Russian cuisine is known all over the world. Unlike other national cuisines, Russian dishes have incorporated the traditions of many peoples living in the vast territory of the former Soviet Union. Therefore, Russian dishes are famous for their variety of culinary recipes.
Since ancient times, cooking has not used such heat treatment as frying, which appeared relatively recently. Products were not cooked over an open fire, but in a furnace. For the most part, traditional Russian dishes were languished, stewed or cooked.
Foreigners, coming to Russia, consider it a rule to try original Russian dishes: pancakes, kalachi and caviar.
Russia is a Christian country, which undoubtedly influenced the recipe of many dishes. It is far from a secret that a large number of days in a year are considered to be lean. Hence the Russian table was divided into lean and fast. This, in turn, made fish, mushrooms, vegetables and berries dishes popular in Russian cooking.
No less tasty are Russian soups. The famous borsch, the recipes of which are about fifty, cabbage soup, characteristic of the central strip of Russia, pickle, okroshka, ear.
Porridge is another favorite dish that cannot be dispensed with in Russian cuisine. It was prepared from millet, buckwheat, wheat, oats and other grain crops, which were used both in whole and in crushed form.
In everyday life, mainly rye flour was used for baking bread, and only on holidays was it allowed to bake Kalachi, pies made of white wheat flour. For the filling used meat, fish, cottage cheese or jam. Not a single celebration was complete without a Russian loaf, because that was how deep respect was expressed to the most dear guests.
Another characteristic feature of Russian cuisine is the harvesting of vegetables for the winter using pickling, soaking or salting.
Russian dishes and desserts were not spared. The berries were cooked in honey, baked in the oven, and traditional jam was prepared from them. Favorite drinks - kvass, fruit drinks, sbiten, mead.
In Russia, the so-called ritual Russian dishes, which were prepared on certain days of the year, are of great importance. These include pancakes, Easter cakes, kutya. So, pancakes were always served at the table during Shrovetide week. They personified with the sun, which was supposed to melt and drive away the winter cold. Kutya was preparing for Christmas, Epiphany, and was also traditionally considered a funeral meal on the days of a funeral or a funeral for deceased relatives. Cooking cakes involved on the eve of Easter. There was a belief: what kind of Easter cakes will turn out, so will the whole next year.
Much attention was paid in the Russian cuisine to the taste of the prepared dishes, and therefore many spices were used. These are caraway, onion, horseradish, mint, garlic, pepper, parsley, dill, thyme.
Surprisingly, most Russian dishes have a healing effect. So, sauerkraut strengthens the immune system, hot soups allow you to warm up after the winter cold, baked dishes have a beneficial effect on the stomach and liver, and popular fermented milk products make the intestines work perfectly.
Modern Russian cuisine has largely preserved its ancient culinary art, but at the same time it has brought a lot of new or borrowed into the good old traditions. That is why today, Russian dishes are considered one of the most delicious in the whole world.