Christmas is a significant holiday for Ukrainians. It is both a state and family holiday, and it is eagerly awaited in every Ukrainian home. This day is an official holiday and an occasion to get together with the whole family. Since it is customary in Ukraine to set out a hearty feast for big holidays, a rich table for guests is a must-have. We have already learned a little more about celebrating Christmas and New Year traditions in Ukrainian families, and now we will learn more about the traditional...
8 delicious recipes for kutia (sweet grain pudding)
Kutia or kutya is a special sweet grain dish that is first served at the Ukrainian Christmas Eve Supper (Sviata Vecheria or Svyata Vecherya in Ukrainian). Kutia is not only a delicious dish loved by many but also a symbol of good harvest and abundance for the whole next year. Ukrainian ancestors believed that the tastier and richer Christmas kutia is, the better the harvest and the bigger the family's wealth will be. Depending on what holiday the kutia is prepared for, it can be of three kinds: rich, generous,...
Ukrainian Christmas kutia with raisins, poppy seeds, and nuts
Kutia (kutya) is a traditional Ukrainian dish, a sweet grain pudding that is served on Christmas Eve dinner (also known as Svyata Vecherya). Kutia symbolizes fertility and abundance, and it is believed that good luck will come to every home where it is served. The richer in taste kutia is, the more successful and prosperous will be the coming year for the whole family. The main ingredients of kutia are wheat berries, nuts, poppy seeds, and honey. Each of these components has its own symbolic meaning. Wheat berries symbolize eternity,...