Agra Hadig
Agra Hadig (which translates to “Tooth Grain”) or simply Hadig, is an Armenian tradition celebrating baby’s first tooth. Hadig is the name of the dish and the tradition.
Hadig is usually celebrated at a family party and is, at its heart, a wish for abundance for the child. It is often celebrated around the same time as baby’s Christening or at baby’s 1st birthday.
The hadig (ceremony) should be timed to happen just before dessert, and the hadig (dish) is served as part of dessert.
Agra Hadig
A sweet dish to celebrate baby’s first tooth
Ingredients
- 500 grams whole wheat (or pearl barley)
- 200 grams sultanas
- 100 grams dried cranberries (or arils of one pomegranate)
- 100 grams dried blueberries
- 150 grams walnuts (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Decoration
- 60 grams mixed cachous (shiny sugar beads, or sprinkles)
- 1 pomegranate (arils)
- 100 grams glacé cherries (optional)
Instructions
- Whole wheat (right) gives a better result than pearl barley (left), which tends to break down more when cooked. Use pearl barley only if you are unable to find whole wheat. Prepare the whole wheat a couple of days before the hadig.
- Cook the whole wheat in plenty of water skimming the top regularly. About half way through replace water and keep cooking. Drain then rinse thoroughly. Allow to dry spread out on a tray to avoid the grains sticking together.500 grams whole wheat
- Keep the cooked wheat refrigerated – uncovered. This helps keep the grains separated. Run a spoon over the grains every 12 hours or so to dry them out a little further.
- Set aside around 150-200 grams of the cooked wheat – enough for each member of the family to sprinkle a pinch or two over the baby.
- The day before the hadig, mix the remaining wheat with the other ingredients. Leave overnight for flavours to develop.100 grams dried cranberries, 200 grams sultanas, 150 grams walnuts, 2 tablespoons caster sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Separate pomegranate arils and chop glacé cherries (if using) in quarters.
- Just before serving sprinkle with the cachous, pomegranate arils and glacé cherries.60 grams mixed cachous, 1 pomegranate
- The plain wheat that was set aside will be used to sprinkle over the baby’s head (see notes), and the main decorated hadig dish is served immediately afterwards.
Notes
The Agra Hadig “ceremony” is quite short and very informal with lots of laughs.
Place a sheet on the floor and lay out the toys on the sheet in front of where baby will sit. Cover the toys with a sheet of cloth. The aim is for baby not to see the objects – each signifying a different vocation – before the hadig.
Each attendee is asked to take a pinch of the plain hadig as they form a circle waiting for baby’s arrival.
Bring baby and have them sit on the sheet on the floor facing the toys. Traditionally, a tuile veil is place over the baby’s head, but most babies start to fuss when a veil is used, so over time we’ve found it easier to cover the toys instead of baby!
Family and friends then sprinkle their pinch of hadig over the baby’s head (with or without the veil), signifying a wish for abundance. There are often lots of smiles and laughs here to encourage baby to see the fun of it without fear.
The veil is removed from baby and the sheet is removed from over the toys. Every one waits patiently, encouraging baby to select an object. The first object baby selects, is said to predict their future vocation.
Remember it is a fun little ceremony, informal and light with plenty of laughter and happy wishes of abundance for baby.
There are some very traditional objects used to signify vocations and we have added to the list and modernised a little over time – floppy disks and computer mice were definitely not used for my hadig!
The list below is only limited by your imagination.
| Object | Vocation |
|---|---|
| Book | Scholar / Teacher |
| Pen | Writer |
| Jewellery | Jeweller |
| PC Mouse | Programmer / Analyst |
| Money | Investor |
| Calculator | Finance / Accountant |
| Wooden Spoon | Chef |
| Paintbrush | Artist |
| Ruler | Architect |
| Hammer | Builder |
| Camera | Photographer |
| Car / Truck | Mechanic |
| Ball | Sportsperson |
| Stethoscope | Doctor / Nurse |
| Tape Measure | Tailor / Seamstress |
| Xylophone | Musician |
| World Globe | Traveller / Adventurer |
| Gavel | Lawyer |
| Double adapter | Electrician |
Nutrition
Calories: 196kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 188mgFibre: 2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mg
