Donuts for Hanukkah (Sufganiyah) - a classic recipe for donuts that are a must on the Jewish table on Hanukkah.
Food Recipes for Hanukkah
What to Cook for Hanukkah?
You can cook a variety of traditional Jewish recipes for Hanukkah. Firstly, there are potato latkes and a wide variety of sufganiot donuts - pumpkin, cottage cheese, and jam. For Hanukkah, you can also make cheese pie, syrupy brushwood and red lentil chowder, as well as cheese salad or just fried cheese. For meat dishes, you can cook chopped beef liver, beef brisket in beer or lamb shanks with herbs. Falafel, kugel and many other Jewish dishes are also cooked for this holiday, and you can’t do without drinks - for Hanukkah you can cook a fragrant Hanukkah cocktail based on vodka and various spices.
Traditional Food Recipes for Hanukkah
Traditionally, for Hanukkah, it is customary to cook dishes that are fried in oil; this tradition dates back to the miracle of Hanukkah, when the oil in a minor oil lasted for eight days instead of one. Such dish recipes could be potato latkes and sufganiot donuts, which have different compositions and fillings. Another Hanukkah tradition is to prepare and eat dairy dishes, mainly cheese and cottage cheese. This tradition goes back to another miracle - the miraculous salvation of Israel with the participation of Judith, although these events took place long before Hanukkah. Alcoholic drinks are consumed on Hanukkah, but in moderation - in particular, it can be a Hanukkah cocktail with vodka or other drinks. Traditional dishes for Hanukkah are lentil soup and cheese pie, brushwood in syrup and various kugels, falafel and various meat dishes - beef brisket in beer, lamb shanks, chopped beef liver and much more.
History and Traditions of Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrating the victory over enemies that occurred in 165 BC. After the expulsion of the enemies from the Temple Mount, the Temple was cleansed, the altar was consecrated, and temple services were resumed. According to legend, after the cleansing of the Temple, they could not find pure ritual oil for the menorah. Oil for the consecration of the temple was still found, but it was very small and should have been enough only for one day, and much more time was needed to cleanse the new oil for the menorah. However, the Machiaveans still decided to light the menorah - and the miracle of Hanukkah happened. The temple lamp burned for eight days, which is how long it took to prepare new oil for the menorah. Since then, Hanukkah has been celebrated for eight days, traditionally lighting the candles of a ritual lamp on these days.
The sages established the days of Hanukkah to thank and praise the Almighty for the salvation He sent to Israel. Hanukkah is one of those holidays when there is no prohibition on working, and there is no specific tradition of celebrating this holiday with feasts. But despite this, Hanukkah is usually celebrated with a festive table and various traditional Jewish dishes are prepared. Another Hanukkah tradition is giving money to children, regardless of their age, as well as playing the Hanukkah dreidel. But one of the main traditions of Hanukkah is lighting candles in a special lamp - Hanukkiah.
Lighting Hanukkiah Candles
Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days, in memory of the miracle of Hanukkah, when the temple lamp, a minor, burned for eight days, although there was only enough oil in it for one day. In memory of this, it is customary to light a lamp with eight candles on Hanukkah, starting with one and adding one more each day of the holiday. It is necessary to distinguish between a menorah - a seven-branched candlestick, which is a temple lamp and a symbol of Israel, and a hanukkiah - a lamp with nine candles, eight of which are main and one auxiliary, from which the remaining candles are lit. It is hanukkiah that is used at home when lighting candles for the holiday of Hanukkah.