KOCHI: Jewish communities around the world mark the eight-day Hanukkah — the festival of lights – celebrations in December. Here is the story behind it in a nutshell:
In the second century BCE, when the Seleucid dynasty ruled Jerusalem, King Antiochus IV Epiphanes outlawed Judaism. The Jews rebelled and reclaimed their temple, which had been defiled by the rulers.
To cleanse the temple,the Jews decided to light a menorah. Though the temple only had enough olive oil for a day, according to legend, the lamp burned for eight days. That’s how the eight-day Hanukkah began.
In Kochi, the Jewish families light candles in their households to mark Hanukkah. Across the world, this relatively minor festival in Judaism has been gaining prominence, as it coincides with the Christmas season. This year, Hanukkah will culminate on December 26.
Anil Abraham, who is settled in Israel and currently visiting Kochi, shares some sweet details of how his family celebrates Hanukkah: “After lighting the candles, we eat the traditional sweet Sufganiyah. It is kind of like a doughnut. The traditional Sufganiyah is stuffed with jam, and powdered sugar is sprinkled on top. Nowadays, Sufganiyah comes in many forms, with chocolate and other special stuffings and flavours. In Israel, we buy them from outlets.”
Sufganiyah
Ingredients:
All-purpose flour: 3 cups + more for dusting
Salt: 1 tsp
Active dry yeast: 2½ tsp
Lukewarm milk: 3/4 cup
Sugar: 2-3 cups + 2 tbsp sugar
Eggs: 2
Butter: 2 tbsp (unsalted)
Jam: 1 jar
Oil for frying
Method
Take 2 tbsp of warm milk and 2 tbsp of sugar in a small bowl. Add yeast and let sit for 5 minutes. Combine 3 cups flour and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add yeast mix to it. Add beaten eggs, and butter. Mix well. Add the rest of the milk, 1 tbsp at a time, till the dough sticks together. Knead until the dough is smooth. Coat a bowl with oil and put the dough in it for 2 hours to rest. Punch down the risen dough. Now, roll out the dough to about ½ inch thick. Cut out 3-4 inch balls. And fry them in oil. After the fried doughnuts are cool enough, make a hole in them and stuff them with jam. And sprinkle powdered sugar on top.