Symbolic Purim Foods: The Yiddish Chefs Show That It's More Than Hamantaschen

What food is most closely associated with the holiday of Purim? Hamantaschen, of course. But it's not the only symbolic food that's prepared for Purim, at least in some households where there's an equally strong tradition to prepare kreplach, also known as varenikes and pirogen, for the joyous holiday.

In today's video, the Jewish Daily Forward's Yiddish-speaking chefs give the reason for the popularity of kreplach on Purim, and take us through all the steps to produce these tasty dumplings for the holiday. Why the one English word dumpling suffices, but we need three Yiddish synonyms, God only knows.

What's the reason? A major Purim theme is God's hidden role in saving the Jewish people from the evil plans of Haman. Nowhere in the Megillah is God even mentioned, but He is always there in the background, guiding the actions of Esther and Mordecai. Just as God's role in the story is hidden, so are the fillings of the kreplach/varenikes/pirogen. The complete recipe follows the video.

Enjoy and have a Happy Purim!

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