In this article we will talk about the meaning of the word "shanga", which many have probably heard, but few have an idea what it is. In addition, grammatical signs of the word, forms of change in cases, and its origin will be given. At the end of the article you will read examples of the use of "shanga" in art speech.
Grammar First
Before starting the story about what is “shanga”, let’s say that this word is a noun, inanimate, singular, feminine, first declension. The emphasis in this form and in all others falls on the first syllable.
In the singular, the word changes in cases, taking the following forms:
- shanga - (named after case, answers the question "what?")
- shangi (rod. pad., why?)
- shange (dat. pad., why?)
- shangu (vin. pad., why?)
- shangoy (creat. pad., what?)
- shange (proposed pad., about what?)
In the plural, it has the form "shangi", in the genitive plural - "shaneg", in the dative - "shangam".
The word could be used in diminutive forms. For example, a shanezhka, shanechka. It had a numerous synonymous series: flat cake, juic, cheesecake, unleavened bread, pyzhka, pancake, pancakes (aladushka), kokurka, bread, kazulka.
Shanga - meaning of the word
So called a special type of bakery products - open round pies, cakes, cheesecakes.
Shangs were traditional for ancient Russian cuisine (mainly northern regions), as well as in the art of cooking the Udmurt, Mari and Komi peoples. For Russia, the dish was most characteristic of the Arkhangelsk, Murmansk, Vologda, Vyatka regions, Karelia, the Urals (including the Trans-Urals and the Urals), Siberia.
What "shang" means was little known in the western regions of Russia.
The origin of the word is unclear. The most convincing version is that the Russian settlers borrowed the word "shanga" from the Komi language, in which it (šańga) meant "round cake made from rye flour."
Features of cooking and variation
Now let's talk about what is shanga. Shangs were baked, as a rule, from yeast pastry. But not necessarily. In the cuisine of the Komi peoples, in particular in the Perm Territory, shangs were also baked from ordinary unleavened dough. They were called kuligges (or swag).
The flour that was used could be wheat, rye, or a mixture of both varieties. Dough for shanegs could also be made from potatoes. In any case, it was mixed using lamb or beef fat.
From ancient times, the filling or just spreading used for this type of baking differed in variety: cottage cheese, porridge (pea, millet, barley), crushed boiled potatoes, sour cream, sometimes berries (for example, shangs with cloudberries were known). Initially, nevertheless, a mass of porridge with onions and mutton fat, which was called the "pea-grave", was used to fill the shanegs.
To understand what a shang is, you need to consider that one of their main features was the absence of a depression (as, for example, in a cheesecake). The most diverse “stuffing” was put on the cake, after which it was baked in the oven. That's all. After baking, the shangs were smeared with sour cream or melted butter. They were consumed hot with cabbage, tea, yogurt, milk, beer.
Cheesecake and shanga
These words are often confused, sometimes they are even indicated in the dictionaries as synonyms. For example, the historian I.P. Kalinsky in his book "Church and People’s Months in Russia" (1877) defines shanga as "cheesecake, juicy, plain cake." Let's try to figure out what are the similarities and differences of these dishes.
Cheesecake came to us from Old Slavic cuisine. It is still very popular throughout the country - both in catering establishments and in the home menu.
The origin of this word is associated with the Ukrainian dialectic “vatra”, which means “fire”, “bonfire”.
Traditional cheesecake has a round shape, prepared from yeast dough. For the filling, cottage cheese is taken, less often jam or jam. Served with tea or other drinks. The largest cheesecake, the so-called "royal", was baked about 20 cm in diameter. Classic cheesecakes were smaller.
The size of the shanega is more diverse - from 15 to 30 cm. The filling (see above) depended on the flight of the cook’s imagination - it could be either sweet or sugar-free, the dough was both yeast and optional. It should be borne in mind that initially the shangs were unsweetened, unlike cheesecakes. They were served most often with sour cream. Cheesecakes - no. It was also common to consume chanegs with cabbage soup, fish or (less commonly) as separate dishes, and not for dessert, like cheesecakes.
However, these dishes also had a lot in common. And shangs, and cheesecakes are round in shape, they can be small and larger, and one of the most common fillings for them, whatever one may say, is cottage cheese.
Examples of the use of the word in literature
What is shang can be understood from the fragments of texts below, which are taken from the works of Russian writers.
Yes, I don’t know if they ate shangs, there are such rolls with sour cream spread - and I love ...
(Vs. Ivanov, The Running Island).
I cut the bread, took the potato shangs out of the bag, put up two yogurt yogurt.
(V. Astafiev, "The Last Bow").
The servant brought a wooden bowl with Dvinsk shangs, drenched in sour cream, a bat of cod in brine, porridge of hot tea, hot, with heat of heat, thick dark beer in a can.
(Y. German, "Young Russia").
At present, shangs are cooked in the oven. As the filling, use cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, various types of cereals. For example, buckwheat porridge with the addition of finely chopped onions and chopped boiled eggs is popular.