page_title: Purim
section_title: Traditional foods
hierarchical_section_title: Purim / Customs / Traditional foods
caption_attribution_description: English: Homemade prune hamantaschen
context_page_description: Purim is a Jewish holiday which commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, an Achaemenid Persian Empire official who was planning to kill all the Jews, as recounted in the Book of Esther.
  Haman was the royal vizier to King Ahasuerus, and he planned to kill all the Jews in the empire. His plans were foiled by Mordecai and Esther, his cousin and adopted daughter who had become Queen of Persia. The day of deliverance became a day of feasting and rejoicing.
  According to the Scroll of Esther, "they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor." Purim is celebrated among Jews by:
  Exchanging gifts of food and drink known as mishloach manot
  Donating charity to the poor known as mattanot la-evyonim
  Eating a celebratory meal known as a se'udat Purim
  Public recitation of the Scroll of Esther, known as kriat ha-megillah, usually in synagogue
  Reciting additions to the daily prayers and the grace after meals, known as Al HaNissim
  Other customs include wearing masks and costumes, public celebrations and parades, and eating hamantaschen; men are encouraged to drink wine or any other alcoholic beverage.
context_section_description: On Purim, Ashkenazi Jews and Israeli Jews (of both Ashkenazi and Sephardic descent) eat triangular pastries called hamantaschen ("Haman's pockets") or oznei Haman ("Haman's ears"). A sweet pastry dough is rolled out, cut into circles, and traditionally filled with a poppy seed filling; this is then wrapped up into a triangular shape with the filling either hidden or showing. More recently, prunes, dates, apricots, apples, and chocolate fillings have been introduced. Among Sephardi Jews, a fried pastry called fazuelos is eaten, as well as a range of baked or fried pastries called Orejas de Haman (Haman's Ears) or Hojuelas de Haman. These pastries are also known as Oznei Haman.
  Seeds and nuts are customarily eaten on Purim, as the Talmud relates that Queen Esther ate only these foodstuffs in the palace of Ahasuerus, since she had no access to kosher food.
  Kreplach, a kind of dumpling filled with cooked meat, chicken or liver and served in soup, are traditionally served by Ashkenazi Jews on Purim. "Hiding" the meat inside the dumpling serves as another reminder of the story of Esther which is told in the only book of Hebrew Scriptures besides The Song of Songs that does not contain a single reference to God, who seems to hide behind the scenes.
  Arany galuska, a dessert consisting of fried dough balls and vanilla custard, is traditional for Jews from Hungary and Romania, as well as their descendants.
  In the Middle Ages, European Jews would eat nilish, a type of blintz or waffle.
  Special breads are baked among various communities. In Moroccan Jewish communities, a Purim bread called ojos de Haman ("eyes of Haman") is sometimes baked in the shape of Haman's head, and the eyes, made of eggs, are plucked out to demonstrate the destruction of Haman.
  Among Polish Jews, koilitch, a raisin Purim challah that is baked in a long twisted ring and topped with small colorful candies, is meant to evoke the colorful nature of the holiday.
caption: Homemade prune hamantaschen ("Haman's ears")
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