Like Christmas, Easter is one of the most popular Christian holidays.
Christians observe Easter to remember Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.
While some people simply enjoy the day off from work and school, others attach great religious significance to the holiday.
There is, however, one common factor of the Easter holidays – and that is having lots of delicious foods.
Beyond decorated hard-boiled eggs and chocolate bunnies, there are several traditional Easter foods that we indulge in this time of year. They vary from country to country and include everything from sweetbreads and cakes to meat and egg dishes.
IOL compiled a list of Easter-themed meals to enjoy this Easter weekend:
• Massa sovada
Traditional Portuguese sweet bread is known as massa sovada. Although it can be made any time of year, adding eggs on top at Easter adds a special touch that symbolises Christ’s Resurrection and life. You can eat the bread with butter.
• Chalka
Jews consume chalka, a sweet braided egg bread, as part of their Sabbath and holiday customs. Poland serves it all year long and is known for its popularity, especially at Christmas and Easter. Any leftovers are typically consumed the following day as French toast or in a bread pudding with orange sauce. It may or may not contain raisins.
• Herb soup
Germans typically eat a green herb soup on Holy Thursday. This day, also referred to as Maundy Thursday or Green Thursday, commemorates Christ’s Last Supper.
• Pickled fish
Traditional Easter fare from Cape Town is pickled fish prepared in the Cape Malay style. Usually, hot cross buns or freshly baked bread are served alongside it. On Good Friday, fish is traditionally eaten pickled in vinegar as a representation of Jesus being offered vinegar to drink during his crucifixion. It is also typically consumed with hot cross buns for this reason.
• Hot cross buns
Hot cross buns are a well-known and adored Easter food tradition that originate in the UK. These buns have a long tradition and are typically consumed on Good Friday to mark the conclusion of Lent.
Here is a last-minute pickled fish recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 kilograms of chopped yellow tail
- safflower oil
- six onions
- six cloves
- six Garlic cloves
- Vinegar, one cup
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- Cartwright’s curry powder, 4 tbs (medium)
- 2 teaspoons of borer (turmeric)
- Salt as desired
- 6 leaves of bay
Method
Pat fish dry after washing. Fish is seasoned before being fried in sunflower oil until golden. To drain the oil, place it on a paper towel. Sliced onions should be fried in a little oil. Fill the pot with the remaining ingredients, excluding the bay leaves. Take the mixture off the heat when it reaches a boil, then pour it over the fish. Place bay leaves in the dish, cover them and let them sit for a few days.
