Traditional dish Kutya is considered for the Christmas dinner. This Lenten dish, which contains grains of barley, wheat, sugar, several types of nuts, honey.

In addition to cooking, the Russian people have a tradition of bringing it to godparents or other relatives and friends. Let's talk about how to prepare kutia for Christmas correctly, as well as for what reasons it is worn and to whom.

Kutya to visit: why they bring it

The ritual of wearing the supper came to us in pagan times from the southern side of Ukraine. The main purpose of tradition is the desire for prosperity. The grain from which the dish is prepared is considered a sign of fertility, honey - wealth, various nuts - strength.

The technology of preparing a dish is not an easy process. After all, it is important to remember that well-being is a fruit achieved through diligence. Consequently, in ancient times, bringing a plate of kutia into the house for Christmas was considered the highest reward for hard work; this is how a person shows respect.

With the advent of the Christian faith, the tradition underwent a number of changes. The main purpose remained, but they began to wear it exclusively to family and friends, blood relatives, showing the unity of the family. The second name of the ritual is “procession of the cross.”

Kutya was always brought into the house godparents, as gratitude, for the presence and participation in the second birth of the baby, which includes the baptism process. “Thank you” is also said for making a decision and the responsibility to pray for the child, to give instructions on the true path. For this reason, it is children who contribute to the classic Christmas dish.

In pagan times, the children showed this gratitude to the midwives who helped them to be born. They were considered a second mother. But over time, this responsibility was assigned to the godson’s godson’s parents.

Children are hope for the future, symbolizing spiritual purity. Therefore, it is important to congratulate not only godparents, but also other relatives. Children are the first to try kutya, and only then the rest of the family.

A lean, tasty and noble dish is prepared on Christmas Eve before Christmas, and Vespers must be served after sunset on January 6th.

In ancient times, the traditional snack was consumed not only by people, but also by pets. The feeding process followed certain rules, because an animal tamed by man was considered a symbol of wealth, success, and well-being.

Of course, in modern world Such strange customs are not carried out, and amendments were also made to the date of treating kutia until the evening of the 7th.

How to bring kutya correctly

The meeting of children with kutya on the threshold should take place with the following words, “Christ is born,” and the children in response say, “We praise him.” After the official ceremony, adults hand out candy, cookies and other treats to the children, and in return receive kutia.

Of course, gifts can be varied, not necessarily sweets. But it is important to remember that the exchange of sweets on Christmas Eve indicates wishes for each other’s well-being, prosperity and prosperity.

It is important to follow customs, even if you are not a fan of sweet foods. So, let's look at a few important rules for serving the supper:

1. First of all, the container with kutya is given to the godfather - the head of the house, after which the Lenten dish goes to the keeper of the hearth - the godmother.
2. They eat the snack one tablespoon at a time, and then put it in the middle festive table, for testing by other family members.
3. Celebrating Christmas is required in the family circle; for this reason, guests are not invited to this holiday.

But if you still invited guests, then they shouldn’t stay too long. After all, Christmas is required to be celebrated in a narrow family circle, smoothly ending the Lenten season.

How to cook kutya

You can make a lean dish from any cereal or grain. Classic option is considered to be the use of wheat grains, previously crushed in a bowl with clean water to separate the chaff. But in different regions, people also use cereals such as barley, pearl barley, rice, buckwheat, and oats.

Let's look at several options for how to properly cook kutia for Christmas.

Traditional wheat recipe

To prepare you will need to prepare:

• water - 800 ml;
• wheat grains - 400 g;
• poppy seed - 200 g;
• nuts - 1 glass;
• raisins - 0.15 kg;
• natural honey - 60 g;
• granulated sugar to taste;
• dried apricots, prunes optional.

Rinse the grains and add the required amount of liquid. Place on the stove, cover. After boiling, reduce the heat and cook until the wheat is ready. Add hot liquid as needed. It is important that the cereal turns out crumbly.

The poppy seeds are placed in a small container, poured with boiling water, covered and left in this form for 3 hours to swell. Drain the liquid and grind the finished ingredient until white milk is released. To speed up the process, add a little granulated sugar.

Combine the finished poppy seed with a bee product, chopped nuts, and raisins. Pour boiling water over it, leave for 5-8 minutes and season with the finished cereal. Mix, place in a beautiful plate and serve.

From millet cereals

• sugar - 200 g;
• cinnamon (powder) - 2 tsp;
• millet cereal - 400 g;
• water - 800 ml;
• white raisins - 200 g;
• fresh honey - 100 g;
• almonds - 200 g.

Place dry grapes in a plate, pour boiling water over them, and leave for 30 minutes to swell. Strain through a sieve.

Millet groats are washed well and boiled for 10-15 minutes until half-cooked. Drain the remaining water, add new 400 ml. Continue cooking until done. It is important that there is no liquid and the porridge does not burn.

Soak the nut in cold water for 4 hours. Drain and blend in a blender until smooth.

Add raisins, cinnamon, and sugar to taste to the container with porridge. Stir and place in a beautiful plate. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Christmas rice kutia recipe

• water - 400 ml;
• marmalade - 150 g;
• rice - 200 g;
• salt - 1/2 tsp;
• natural honey - 50 g;
• raisins - 3/4 cup.

Rinse the cereal, put it in a saucepan, add water. Cook on high heat for 4 minutes, then set to medium for 7 minutes, and on low for 4 minutes.

Cover and leave for a quarter of an hour to swell. As a result, the rice turns out fluffy and soft.

Rinse the raisins, steam with boiling water, leaving for 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve.

Finely chop the marmalade. Add to rice along with raisins and honey. Stir, place in a suitable plate, and serve.

Advice! For a more improved taste, rice cereals can be boiled in a mixture of milk and water. So, it will not only boil well, but will also give the dish a more refined creamy taste.

Proper serving of a Lenten dish

After cooking, the kutya needs to be placed in a deep, beautiful plate. To avoid spoiling the original taste, it is recommended to add honey immediately before serving. How to decorate Christmas kutia?

As a decoration, you can sprinkle chopped nuts, raisins, finely grated chocolate, sweets and marmalade on top. Basically, the snack is not decorated, since the combination of products gives it a special appearance.

Kutya is not only healthy, but also tasty dish, bringing joy, respect, well-being. By observing all traditions, children's laughter will always sound in your family, and bitterness and bad weather will pass by.

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Kutia is a porridge made from grains of wheat, barley or rice, flavored with honey, sugar, nuts, almonds and other sweets. The tradition of cooking kutia at Christmas has its roots in the deep past. All Orthodox Christians are aware of the need to observe it, but only very few know how to wear kutia correctly. Including this we'll talk Further.

The sacred meaning of Christmas kutia

This dish, and especially the ingredients from which it consists, are very symbolic. Real kutia must be cooked in the oven and prepared from:

• refined wheat;
• honey;
• nuts;
• dry fruits;
• poppy

Grain is a symbol of fertility, the circulation of all living things and immortality, the rebirth of the human soul. A seed, falling into fertile soil, is reborn and grows into a new plant, which again produces a seed, this circle is never interrupted. Eating kutya automatically introduces a person to the cycle of immortality, which is why it is so important to prepare this dish exclusively from grains, in no case using cereals.

The main ingredients of kutya are considered to be honey and walnuts, which have always been symbols of wealth and fertility. Honey in kutya was supposed to remind people not only of eternal and sweet life, but also of the work and fruits it brings. To prepare kutya according to ancient traditions, you need to use liquid honey. If you don’t have one on your farm, you need to prepare a honey dressing, for which ordinary thick honey is dissolved in hot water and poured into the ready-made kutya. In Ukraine, instead of refueling, they used uzvar.

Nuts also symbolize fertility, in addition, they are also a symbol of strength and power, since the walnut tree is considered one of the strongest and most valuable tree species.

In past
It was customary to drink kutya with poppy or nut milk. Poppy seeds and nuts were scalded with boiling water and ground in a mortar until an oily, whitish mass appeared, which is called milk.

Modern housewives can significantly simplify the process of preparing poppy seed or nut milk by placing all the ingredients in a mixer or blender.

There are three varieties of kutya:

• rich;
• generous;
• hungry.

Rich kutya is prepared on Christmas Eve on Christmas Eve. Households are treated to a generous meal on New Year's Eve; it is less sweet than rich variety and contains fewer ingredients, seasoned butter, milk or cream.

The hungry one is prepared for Epiphany; only honey or sugar is put in it.

Rich Kutya is integral part suppers are offerings that are usually brought to the godparents' house. Kutya is a gift and gratitude for the fact that the godparents agreed to take responsibility for the spiritual education of the child and his guidance on the true path. With its help, children thank their godparents for their presence at the second birth, which is considered the rite of baptism.

When did the custom of wearing kutya arise?

The tradition of wearing kutya arose in pagan times; this dish was an integral part of a proper supper. In ancient times, the supper symbolized the unity of one large family, therefore the carrying of the supper was trusted exclusively to its smallest members.

Kutya was prepared in advance, the children sorted through the wheat, separating clean grains from the husk, after which the wheat was thoroughly washed and placed in a large cauldron. The kutya was cooked for at least three hours, after which dried fruits, nuts, and honey were added and clay plates were filled with the finished dish.

The appearance of white foam on the surface of the kutya was considered a sign of the end of cooking. Well-cooked kutia is sticky and viscous; it is worn both hot and cold. When preparing kutya in the oven, they carefully ensured that no ashes from the fireplace got into it, as this was not considered a very good sign.

In the villages, the supper was served to the midwife and close relatives. The offering of kutya to the midwife was very important, since it was she who helped most of the babies to be born and, accordingly, was considered almost the second mother of all babies.

With the advent of Christianity, the custom of offering kutya also passed to godparents. Kutya was another way to express gratitude and show your generosity. Entire treatises were written on how to properly serve the godparents' supper at Christmas, since this custom was very important.

Refusal to bring kutya was regarded as disrespect for elders and was a serious insult.

From time immemorial, the supper was considered a custom that was observed in the south of Ukraine, and it was from there that all the rules that are now observed when offering this treat came. According to church canons, the offering of the supper is not obligatory, however, Orthodox Christians around the world readily observe this unwritten law. The first documentary evidence of the custom of wearing kutya was the Tale of Bygone Years, a chronicle from the end of the 13th century, but most likely this tradition dates back to the time of the baptism of Rus'.

What does the supper consist of?

The supper involves bringing light, goodness and prosperity into the house. The festive treat includes not only traditional kutya, but also uzvar and fresh bread.

Kutia from wheat
Fresh rye bread

In the villages, bread for the evening meal was baked at the earliest last minute so that it is hot and fragrant. Uzvar to modern man better known as dried fruit compote. Uzvar included apples, pears, cherries and apricots. Sometimes bird cherry jam was added to the uzvar or the kutya itself.

Instead of bread, people in Ukraine often wore palyanitsa - oven-baked cakes filled with cabbage, potatoes and curd mass. It was customary to drink palyanitsa with kvass or fresh milk; they were always eaten hot, generously distributed to neighbors and passers-by.

The appearance of the modern supper has changed somewhat, since palyanitsa, uzvar and bread are replaced with ordinary buns and sweets, but this does not change the very essence of the supper. It is allowed to bring other dishes as a supper: jellied meat, cabbage, cabbage rolls.

Such an important tradition as the offering of supper is not forgotten even after centuries. But the composition of the treat changes over the years, which is why today people eat confectionery, homemade cakes, salads and cutlets as part of the evening meal. Sometimes, in addition to the evening, they bring alcohol, which is not entirely correct and is a violation of tradition, since since ancient times in Rus', milk, kvass and uzvar were brought along with the evening.

When and how to wear kutya correctly

Kutia is a festive dish of Christmas Eve, the evening before Christmas. It is customary to wear it on January 6 after sunset. Before bringing kutya to the godparents, the whole family tried it; the smallest child always ate the first spoon.

It was also customary to feed livestock with kutia. Our ancestors believed that it would protect animals from diseases and promote large offspring among cows and sheep.

Kutya was not simply thrown in front of the animals, but laid out on a clean pallet.

In no case should the animals trample on the treat, since that evening it was not food, but sacred food, the eating of which is accompanied by special rituals. Modern customs allow the offering of the supper not only on the 6th, but also on the 7th of January.

In ancient times, when everything was more symbolic, they tried to prevent this. Kutya was a Lenten food, while fasting ended on January 7, and there was no point in bringing kutya as a wish for fertility, health and wealth after a cleansing fast.

Godparents or
those to whom the supper was brought should greet the guests at the threshold with the following words: “Christ is born.” In response they should hear: “We praise him.” Goddaughters and godchildren enter the house of their godparents and say: “Mom and Tato have sent supper. Good evening" After this official ceremony is completed, the godparents present the godchildren with candy and cookies, and in return receive kutya. Naturally, if you wish, you can give other gifts in gratitude for the treat, but exchanging sweets on Christmas Eve means wishing each other prosperity and well-being.

Even if you are not a particular fan of sweets, you need to follow the custom and stock up on the required amount of sweets that will be needed if the godchildren decide to come as sowers on the eve of the old New Year.

• The first supper is given to the godfather, after which the godmother receives it. They both eat a spoonful of kutya, and then put it in the middle of the table so that others present can try it.
• It is not customary to invite guests to the table, but it is possible. Guests should return home and celebrate Christmas with their families. Therefore, you still shouldn’t sit too long; as soon as the first stars appear in the sky, you need to go home and, ending your fast, enjoy a festive treat.

What should be on the table

At the first Last Supper, Jesus Christ was surrounded by 12 apostles; in honor of this, there should be at least 12 dishes on the festive table. The main dishes on the table are sweet kutia and uzvar. In addition to them, it is customary to serve kapustnyak - a dish of cabbage, meat and millet, as well as mushroom soup with fish.

Fish, as a symbol of Christ, was the main decoration of the table; jellied meat was made from it, fried and boiled. In addition, fish was the cheapest and simplest product that both the rich and those who could not count on rich treats even on holiday could afford. The festive dish was pies stuffed with mushrooms, fish, cabbage and cottage cheese. The peasants always put on the table the most generous gifts from the fields and forests, fried mushrooms, boiled beans and peas, made cabbage rolls and dumplings.

The pies could be either Lenten or regular, since the fast ended and it was possible to taste fast food.

The richer the table on Christmas Eve, the more prosperous the family will be in the coming year, so you shouldn’t skimp on decorations this evening. The table should be decorated with the most beautiful festive tablecloth, and everyone gathered at it should be dressed in the best clothes, because they not only once again decided to celebrate some event, but gathered to glorify the Birth of Christ. Dress in your best to show respect for the symbols of the holiday.

You need to sit down at the table only with the appearance of the first star in the sky; it was she, as everyone knows, who announced to the shepherds that the son of God was born. By this time, everyone at home should be nearby to start the meal with prayer and a spoonful of sweet kutya. The head of the family began the prayer, with the end of the prayer the fast ended, and one could begin to enjoy dinner.

Customs and beliefs associated with kutia

There are many traditions and customs associated with Kutya:

So, wearing kutya is an ancient ritual associated with the worship of ancestors, familiarization with the forces of nature, the cycle of life and the glorification of the birth of the most important of all people - Jesus Christ.

Kutya is included in the festive supper and is brought as a gift to godparents and older family members who do not live under the same roof with the kutya bearers. With the help of kutya, people unite and restore the family ties that bind them.

Kutya - gratitude for care and understanding, for new birth. She is hope for a new, sweeter life and a gift to those who can brighten up a person’s existence on this earth. In ancient times, they could predict the future based on how the kutya turned out:

• Sweet and tasty, boiled and aromatic, it promised a lot of health and good luck.
• Bitter and cloying was a sign of impending misfortunes, which, however, could have been prevented.
• The sweeter the kutia brought, the luckier and more joyful the coming year will be, therefore every housewife treated the preparation of kutia with special responsibility.

Celebrating Christmas is an ancient holiday revered among Christians. For many contemporaries, some details of this celebration are a mystery and often raise questions.

Traditionally, on the evening of January 6, godchildren bring a supper to their godparents - kutya.
In turn, the godparents give gifts and treats to the godchildren.

Kutya is the “supper” that people served to each other on Christmas Eve. The custom of wearing the supper is connected, firstly, with baptism (since it is mutually treated to godchildren and godparents), and secondly, with the Christian virtue of mercy, which instructs wealthy Christians to help the poor.

Make advance arrangements with your godparents (if you have them) about your visit on January 6, when it is customary to hold the supper. Take them the kutya and congratulate them on the Nativity of Christ. In keeping with this tradition, it is customary to exchange gifts. It doesn’t matter if you don’t manage to visit everyone who is accepted. You can simply congratulate them on their holiday or stop by another day.

Children are also included in this tradition. Previously, children in villages served supper to their grandparents, aunts and uncles, godparents, and even their midwife. They sang special songs glorifying Christmas and Christ, and received sweets and coins as a token of gratitude. With the modern way of life, it is hardly possible to accomplish this as it was done before. Just try to grasp the idea of ​​this custom and help your child take the supper to the godparents, for example, the next day or during the Christmas holidays. Learn with him the words that are customary to say to godparents when presenting kutya: “Good evening, Holy Evening! Father and mother gave you supper.”

The Christmas dinner (or supper) must include at least twelve dishes, according to the number of Apostles of Christ. One of the main ones is kutia (kolivo, kanun, sochivo) - porridge made from wheat, barley or other cereals with the addition of honey, dried fruits, nuts, poppy seeds and other additives.

The Holy Evening should be “rich” - 12 Lenten dishes: kutia, uzvar, peas, cabbage, fish dishes, cabbage rolls, borscht, dumplings, pancakes, porridge, pies, mushrooms. After dinner, which lasted several (3-4) hours, kutya and some other dishes were not removed from the table, but were left for the spirits who would sit down for the Holy Supper for the second time. A glass of water and a clean towel were also provided for them.

To join this interesting tradition, cook kutia, which is a Lenten dish. This dish is reminiscent of the ancient custom when people intending to be baptized at Christmas fasted in preparation for this sacrament, and after baptism they ate honey as a symbol of the sweetness of spiritual gifts.

Place portions of kutia into separate jars or other dishes. Convenient to use food containers. Although, probably, the most suitable utensils that correspond to the traditional atmosphere would be clay or ceramic pots.

Important A common mistake is preparing kutia from rice, because... Rice kutia is a funeral dish

Kutya recipe:

• 1.5 tbsp. wheat, pearl barley or other cereals;
• 3 tbsp. l honey;
• 0.75 tbsp. poppy;
• 0.5 tbsp. walnuts;
• 0.5 tbsp. raisins;
• dried fruit uzvar;
• sugar.

It will be very good and useful if on Christmas Eve you decide to take kutya to one of the people who are not doing well, try to support them and provide all possible help. After all, this is precisely the “salt” of the custom: everyone should be happy on Christmas! The customs of Christian holidays seem to remind us that at least on these days we must take care not only of ourselves and our loved ones, but also of other people in need. And this will make us feel better. Psychologists confirm that a person feels happy by helping the weaker, by making certain sacrifices for the benefit of others. Of course, these impulses must come from the heart itself.

It is a long-standing custom that Christmas preparations begin long before Christmas with spiritual and material preparations. This day is called Holy Evening, it falls on January 6th. This evening, all families gather at the festive table, and in every house there was an air of comfort and prosperity, the festive tables were simply bent with dishes.

The preparation for the Christmas and New Year rituals was considered a very important event. From the time of grain harvesting, Didukha was preserved from the fields and fragrant hay was selected. Before the holidays, we finished all the housework. According to custom, all housewives finished cleaning the house by this day, whitewashed the house, laid out new and clean tablecloths, rows and towels. Tried to buy new clothes for all family members or embroider by hand, buy new beautiful dishes. Candles were prepared from their own propolis, and special prayers were said. The whole family was involved in preparing for such a great holiday.

Morning preparations began before dawn. The first magical action was to produce new fire. 12 days before, the woman placed flint and wood under the icon, dried 12 logs in the house for 12 days, and on the 6th morning they made a fire, standing facing the sunrise. These 12 logs are burned with this fire in the oven. Next, the hostess begins to prepare 12 holy evening dishes: cooks uzvar, peas, mushrooms, beans, fries cabbage, fish, potatoes, dumplings, cooks buckwheat porridge, cabbage rolls with millet, cakes with poppy seeds and the most important dish is kutia, it can be from different grains: wheat, rice, barley. Children help with everything. In such Lenten dinner All the fruits of the field, vegetable garden and orchard are presented, there is no alcohol on the table.

After this, the owner goes to feed and water the livestock, clear the snow from the road and look around the yard. Before the Holy Evening, you are not supposed to borrow money from someone, and if you have debts, then they are all returned.

On Holy Evening, all family members must be at home. You are not supposed to visit on such a day. You can’t quarrel, and if you’re in a quarrel with someone, you need to make peace. There were many rituals and fortune telling on this day.

According to tradition, all family members sat down at the table, and the eldest - the owner - was the first to try the kutya. Then the whole family started dinner, and the first spoon was kutya. The Holy Supper lasted until four o'clock, everyone talked about good things and quietly. And after dinner, it was customary not to clear the kutya from the table, take a glass and put on a clean white towel; it was believed that the spirits would come for dinner a second time. And the candles that were lit were not extinguished; they must burn out on their own. And the owners did not go to bed, but simply rest.

On this day they do not eat, but fast, and only for dinner everyone sits down to the table, and always with the whole family. When evening falls, the preparation of the homemade crown begins. And the owner brings in Didukha - a sheaf of grain. He comes to the door and says hello, wishes you health and prosperity. Then the owner crosses himself and presents Didukh, places him under the image tied with iron rods, and places a yoke, plow caps and a collar nearby. Meanwhile, the hostess takes a new white tablecloth from the box and covers it all.

Home and holiday table decoration

The owner brings some fragrant hay and straw. He spreads the straw on the floor, and takes a small bundle from the hay and places it on the edge of the table; a child under seven years old puts three slices of bread, salt and a candle on it. And from the rest of the hay he makes a haystack under the table. With such rituals, the owners get rid of evil spirits for the whole year. The owners with baked holy bread and incense go around the entire yard, cellars and barn.

In the house, under the tablecloth of the festive table, the hostess places a head of garlic in the corners; this ritual drives away evil spirits.

Children stand at the window and eagerly wait for the first star in the sky. This means the birth of the Son of God, after which rituals are held and everyone sits down at the table.

Particular attention was paid to pets. When the first star has risen in the sky, the owner feeds the cattle, he takes a few spoons of each dish into a bowl, the hostess gives him another loaf of bread and a scoop of honey, and a separate piece of bread for the dog. During these days they did not shout, did not swear, and in no case did they beat anyone, not even animals.

Returning from the cattle, the owner again put a spoonful of all the holy evening dishes on the plate, put a cup of honey with honey, a glass of water on top of the bowl, put a kalach, several nuts and apples. He holds a bowl in his left hand, and in his right he holds a chain whip. The owner comes out onto the threshold, the hostess has locked the door behind him, everyone in the house has quieted down and is sitting silently, not even moving. Meanwhile, the owner begins to speak words of invitation to the frost, the wolf and the evil winds on the kutya and threatens with a flail: if you don’t go, then don’t come to the grain and wheat. Then the owner returns to the house and locks the door behind him, no one leaves the house.

General dinner of all kinds

On this day, all the dead relatives come and have a meal with the whole family. Uzvar and kutya were left on the windows or on the table for dead relatives. The dishes were not washed that day. When everyone has sat down at the table, the owner invites dead Souls, takes a bowl of kutya, places it on the canvas and places a burnt candle in the bowl. With the bowl, the owner walks around the table clockwise. Then the owner and all family members kneel in front of the image and pray for the dead souls. Then everyone crosses themselves three times and says a prayer for themselves. The hostess takes the kutya and puts it on the table, everyone begins the Holy Supper. All dishes must be lean, since this day disappears on the last day of the Pilipov fast.

The following must be present on the table for the Holy Eve: kutia, uzvar, candles, salt, garlic. If one of the family members is absent that evening, a plate is set for him, and if a guest comes, then this is considered a blessing, he is invited to the table. No one leaves the table, no one talks much. The owner takes a little kutya in a spoon and throws it three times to the ceiling, while saying special words. If a son sneezes at the table, then the father gives him a horse, and if the daughter sneezes, then he gives her a calf. In some regions of Ukraine, dinner is served to relatives. After the Holy Supper everyone starts playing. Having played enough folk ritual games, the younger children go to bed, and the older ones bring dinner to their relatives. Parents are just relaxing, but not sleeping.

Folk signs

• Starry sky - the peas and chickens will lay eggs well.
• The moon in the sky means the harvest for the towers.
• It's snowing - harvest for apples.
• Frost on the trees - harvest in the garden.
• If after dinner the sky is clear and starry, it means a dry and fruitful summer, and vice versa.
• After dinner, tie the spoons with rye so that the cows do not get lost in the plowing.

Also on this day everyone cast a spell. Someone was wondering about their betrothed, someone wanted to get married. Anyone who wanted to find out who fate would bring them together washed their face with clean water so that their face would always be pink and beautiful. Young people tell fortunes about their betrothed, and older people tell fortunes about longevity. Little children are just walking.

The traditional dish of the Christmas Supper has many different names, but most people know it as Kutya.

This is a lean dish prepared from wheat and barley grains in the form of porridge, with the addition of sugar, nuts, honey and other ingredients.

In addition to preparing kutia, there is also a tradition of giving it to godparents and other blood relatives, as well as just close people.

But, unfortunately, today not everyone knows when to wear kutya and how to do it correctly. It is worth noting that the tradition is quite popular, and therefore it is necessary to learn about it in more detail.

Why wear kutya and when is it right to do it?

Despite the fact that the ritual of wearing the supper is Orthodox, it came from the south of Ukraine, since the times of paganism.

The main message of this tradition remains the wish for well-being, since the grain from which kutia is prepared symbolizes fertility, honey represents wealth, and walnuts represent power.

But at the same time, the procedure for preparing the dish itself is not easy, which is why it reminds people that well-being, like any fruit, is achieved only through hard work.

Thus, the offering of the supper was carried out for those people who, through their work, had earned a certain respect.

With the advent of Christianity, the tradition was slightly changed, but the basic principle remained the same - the desire for well-being, wealth and power.

The wearing of the supper is also called “ procession“, because kutya is usually attributed to close and blood relatives, as a symbol of family unity. Moreover, first of all, this concerned the godparents, who were thanked for being present at the second birth of the child, which is considered the rite of baptism, and taking upon themselves the responsibility of praying and spiritually instructing the child on the true path.

That is why the children themselves should wear kutya themselves.

In the pre-Christian period, children showed similar gratitude to midwives, who actually helped bring the baby into the world, and therefore were considered a second mother. But gradually this role was taken over by godfathers in relation to the godson’s parents.

In addition, we must remember that children are a symbol of spiritual purity and hope for a better future. Therefore, it is extremely important for children to congratulate, in addition to their second parents, their other relatives.

Also for this reason, children are traditionally the first to try cooked kutya, and then all other family members.

Kutya is prepared on Christmas Eve, before Christmas, so the supper is served after sunset on January 6th.

Ancient times festive dish They fed not only relatives, but also livestock, but not simply by throwing food, but in a special ritual way, since animals were one of the main symbols of well-being.

But today such rituals are no longer carried out, and in addition to January 6th, wearing kutya is also allowed in the evening of the 7th. Although fasting had already ended on Christmas Day, and since kutia was still a fasting dish, it was prepared specifically for Christmas Eve.

How to cook real Kutya

Today there are many recipes for kutia, but they are all divided into three types of dishes:

• rich - which is prepared on Christmas Eve,
• generous - a festive treat for the New Year?
• hungry - for Epiphany.

Accordingly, only the richest of these options can be used for the religious procession.

In order to prepare traditional kutya, you need to take cereal from wheat or barley grains. But today you can also use buckwheat, rice, oats, pearl barley and any other ingredient to your taste to prepare porridge.

Traditional kutia recipe for Christmas

If you prepare kutya according to the traditional recipe, then for one glass of wheat you will need one hundred grams of raisins, walnuts and poppy seeds, as well as two tablespoons of honey.

The grains must be well sorted, without debris, so if necessary, you will have to sort them by hand.

Then pour cold water and leave for at least 2-3 hours, and possibly overnight, until the grains swell. But when using polished wheat, this soaking is not required.

In order to cook wheat, you need to take two glasses of water for polished and three for regular. It is better to carry out the cooking process in a thick-walled or cast-iron pan until the wheat is completely softened.

The poppy seeds should be boiled for about 10 minutes, then strained thoroughly, waiting until all the water has drained out.

Rinse the raisins well and pour boiling water over them, then leave for 20 minutes and rinse.

Fry the nuts in a frying pan and chop them into small pieces with a knife. After this, mix and add honey to them.

Popular rice kutia

But today, kutia made with rice is more popular for Christmas, especially since it is easier to prepare than wheat.

To do this, use one and a half to two glasses of water per glass of rice, which must first be brought to a boil, then pour in the rice and cook in a saucepan with the lid closed for about three minutes. high fire, after another six minutes on medium and finally three minutes on small. After this, keep the cereal in the pan for another 12 minutes without opening the lid so that the rice is properly steamed.

Uzvar is a necessary attribute of kutya

Kutya is also seasoned with uzvar, which is essentially a compote.

To prepare, you need to rinse the dried fruits, then pour them into cold water and bring them to a boil together with the fruits.

As for boiled dried fruits, a small part of them can be chopped and added to the dish.

How to decorate kutya

When the dish is cooked, put the porridge in a deep plate.

An important point is that if ordinary wheat was cooked, then honey is poured into the porridge right before serving or before visiting relatives. Because if honey is in the porridge too early, the original taste of kutya will be spoiled.

There is no need to particularly decorate this dish, as it is considered beautiful in itself. But modern chefs, in order to give the kutia an even more attractive look, place pieces of nuts, candied fruits, multi-colored dragees on top, and sprinkle with grated chocolate.