These must not be missing from the Hungarian Christmas table

There are many dishes on the Hungarian Christmas table that were passed down from previous generations. So, it is not surprising that there are several variations of each dish – as many houses, so many traditions. To attract the abundance, you can find small-grained ingredients on the festive table and on New Year’s Eve, such as lentils, nuts, and poppy seeds. Anyway, pálinka is in the union of most family festive traditions.

Fishsoup (Halászlé)

Although people typically do not associate the country with fish dishes, locals and tourists love this savoury delicacy. Hungarians eat the most fish on the Christmas festive season. At other times of the year, the fish consumption is rather low. there are various ways to prepare this unique Hungarian dish. There are various ways to prepare this unique Hungarian dish, depending on the region. Danube fish soups are prepared differently in each city and are often served with different kinds of pasta. The dish from Szeged is more thick than the one from Baja.

• Read the recipe: Where to find the best fish soup in Budapest? PHOTOS + RECIPE

Christmas bejgli

In Hungary, no Christmas is complete without bejgli, a traditional festive pastry. The ultimate types of bejgli are with poppy seed or walnut, but some families fill it with cocoa, chocolate or chestnut. Those who do it every year diligently, as a must, feel awful when the pastry rips. Theoretically, there is also a diet version, but no one has ever heard of it.

• Read the recipe: Here is the recipe of the traditional Hungarian Christmas pastry: bejgli