MAKING THE KOLIVA
6:00 P.M., FRIDAY EVENING, WASH THE WHOLE WHEAT KERNELS VERY WELL AND PUT IN A VERY LARGE POT WITH WATER. THE WATER SHOULD BE DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF KOLIVA IN THE POT AT ALL TIMES.
BRING TO A BOIL, GENTLY STIRRING OCCASIONALLY. DO NOT COVER POT OR WATER WILL SPUTTER. CONTINUE BOILING FOR APPROXIMATELY 3-4 HOURS (MAYBE MORE). STIR GENTLY EVERY 20 MIN. OR SO.
ADD WATER AS NEEDED TO KEEP A CONSTANT DOUBLE AMOUNT. YOU WILL KNOW WHEN THEY ARE DONE, IF MOST OF THE KERNELS HAVE SPLIT. IT'S BETTER FOR THEM TO BE ON THE SOFT SIDE, THAN ON THE HARD SIDE. THEY WILL STIFFEN IN DRYING.
REMOVE POT FROM HEAT AND SET ASIDE OVERNIGHT TO LET THE KERNELS SOAK IN THE JUICE.
SATURDAY AT APPROX. 7 A.M. COVER LARGE TABLE WITH PLASTIC BAGS AND PLACE 3 LAYERS OF BATH TOWELS ON TOP. THEN PUT A LAYER OF LINT FREE SHEETS OVER THEM. THIS IS WHERE THE KERNELS WILL BE LEFT TO DRY. THE AREA MUST BE BREEZY OR HAVE A FAN HANDY TO HELP IN DRYING. THEY WILL TAKE ALL DAY TO DRY.
DRAIN KERNELS INTO A COLANDER AND RETURN BACK INTO POT. TAKING 2 CUPS OF KERNELS AT A TIME, IN COLANDER, RUN UNDER COLD WATER, RUBBING THEM BETWEEN YOUR HANDS TO THOROUGHLY CLEAN THEM OF THE STICKY FILM THEY WILL HAVE. THIS FILM WILL BE NOTICED AS THE KERNELS DRY AND WILL CAUSE THEM TO STICK AND BECOME MUDDY IN THE MIX. DRAIN WASHED KERNELS INTO A SECOND COLANDER, AS YOU WASH THE NEXT 2 CUPS OF KERNELS. TRANSFER THE FIRST WASHED ONTO THE LINT FREE DRYING PLACE AND REPEAT THE PROCESS UNTIL ALL KERNELS ARE READY TO DRY. MAKE SURE YOU ARE RUBBING THEM BETWEEN YOUR HANDS TO RID THE FILM AT EACH CLEANING.
SPREAD THE KERNELS EVENLY ONTO THE LINT FREE SHEET AND TAKING A LINT FREE TOWEL, GENTLY RUB OVER THE KERNELS TO ABSORB ANY EXCESS WATER. A FEW TOWELS MAY BE NEEDED.
TAKING THE SHEET FROM THE CORNERS AND SIDES, LIFT KOLIVA OUT OF THE WAY TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE UNDERLAYING TOWELS AND REPLACE THE LINT FREE SHEET WITH ANOTHER.
TRANSFER THE KERNELS SLOWLY ONTO NEW SHEET AND SPREAD THEM EVENLY OVER ENTIRE AREA. OPEN WINDOWS OR TURN ON FAN TO DRY THEM. DRY USED TOWELS AND SHEET TO USE AGAIN IN APPROX 4 HOURS.
LET KERNELS DRY FOR 8 TO 10 HOURS, RUBBING THEM WITH A LINT FREE TOWEL OCCASIONALLY AND REDISTRIBUTING THEM ON THE SHEET TO HELP DRY THEM.
MAKING THE TRAY
AT APPROX. 8:00 P.M., DECORATE THE TRAY EDGE WITH DOILIES USING CLEAR TAPE TO HOLD DOWN THE EDGES. LINE BOTTOM AND SIDES WITH WAXED PAPER AND TAPE SO AS NOT TO MOVE. ANY WHITE DECORATIONS MAY BE USED TO DECORATE ADDITIONALLY.
(EG. ROSETTES, RIBBON, LACE, ETC.)
POUR DRIED KERNELS INTO A VERY LARGE PLASIC CONTAINER OR BOWL AND AND ADD:
SLIVERED ALMONDS
WHOLE SESAME SEEDS
WALNUTS
RAISINS
PARSLEY
POMEGRANATE
CINNAMON
MIX TOGETHER VERY WELL!!!