Marry Christmas

Here also there has come on January, 6th, Svjat evening – night before Christmas.

Christmas holiday to us has come with Christianity acceptance, and it is considered the second after Easter.

Before Christmas of the whole 40 days of a post (Fillip’s  post) that with pure soul to meet Christmas. And accordingly, a supper on  Svjat evening still the fast. It is accepted to do kutya, uzvar, peas, a fast borsch and pancakes, a stuffed cabbage with rice, dumplings with cabbage, fish, cabbage field, buckwheat cereal, pies. In total dishes should be 12, by quantity of apostles. Well, I have tried and have held on to 12 dishes, let and not the such is direct «dishes», and without a stuffed cabbage, dumplings, cabbage fieldand peas, but figure 12 was present precisely. 

6е – last day a post, the most strict, all the day long it is impossible to eat and drink number, and it is accepted to sit down to a table with the first star, in memory of the Bethlehem star which has notified shepherds on a birth of the Christ. I, truth, cannot brag that all the day long abstained because with some difficulty to work, therefore I suppose to drink juice with pulp or water with honey. Meal to exclude it appears easily. All the same to torment itself it is considered badly, patients can suppose indulgences in a post. So, with impatience waited for the first star and a supper. If it is fair, never did kutya  earlier. At our place it was, of course, accepted to mark Christmas, always considered as its magic holiday, but here kutya tried all once, and that of rice, and that at the girlfriend. Liked to tell fortunes on Christmas or on Kreshchensky evening, usually, that a hairbrush under a pillow, on notes with names, still that. Now it is not so interesting to me to guess, the promised already nearby (: And here we have decided to make kutya. I very much wanted from rice, but the husband has insisted that it is necessary to make the present. On that also have solved. All recipes have appeared identical. It was not necessary so especially to choose. I did so:

Wheat – a glass, has bought in a pack already cleared which should be cooked minutes 30-35. Has welded, adding water while it does not become soft. Has then washed out boiled cold water.

Raisin – to taste, has added somewhere two generous handfuls. Preliminary it is necessary to fill in it with boiled water that it has softened. Usually I am it in a colander under a stream of hot water, in parallel it and is washed out.

Nuts – has mixed walnuts, Cashew Nuts, a filbert, and almonds.

Has ground in a blender, that not strongly small, but also that not strongly large.

Poppy – the husband has pounded it in a mortar, has then filled in with boiled water. Has added honey because it has appeared that the poppy tastes bitter a little.

Honey – some spoons – in a poppy and in itself kutya.

Uzvar – has found in sale fruit for compote, has added raisin. There was nearby 200 gramme on 800 мл waters. Has boiled thoroughly a little, it has allowed to be drawn. Uzvar’s water put in already ready kutya. But not so, that soup has turned out, and is simple kutya is dryish without it in my opinion.

So, in ready wheat the poppy, nuts, raisin, honey is added, pours down slightly uzvar. Moves to a table. Still it is possible to add prunes, dried apricots, candied fruits and other to taste.

Components кутьи have the symbolical value. Wheat symbolises new life, raisin and a poppy – riches, honey – a dolce vita. The more richly kutya, the it will be better year for a family and the crop is better.

Very much was afraid that a certain muck with my first  cooking will turn out. It has appeared it is tasty. Whether it for hunger for all the day, whether indeed kutya such tasty. The husband has told that taste classical (:

All with Christmas! Let you will have a generous, rich and sweet year, as yours kutya! The world and a prosperity in your house!

With love, your Lju