Laos tsivkia or xidkia - rabbit stew
«Λαός τσιβκιά στον φούρνο» Πηγή: Δημητρίου Δήμητρα, 2010
Rabbit stew, where vinegar is plentiful.
Name - Origin
A rabbit stew, with plenty of vinegar (Yangoullis 2009, entry ξιδκιά,η, 322; Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Λαός ξιδκιάς, 75).
Xenophon P. Pharmakidis in his Glossary notes that tsivkia is a dish name. Tsivkia is prepared with almost only rabbit meat (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry τσιβκιά,η, 232). Laos tsivkia was also called xidkia, after the vinegar used to give a special taste to the stew (Xioutas 1978, 190).
ETYM tsivkia < French civet ( Yangoullis 2009, entry τσιβκιά,η, 491; Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Λαός τσιβκιάς, 75). Simos Menardos agrees with Constantine C. Yiagoullis and Eugenia Petrou-Poeitou, Simos Menardos agrees, considering that the word comes from the French civet, which in French means stew. Pharmakidis stresses that without vinegar there is no τσιωκια. Therefore, tsivkia would be produced from xidkia and this from χιδι (vinegar), so the ξ would fall into the pronunciation of τσ and the δ into the pronunciation of β; unless the word is foreign (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry τσιβκιά,η, 232). Eugenia Petrou-Poeitou also mentions the word ciboule, which means small onions, which especially used for stew (PetrouPoeitou 2013, entry Λαός ξιδκιάς, 75).
Rabbit tsivkia: housewives would cut up the meat, add several onions, bay leaves, pepper and wine and vinegar and cook it on low heat until the water evaporated. In some areas, ripe tomatoes were added (Xioutas 1978, 190).
Pharmakidis notes the following about cooking the rabbit tsivkia: The meat is cut into pieces and several chopped onions, vinegar and oil are added (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry τσιβκιά,η, 232).
Functional and symbolic role
Tsivkia is the most common way of cooking rabbit in Cyprus and probably has influences from Byzantium, where rabbit was cooked in wine. It was common in houses with hunters (Xioutas 1978, 190).
Additional information and bibliography
Xioutas P. (1978), Κυπριακή λαογραφία των ζώων, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XXXVIII, Nicosia.
Petrou-Poeitou E. (2013), Από πού κρατάει η σκούφια τους. Λέξεις και ιστορίες από τον κόσμο της γεύσης, Epiphaniou Publications, Nicosia.
Demetra Dimitriou, Argyro Xenophontos, Tonia Ioakim
Traditional Recipes
Rabbit stew with honey
The sautéed rabbit is cooked in a sauce of vinegar, wine, tomatoes and honey. Served with pilaf pourkouri.