Kachi. To cook this pudding, wheat is ground first with manual mills. Grinding wheat means crushing it in such a way that it does not turn into flour and its grains are recognizable. Kachi is cooked in a copper pot. Despite the fact that gas stoves are available to all the people of Abuzaid Abad, they cook this pudding with firewood and believe that using wood to cook this food makes it more delicious.

To cook this pudding, they fill the pot halfway with water, and as soon as it boils, they add the bulgur to it. Since corn needs less time to cook, corn is added to it after the wheat is cooked. Finally, some wheat flour and corn flour are poured into the water to balance the concentration of the mixture. It takes two to three hours to cook this Kachi and to set it, most of this time is dedicated to boiling the ingredients. During this time, other ingredients of Kachi (mint, curd, and meat) are prepared.

They use native sheep Kashk in Kachi. The kashk is ground, poured into a little water, and stirred until it dissolves well in the water. The meat used in this pudding is fried with natural sheep fact and no cooking oil is added to it. In the past, the people of Abuzaid Abad would roast the meat at the beginning of autumn and put it in special clay pots. This allowed them to keep the meat for a longer time and use it for stew or Kachi until the end of winter. Since roasting meat is laborious and time-consuming, sometimes the meat is fried and used in Kachi. Roasted mint is another ingredient used in Kachi, which is obtained by frying mint in oil. After the Kachi is ready, it is poured into a circular dish, and the middle is filled with diluted kashk, roasted meat, and roasted mint. The dish is then placed in the middle of the table and everyone pours some of it into their own plate.

National Kachi Register

The “Cooking method of traditional Kachi of Abuzaid Abad was inscribed on the list of Iran’s intangible national heritage in the year 2021 AD