Pasulj (posni)

The story

Pasulj is a thick bean soup seasoned with paprika, and in its meatless version for Badnji dan, Christmas Eve, it leans on paprika, onion, and bay leaf for the depth of flavor that would otherwise come from smoked bacon or sausage—the meat version of the same dish, popular all year round in Serbia, is set aside for the day. Pasulj is regarded in Serbia as very nearly the national dish of everyday cooking, common well outside the holidays, but on Badnji dan its Lenten form takes a special place among the simple, thoughtful dishes that mark the last day of the fast before Christmas. It simmers slowly, for hours, until the beans soften and the soup turns almost velvety. It is served with bread, often homemade proja. For Serbian families in the diaspora, this humble dish—simpler than sarma or roast pig—is often the very one that most recalls the everyday side of Serbian cooking, not just the festive one.