Tchestita Koleda Merry Christmas

In Bulgaria they place great importance on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day itself as the Bulgarians believe that Gods son was born then and they celebrate the birth with an important special dinner, consisting of twelve dishes, representing each of the twelve months of the year.
None of the dishes include any meat but there are nuts, fruit, vegetables and cakes.

It is tradition that farmers will strike the blazing Christmas log in their fireplaces to bring good health to their animals and to bring a good harvest.
Money is hidden in the ashes and these are placed in a tree to ensure a good crop.

Some Traditional Christmas Recipes
Bulgarian Tradition

In the round loaf there is a hidden coin, part of an important Christmas ritual. The eldest member of the family takes three pieces of bread and sets them aside - one piece for the Christ child, one for Mary and one for the household. He then breaks up the bread and gives a piece to everyone at the table.
The person who finds the coin in his piece is expected to have good fortune in the next year.
In some parts of the country, unmarried girls take their first piece of bread from the Christmas Eve meal and place it under their pillows, believing that they will then dream of their intended husband during the night.

ROUND LOAF
Ingredients:

1 kg flour
1 ½Tablespoon of Yeast
½ teaspoon sugar;
1 teaspoon salt;
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Sift the flour twice, make a well in the centre then fill with the yeast, add a small amount of water to the yeast then add the sugar and salt then knead to make dough, place a scalded coin in the middle.
Bake in a lightly buttered dish until it turns slightly golden, then spread with sugared water and bake for ten more minutes.

STUFFED CABBAGE/VINE LEAVES
Ingredients:

10-15 pickled cabbage/vine leaves
4 onions;
Salt and pepper
1 cup rice
2 red tomatoes - fresh or tinned
1 cup of chopped parsley
2 fresh red peppers
1 carrot
1 ½ cup vegetable oil
Chop the onions, fresh peppers and carrot and add salt to taste, then brown in vegetable oil.
When onion softens add the rice, then the tomatoes (peeled and grated), pepper and chopped parsley. Mix well.

Fill the cabbage leaves and wrap them tightly, then cover the bottom of the cooking pot with sauerkraut and arrange the stuffed leaves on top.
Cover with water and stew on a low heat until the leaves soften. Lovely

BOILED WHEAT

A delicious and very important part of the traditional Bulgarian Christmas Eve meal is boiled wheat, which represents the life cycle of nature.Ingredients:
2 cups of pounded (or un pounded) wheat
3 cups sugar
2 cups chopped walnuts

Remove impurities from wheat and wash. Pour cold water over it and boil until soft, then cover the pot with a twice folded towel and swell.
Drain the remaining water and mix the wheat with the sugar and walnuts.

STEWED DRIED FRUIT /OSHAV
Ingredients:

3 cups dried fruit - apricots, apples, plums and dates
3 cups granulated sugar
Wash the dried fruit well, soak in cold water and leave overnight. Boil in the same water until it becomes soft.
Add sugar or honey to taste.


All of the above dishes will be tried in my home on Christmas Eve.
Why not give it a go; I am sure you will enjoy an alternative Christmas Eve meal.

Tchestita Koleda
Merry Christmas

From all of us at Bis-Perth we hope you enjoy the holidays and festivities