From Polish to Brazilian tables; Foods of different nations for Christmas

Christmas foods from different parts of the world give a special and different flavor to the New Year celebration. From Europe to South Asia, Christmas feasts bring a different experience with unique flavors and aromas. In countries such as Denmark and Finland, salted fish are popular dishes on Christmas Eve and give a special and pleasant taste to this celebration. In South Asian countries such as India and Ethiopia in Africa, spicy and varied stews are served with rice cakes or fermented breads as special foods for the end of Advent fasting (pre-Christmas rituals). In the following, we will introduce you to various Christmas foods around the world.

Get to know Christmas foods in the world:

Julesild Denmark

In Denmark, “herring” or “herring” is seen in various forms, including salted, smoked or fried, in the annual menu; But Christmas is a special occasion to prepare a special type of it called “Julesild”. This popular dish is actually salted herring flavored with spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and sandalwood, and served as an appetizer at what is known as a “Christmas lunch.” “Christmas lunch” is an event held during the month of December with friends, family and colleagues.

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To enjoy eating Jølsild more, it is better to eat this appetizer with a piece of “rugbrod” or Danish rye bread and a little homemade “remoulade” sauce. In addition to yulsild, gravlax (cured salmon) and various cured meats are also served at Christmas feasts, providing a pleasant experience for guests.

Barshch; Poland

Christmas Eve dinner in Poland starts with its own traditions, without meat and with the appearance of the first star in the night sky. In this feast, 12 dishes are served and they are a symbol of the 12 “apostles” (companions of Jesus) and the 12 months of the year. These traditional dishes, each with its own story, include carp, pierogi (stuffed dumplings), a variety of fruit and poppy desserts, and special soups. The Christmas celebration starts with the beetroot soup called Barszcz. To cook this soup, you have to boil raw beets in vegetable juice with a little vinegar and garlic so that after straining, you have a colorful and delicious broth.

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This traditional soup is served alongside small dumplings filled with mushrooms, called uszka. Oshka means small ears and has a unique taste.

Bibingka; Philippines

“Bibingka” is a delicious rice cake made from rice flour and flavored with coconut milk, butter and eggs. This cake is usually eaten as breakfast after the Christmas Eve Mass in the Philippines. The most luxurious versions of bibingka are generously garnished with melted cheese, salted duck egg and some grated coconut.

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Bibingka traditional cake is usually cooked on hot coals in a clay pot covered with banana leaves; But you can easily prepare this sweet and salty cake in a home oven using a cake mold.

Sorputel; Goa

The state of “Goa” (Goa) in western India was under the Portuguese colony for about four centuries; For this reason, it celebrates its Christmas celebrations under the influence of Portuguese traditions. In addition to Christmas carols and scenes from the infancy of Jesus, one of the main parts of Christmas Eve celebrations in Goa is the Sorpotel meal.

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Surpotel is a spicy stew that is traditionally slow-cooked with meat in a combination of cinnamon, cumin and Kashmiri pepper; But sometimes liver and heart are also used in its preparation. Sana, rice cakes containing coconut liquor, are also a perfect accompaniment to surpotel and complement the flavor of this spicy stew.

Boccellato; Cecil

Sicily is famous for its delicious desserts, and we have them to thank for famous desserts such as cannoli, cassata, and gelato al pistacchio. While most Italians end their Christmas lunch with panettone filled with chocolate or raisins, Sicilians go for buccellato.

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Buccellato is a circular cake decorated with dried figs, almonds and pistachios. The reason for the special and delicious taste of this cake is the addition of the thick Marsala drink to the dough before baking.

Lantilatico; Finland

In Finland, the biggest festive feast is held on Christmas Eve, and roast ham, smoked fish and salty beetroot salad are the main dishes of this night. Vegetable casseroles served alongside meat also have a special place, and one of the most important is “lantulaatikko”. Lantilätiko is actually made from turnips and adds a pleasant flavor to Finnish Christmas tables. In preparing this traditional casserole, turnips are first boiled and mashed, then mixed with heavy cream, breadcrumbs, nutmeg and molasses and baked in the oven.

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To have a golden and crispy top, some buttered breadcrumbs are sprinkled on the lantilatico before baking. With its rich taste and delicate texture, this delicious dish, along with other traditional Finnish dishes, has a special place in Christmas celebrations and gives guests a warm and memorable taste.

Punch Navidno; Mexico

If you are looking for a healthy yet delicious Christmas drink, ponche navideno or Mexican Christmas punch is a great option. This warm and fruity drink is prepared by boiling fruits like guava and apple along with raw sugar cane, cinnamon and marshmallow. Navidano punch is traditionally served in the days leading up to Christmas Eve at Las Posadas. The ceremony of Las Posadas is actually a symbolic journey to remember the journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem and it lasts for a week.

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For those who want a stronger taste, there is a version of this drink called “ponche con piquete”. Combining sweet and aromatic flavors, Navideno Punch brings a warm and festive vibe to Mexican Christmas and creates a delightful experience of the season.

Galettes soup; Spain

In Catalonia, Christmas lunch starts with sopa de galets. Galettes soup is a meaty and delicious soup with shellfish pasta floating in it. Preparing this food requires a lot of patience and care; Because its broth is prepared from the combination of beef and ham bones, chicken breast and vegetables, and must be boiled for several hours on low heat to obtain a deep and pleasant taste.

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After the broth is ready, the freshly ground beef and lamb is formed into small balls and added to the soup along with galets, large clam pastas popular in Catalonia.

Pastels; Puerto Rico

Christmas in Puerto Rico is celebrated with a variety of meat dishes such as pernil (slow-roasted meat) and arroz con gandules (rice with chickpeas). One of the most popular foods of this season is pasteles. Pasteles are slices of banana leaves filled with minced meat.

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Pasteles are very similar to “Mexico’s tamales”; But the difference is in the cooking method and it is boiled instead of steamed. For a better taste, the pasteles are seasoned with a homemade spice that is a combination of garlic, oregano, black pepper and turmeric.

Pinicjot; Norway

On the west coast of Norway, December 24, the streets are filled with the smell of smoke and lamb ribs being cooked over charcoal. “Pinnekjott” is a traditional food that is first dried, salted or smoked, and then slowly cooked over birch wood until juicy and tender meat is obtained.

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Pinikjot is usually served with turnip and carrot puree and sweet lingonberry jam.

ham bread; Venezuela

“Ham bread” (Pan de jamon) is a sweet and salty Venezuelan bread that was invented in Caracas in 1905 and is traditionally served on Christmas Eve; Of course, it is also baked in bakeries during December. This long and delicious bread is similar to a Swiss roll.

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Ham bread can be made with phyllo dough and filled with roasted ham, raisins and green olives, and to create a more special taste, you can add a little cheese to it. This tasty bread is served alongside Venezuelan dishes such as hallacas (boiled corn dough filled with meat) and papaya dessert (dulce de lechoza).

malva pudding; South Africa

Malva pudding is a delicious sponge cake made with apricot jam. This delicious treat is one of South Africa’s most popular desserts, prepared for special occasions, and at Christmas, various versions of it are served with drinks made from the marula fruit.

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While the cake is still hot, a generous amount of sweet butter sauce is poured over it. This sauce gives malva pudding a sticky and caramel texture similar to toffee pudding.

Doro Watt roster; Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, Christmas or “Ganna” is celebrated by “Orthodox Ethiopians” on January 7th. After 43 days of fasting, this celebration begins on November 25 with the serving of Ethiopia’s national dish, known as “Rooster doro wat”. Rooster Duro Wat is a spicy chicken stew with hard-boiled eggs, flavored with berbere (traditional Ethiopian spices such as fenugreek, cardamom, coriander and other spices) and topped with a generous amount of clarified butter.

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There is no need for cutlery to serve Doro Watt Rooster. The best way to eat this delicious stew is with injera, a popular Ethiopian fermented flatbread.

Farofa; Brazil

The Christmas dinner ceremony in Brazil starts in the late hours of the night and usually continues until the dawn of Christmas day. This celebration includes dishes such as “bacalhau” (dried and salted fish), Turkey or roasted chicken and light dishes such as cabbage, garlic and potato salad; But one of the foods that is almost always present in Brazilian Christmas celebrations is “Farofa”.

Farofa has a bread-like texture made from roasted cassava flour and has a rich, delicious flavor of butter and garlic. This dish is usually served with side dishes such as smoked meat, raisins and walnuts.

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If you are also familiar with other Christmas foods around the world, we would be happy to share your experiences and knowledge with the Kajaro audience.

_{Cover photo source: 3seaseurope.com. Photographer: Unknown}