Ukrainian New Year’s Eve Recipes (Malanka)
Malanka, also called Shchedryi Vechir (Generous Evening), is the eve of St Basil’s Day and Ukraine’s New Year feast. As dusk falls, groups of carolers, mostly young people, go from house to house singing shchedrivky and wishing each household health and plenty for the year ahead. Unlike the meatless Sviata Vecheria table a week earlier, this table is meant to be rich: kutia, meat dishes such as sausages and roast meat, pancakes, pies with cheese or meat, and varenyky with sour cream.
Sviata Vecheria comes first with its fast; Malanka closes the season with a feast – see the Sviata Vecheria table for the meatless night that starts it.
