A soup with bulgur wheat and/or vermicelli.
Name - Origin
A type of soup with bulgur wheat and/or vermicelli (Kythreotis 1971, 80; Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Σημυδκιά, 133).
Konstantinos C. Yangoullis points out that simíti refers to sesame bun, soup, groúta, shylárin, and mtf. beating (Yangoullis 2014, entry σιμιθκιά - σημιθκιά,η, 486).
ETYM. < turkish simit [simit = white bread], ottoman samîd [samîd = bulgur wheat, wheat flour samit = unsalted bread] or archaic σημύδα [simída = burch tree] (Yangoullis 2014, entry σιμιθκιά - σημιθκιά,η, 486) (see also below for etymology).
It should be mentioned that even today Cypriots still use a metaphorical phrase ‘I made him simithkia’ which derives from beating up someone so badly that he becomes like the consistency of simithkia soup, however, it is used metaphorically to denote that someone won with a high score (Kythreotis 1971, 80; Kypri 1979 [2002²], entry σημιδκιά,η, 429; Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry σημηδκιά,η, 217). Petrou-Poeitou, referring to the birch tree, notes that its wood is very soft. Hence the expression "He made him simithkiá", meaning he beat him up so much that his flesh became soft (Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Σημυδκιά, 133).
For the preparation of simithkia, housewives would boil bulgur wheat or vermicelli, add some flour and mix it very well until it had a s̆ylarin (porridge) consistency (Kythreotis 1971, 80).
Functional and symbolic role
Simithkia was a simple preparation with simple ingredients that was consumed for breakfast on cold winter days, but also a simple meal for poor families. They would add koukkourouthkia i.e. bread crumbs fried in olive oil to make the dish more tasty. It was customary in the villages of Mesaoria (Kythreotis, 1971).
Additional information and bibliography
Yangoullis K. G. (2014), Θησαυρός Κυπριακής Διαλέκτου. Ερμηνευτικό, Ετυμολογικό, Φρασεολογικό και Ονοματολογικό Λεξικό της Μεσαιωνικής και Νεότερης Κυπριακής Διαλέκτου, Βιβλιοθήκη Κυπρίων Λαϊκών Ποιητών, Theopress Publications, Nicosia.
Kythreotis I. (1971), «Σημειθκια με τα κουκκουρούθκια», Λαογραφική Κύπρος 1,1, 80.
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1979 [2002²]), Υλικά διά την σύνταξιν ιστορικού λεξικού της κυπριακής διαλέκτου, Μέρος Α΄, Γλωσσάριον Γεωργίου Λουκά, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XLI, Nicosia.
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1983 [2003²]), Υλικά διά την σύνταξιν ιστορικού λεξικού της κυπριακής διαλέκτου, Μέρος Β΄, Γλωσσάριον Ξενοφώντος Π. Φαρμακίδου, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, IX, Nicosia.
Petrou-Poeitou E. (2013), Από πού κρατάει η σκούφια τους. Λέξεις και ιστορίες από τον κόσμο της γεύσης, Epiphaniou Publications, Nicosia.
Demetra Demetriou, Argyro Xenophontos, Tonia Ioakim