Hungarian Recipe Of The Week: Lentil For New Year's Day
- 30 Dec 2010 7:00 AM
The lentil is a traditional New Year's Day food in Hungary, because it's the symbolism of 'Richness, Safety and Money’. According to the superstition, if we eat lentil on the first day of the year, then we will be richer than last year.
The lentil originates from Asia, but it is used throughout South Asia, the Mediterranean regions and the Middle East. We read about the lentil also in the Bible. Anyone read knows the Biblical story about Esau prophet who sold his right-of-first-born for a bowl of lentil stew.
Some believe in the superstition of the lentil, therefore a lot of people cook lentil stew (gravy, called it in Hungarian "főzelék") for every New Year's Day :-)
Ingredients for this special lentil stew:
50 dkg lentil (soaked in cold water over night)
40 dkg smoked cooked meat
1 chopped onion
bay leaf
marjoram
salt (to taste)
1 tbs sugar
half tsp vinegar
1,5 dl sour cream
Ingredients for the roux:
2-3 tbs oil
2 tbs flour
1 tbs mustard
2 clove of garlic
Preparation:
1. Place the chopped onion. And for the lentils, pour enough water to cover it entirely. Let it simmer until lentils are half-cooked.
2. Add the (cooked) smoked meat and marjoram, bay leaf and salt to taste (but be careful because the meat is salty) and cook longer until the lentils are tender.
3. Make a roux: sauté the flour add the press garlics and the mustard. (If necessary add more oil)
4. Add the roux carefully to the pot and boil.
5. If necessary add more water and add the vinegar and sugar (to taste).
6. Before serving, add the sour cream and mix well.
Source:
hungarystartshere.com
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