MAIN INGREDIENTS
Kutia is a Ukrainian, Russian, Belarusian, and Polish sweet grain pudding that is traditionally served as part of a twelve-meal Christmas Eve supper. Interestingly enough, this festive treat is believed to have existed long before Christianity.
It is made with wheat, berries, honey or sugar, nuts, raisins, and poppy seeds. On Christmas Eve, before consuming the dish, a small bowl of kutia is traditionally placed outdoors as a bribe to Father Frost, then some of the kutia is tossed to the ceiling, and the number of grains that stick to the ceiling are used to predict next year's agricultural prosperity.
Koliva is a traditional dish consisting of a combination of any of the following ingredients: boiled wheat kernels, honey, sugar, sesame seeds, walnuts, raisins, anise, almonds, and pomegranate seeds. In the Orthodox Christian religion, it is used as a ritual dish that is prepared for funerals, memorials, Lent, Slava, or Christmas, since it symbolizes death and resurrection.
This unique porridge is traditionally served with powdered sugar on top, while it is customary to stick a candle in the center and light it at the beginning of the service, then extinguish it at the end.
Sorrel soup or green borscht is a hearty, sour-flavored Ukrainian soup made with sorrel leaves, stock, butter, onions, sugar, lemon juice, sour cream, and beaten egg yolks. The soup is also popular in Russia and Belarus, and it can be served warm or chilled.
Today, there are numerous versions of the soup throughout Eastern Europe, so cooks add different ingredients into it, such as spinach, carrots, potatoes, or beetroot. Serve green borscht with a dollop of sour cream and a slice of rye bread.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Borsch
Korovai is a traditional wedding bread that is also popular in countries such as Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia. Instead of a cake, Ukrainians bake this massive, lavishly decorated bread that is often made by seven married women from seven different places.
Participation of widows in the bread-making process is forbidden, since it is believed that a piece of their fate will be forwarded to the prospective couple. There are many superstitions and rituals connected to korovai – for example, if the bread cracks in the oven, the marriage will be doomed.
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