Top 13 National Dishes You Must Try in Russia
1,877 views   /  21 Jun 2016
National cuisine is an integral part of any country’s tradition. It reflects its culture as well as mentality of its people. Thus, in order to better understand a country and its residents, one should visit local restaurants and enjoy the local food. Russian Accent decided to provide you with essential information on traditional Russian meals and listed dishes you should try during your trip to Russia.
By Anastasia Fistashka
Russian cuisine is very diverse. It includes traditional Russian dishes such as pancakes and pies as well as recipes which emerged much later, such as the famous Olivier salad (also known as Russian salad) and Russian vinaigrette.
Many dishes of the Russian national cuisine are quite substantial. They include hearty salads with mayonnaise, hot soups and hefty meat dishes which are common in countries with predominantly cold climate. The Russian cuisine is also rich of various desserts and snacks. Below are some dishes you should definitely put on your list if you are going to visit Russia.
Blini
Russian pancakes are one of the most popular dishes in Russia. They are often cooked during Maslenitsa (Butter Week), a folk holiday popular in Russia and some other Orthodox countries. Blini are served with a variety of snacks or fillings that can be both sweet and salty. The most widespread fillings are meat, ham and cheese, fish, caviar, various kinds of vegetables and mushrooms, fruits, chocolate and jam.
Russian Vinaigrette
A classic vinaigrette is made from boiled beets, potatoes, carrots, pickles and green peas and is dressed with oil, vinegar or mayonnaise. Sometimes it also contains marinated mushrooms. The salad is one of the most popular cold dishes in Russia, cooked for various holidays and festive occasions.
Okroshka
Okroshka is a popular cold soup in Russia. Its name comes from the Russian verb “kroshit” (to crumb something). To put it simply, okroshka consists of fresh vegetables cut in small pieces and filled with cold liquid – either kvass (traditional Russian drink) or kefir, yogurt, mineral water and even beer. Okroshka is the ideal dish for summer: first, it is perfectly refreshing on a hot day, and second, its ingredients retain all essential vitamins as okroshka, in contrast to other soups, doesn’t have to be boiled.
The most popular vegetables used in okroshka are cucumbers, carrots, radishes, herbs and boiled potatoes. One can also add boiled meat, chicken or fish.
Kvass
Kvass is a traditional Russian beverage made from black or regular rye bread. It easily quenches your thirst on a hot day and relieves fatigue. According to doctors, kvass also has a positive impact on human health. It improves digestion, prevents the growth of harmful microorganisms in your body and strengthens the cardiovascular and immune system.
Bortsch
Bortsch is a very tasty beet soup popular in Russia, Ukraine and a number of other East European countries. It consists of meat, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onion, parsley, dill and, of course, beet which gives the soup its traditional color – dark red.
Buckwheat porridge
Buckweat is another favorite dish among Russians. It can be cooked as a side dish, as well as a separate dish. Buckweat is commonly eaten with meat, sausages, mushrooms and other fillings.
Olivier Salad
Olivier salad is the “king of salads” in Russia. It is always cooked for various festive occasions, ranging from the New Year’s Eve to a wedding. The recipe of the salad has many versions, so everyone can choose how to prepare it according to their tastes and preferences. The classic version of the salad includes potatoes, carrots, meat, cucumbers, pickles, boiled eggs and peas. You can also add finely chopped apples and potherbs. The salad is usually dressed with mayonnaise.
Holodets (Aspic)
Holodets is a dish in which ingredients are set into a jelly made of meat stock and gelatin. Holodets is a must-have on New Year’s Eve and other festive occasions.
Dressed Herring
Dressed herring is for sure everyone’s favorite layered salad in Russia. It is very hearty and is commonly cooked in winter.
Shchi
Shchi is a thick and fatty soup, based on a meat, fish or mushroom broth. The soup often contains a variety of smoked food and pickles. The main ingredients are cabbage, carrots, onions, meat, and mushrooms. The soup is usually served with sour cream, potherbs and spices.
Pozharsky cutlets
Pozharsky cutlets are bread-crumbed chicken cutlets. They are very juicy and crispy and are an ideal dish when you are starving!
Russian pirozhki (Russian pies)
Russian pirozhki are small pastries with different fillings, baked in the oven or fried in butter. They can contain different fillings that can be both sweet and salty, for instance meat, cabbage, potatoes and mushrooms, apples or fruit jams.
Pelmeni and Vareniki
Pelmeni and vareniki are a type of dumplings consisting of a filling wrapped in thin, uneven dough. They can be filled with minced meat, vegetables, mushrooms, fruits and cheese.
POST A COMMENT
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
comments (0)
Write a comment share your opinions with others.