If you are in Greece and after some breakfast on the run, Koulouri is a fabulous option for you, as it’s both filling and healthy!
Known as much-loved Greek street food, this round-shaped bread is packed with good carbohydrates and proteins. And if you are wondering what it tastes like, it is crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and sprinkled with plenty of sesame seeds on top.
Koulouri is enjoyed by people of all ages around the country and is most popular in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece’s largest city’s where you are guaranteed to come across a Koulouri stand. And it’s very common to see locals running around with a Koulouri in their hand as they head to work, school, or while they are out for a spot of shopping.
Some historians trace the Koulouri’s origins back to early Christianity and during Byzantine years is when it is said to have first appeared in Constantinople. It then became popular in Thessaloniki, when the Greeks from Asia Minor brought it to the Macedonian city around 1922.
Indeed, koulouri sellers in Constantinople harked their wares as “Thessaloniki koulouri” as did sellers in Athens many, many years later. The name stuck and the Thessaloniki koulouri became the iconic Greek snack.
The word Koulouri comes from the ancient Greek word “kollikion”, which means a round shaped bread made with coarsely ground wheat and is mentioned in many Byzantine scripts.
This tasty snack has slowly evolved and now comes in a variety of flavours including multi-seed, tahini, whole wheat and you can also find it filled with Greek cheese or meat. Lots of people also like to cut a Koulouri in half and spread Nutella, butter or jam on it. And while it’s traditionally made in a simple ring form, you may also find it twisted or braided.
Packed with carbohydrates and proteins, is virtually sold everywhere, in bakeries or on the streets. And while it’s usually in a simple ring form, you may also find it twisted or braided. Koulouria are not boiled and typically have a crunch when you bite into them.
If you want to taste one, it is best enjoyed fresh (buy it only in the morning) as it quickly turns hard after a few hours of exposure to the air. Fair warning, though they are very addictive.
*Images by Greek City Times (Copyright)