Nowruz (The Vernal Equinox), Easter and Passover — all three spring holidays share a very common theme.
Nowruz aligns with the astronomical beginning of spring. Easter and Passover also are spring holidays which also occur around the equinox. All three holidays emphasize the custom of cleaning your home, thus the term "spring cleaning."
These holidays are all a symbol for renewal, life, and health. The holiday spent with family, with people dear to our heart. And the most common symbol between all three — THE EGG.
For millennia and across the world, the egg has been a powerful symbol, representing the earth, fertility and resurrection.
I love the interconnectedness of these holidays, the tradition of painting and decorating eggs. And if you ever decorated an egg, then you have participated in one of the oldest decorative arts.
My mum taught me how to dye eggs an old-fashioned way, using onion skins. This is the easiest, safest, most accessible, and natural way of colouring eggs.
This year I’ve decided to use herbs as stencils to create a pretty design.
Ingredients
- 1 dozen washed organic eggs (white ones)
- Brown onion skin from 8-10 onions
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- Pot of water
- Herbs for decoration
- 1 nylon stocking
Instructions
1. Cut the nylon stocking into squares. Stick a couple of leaves or flowers on each egg with a drop of water, then wrap it gently in the nylon stocking and tie it at each end.
2. Add the onion skins and the vinegar to a big pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. Add the eggs to the boiling water one by one and boil for 8 to 10 minutes to your liking.
4. Allow to cool completely.
5. Once cool enough to handle transfer each egg to a plate and cut the stocking with a pair of scissors. Discard the herbs and pat them dry with a paper towel. For extra shine you may rub them with a little olive or coconut oil.
During Nowruz we have the egg battle, during which two people each take a boiled egg and knock the ends together. The winner is the one whose painted egg did not crack. But its not about who has the biggest bonfire or wins the egg battle. On Nowruz (New Day, New Year) we put differences aside and celebrate our friendship and unity.
For me, personally, spring is always about rebirth, inspiration, love, renewal of nature and humans, the purification of souls, and the beginning of something new.
Wishing you all a blessed holiday filled with happiness, peace, hope, prosperity and love.
Loved this recipe how to design parsley patterns on the egg. It was easy to follow the instructions.
Thank you , Khuraman !
Leave a comment