Belarusian national cuisine is famous for its rich menu, in which there are hearty and fairly simple dishes. Despite the fact that it evolved on the basis of Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian and Polish culinary traditions, it has many unique soups, salads and other treats that have no analogues in any world cuisine. After reading today's article, you will learn some original recipes.
The most important nuances
It should be noted that the main features of the Belarusian national cuisine have a historical background. Initially, the western and eastern directions developed in this country. One of them was welcomed by Catholic nobles, and the other by Orthodox Belarusians. If on the tables of the former there were an abundance of meat dishes, then the menu of the latter was dominated by fruits, vegetables and grains.
In modern Belarusian cuisine, more products are presented than several centuries ago. However, it still retained its originality and simplicity. Local residents practically do not use spices, believing that they distort the natural taste of food. An exception is made only for black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, caraway seeds and coriander.
Belarusian cuisine, whose national dishes are known far beyond the borders of this state, has one more peculiarity. Almost all products used are subjected to prolonged heat treatment. Indigenous people prefer stewed and boiled food, more like porridge. Sometimes these cooking methods alternate with frying.
The most popular dishes
Not a single Belarusian lunch is complete without the first. The most popular liquid dishes include cold. It is prepared from beets, kvass, onions and sour cream. Sometimes cucumbers and spices are added to it.
Another quite popular dish is the so-called jour. It is prepared in several different ways. It can be lean, meat or milk. A filtered solution of oatmeal is used as the basis for the preparation of the jour.
The menu of Belarusian national cuisine presents a lot of second courses. They are prepared from fish, meat and vegetables. Very often, the so-called yuts appears on the tables of local residents. It is a pork or beef stomach stuffed with a mixture of cereals and meat. Another unusual dish is mocha. It is made from flour, water, lard and meat trimmings. Also, Belarusians love boiled or baked fish.
As for desserts, they are represented by pastries. Especially often pancakes, pancakes, loaves and all kinds of pies are cooked here. From drinks, Belarusians prefer kvass, fruit and berry compotes and alcoholic tinctures.
Refrigerator
Belarusian national cuisine is famous for its soups. One of the most popular first courses is the cold store. In the summer heat, he often appears on the tables of local residents. To prepare two servings of this soup you will need:
- Four hundred grams of boiled beets.
- A glass of sour cream.
- Two hundred grams of fresh cucumbers.
- A pair of hard-boiled eggs.
- One hundred grams of green onions.
- Beetroot or bread kvass.
To prepare a delicious and light cold, the above list must be supplemented with salt, sugar, dill and lemon juice. The amount of these ingredients depends on the personal preferences of the cook.
The refrigerator is cooking very fast. In this, it is similar to many other Belarusian soups. The basis of this dish is kvass. But if necessary, it can be replaced with strained broth in which beets were prepared.
Kvass is diluted with a small amount of boiled water. After that, cucumbers and beets cut into thin strips are added to it. Chopped greens, chopped onions, lemon juice, sugar and salt are sent there. The pan with the prepared soup is placed in the refrigerator. Before serving, it is decorated with slices of boiled egg and seasoned with sour cream.
Potato headstock
It should be noted that cooking dishes of Belarusian national cuisine usually does not take much time and effort. So that your family can try the potato grandmother, you should check in advance whether all the necessary products are in your arsenal. In your kitchen should be:
- A kilo of potatoes.
- Three onions.
- One fresh egg.
- A tablespoon of wheat flour.
- Large chicken fillet.
Belarusian cuisine, whose national dishes are particularly simple and nutritious, is quite diverse. But the local population is trying to apply a minimum of seasonings. Therefore, for the preparation of a potato headstock, only olive oil, salt, ground pepper, sour cream and fresh herbs will be used as additional components.
Two pre-peeled and cut onions are spread on a preheated pan and lightly fry them. When they get a golden hue, they are sent to them chicken fillet scrolled through a meat grinder. The contents of the container are salted, pepper, mixed well and continued to fry.
Pre-washed and peeled potatoes are treated with a coarse grater and combined with chopped onion. A raw egg, a tablespoon of flour and slightly cooled chicken ground are added there. All this is salted and mixed well until a homogeneous consistency.
The resulting mass is laid out in a multicooker bowl lubricated with vegetable oil, cover the appliance with a lid and activate the “Baking” mode. After about forty minutes, the finished grandmother is removed, greased with sour cream, sprinkled with chopped herbs and served.
Kulaga
The Belarusian national cuisine has long been famous not only for first and second courses, but also for desserts. One of them is the kulag. This sweet treat is based on fresh berries. Therefore, before you start cooking, be sure to go to the store for the necessary products. In this case, in your pantry should be:
- Four hundred grams of berries (mountain ash, raspberries, lingonberries, blueberries or viburnum).
- A couple of tablespoons of flour.
- Seventy grams of natural honey.
A saucepan with sorted and washed berries is placed on the stove. When they boil, they add flour, dissolved in a small volume of water, and honey. All mix well and keep on low heat until a thick, viscous mass resembles jelly. They serve kulag with white bread, pancakes and milk.
Verashchak
This dish can safely claim the title of a visiting card of Belarusian national cuisine. It is prepared in several different ways. To make a real Verashchak, you will need:
- A pound of pork with ribs.
- A pair of medium onions.
- A glass of bread kvass.
- Bay leaf, ground pepper and salt.
Washed, chopped and seasoned pork is sent to a hot pan and fried from all sides. Shredded onions are sent to the same dishes. After that, the contents of the pan are transferred to the stewpan, poured with bread kvass and sent to the stove. Ten minutes later, Verashchak was removed from the fire and served at the table.
Belarusian potato pancakes
To prepare this dish, you need a minimum set of products. Moreover, most of them are always present in every home. In this case, your kitchen should have:
- A kilo of potatoes.
- A pair of fresh chicken eggs.
- Large onion.
- Vegetable oil.
- Salt.
Washed and peeled vegetables are treated with a fine grater. The resulting mass is combined with raw eggs and salt. All is thoroughly mixed, spread with a spoon on a hot pan greased with sunflower oil, and fried on both sides. Ready-made potato pancakes with sour cream are served.
Belarusian sausages
This dish will become a real decoration of the festive table. Unlike store sausages, in home analogues there are no harmful additives. Before you approach the stove, be sure to check that you have all the necessary components. In this case, you should have at your disposal:
- Seven hundred grams of pork pulp.
- Four cloves of garlic.
- One hundred grams of bacon.
In addition, it is important that you find a natural shell and salt on hand. Cumin and ground pepper will be used as spices.
The bacon and pork pulp are cut into pieces or scrolled through a large grill of a meat grinder. Salt and spices are added to the minced meat. All mix well. The finished shell is filled with a natural shell. This can be done using a special nozzle. The length of each sausage should not exceed 70 centimeters. The shell filled with minced meat is bandaged on both sides, gently pricked with a fork and immersed in boiling salted water with bay leaf. Twenty minutes later, the sausages are removed from the pan. If desired, they are fried in a pan.
Porridge in Vitebsk
Belarusian national cuisine very diverse. It presents a huge number of original dishes prepared on the basis of cereals. Vitebsk porridge is considered one of the most popular treats. To weld it, you need to stock up on all the required components in advance. In your pantry should be:
- Two hundred grams of rice.
- Three hundred milliliters of milk.
- Eight potatoes.
- A quarter packet of butter.
- Salt and ground pepper.
If desired, rice can be replaced with buckwheat or pearl barley. Pre-washed and peeled potatoes are immersed in salted water and boiled until tender. After that, milk is added to it and turned into mashed potatoes. The resulting mass is salted and pepper to taste, combined with pre-washed rice, laid out in a mold and sent to the oven. Bake porridge in Vitebsk at one hundred and sixty degrees for forty minutes. This dish is served with fresh or stewed vegetables.