43 Dishes

Main

Beef stroganoff

Beef stroganoff or beef stroganov (uk: , us: ; russian: бефстро́ганов, romanized: befstróganov, ipa: [bʲɪfˈstroɡənəf]) is an originally russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce of mustard and smetana (sour cream). from its origins in mid-19th-century russia, it has become popular around the world, with considerable variation from the original recipe. mushrooms are common in many variants.

Main

Beshbarmak

Beshbarmak (kyrgyz: бешбармак, "five finger") is a dish from central asian cuisine. it is also known as naryn in xinjiang, uzbekistan, kyrgyzstan and kazakhstan, as turama or dograma in karakalpakstan, north caucasus and turkmenistan, as kullama in bashkortostan and tatarstan. it is a national dish of kyrgyzstan and kazakhstan.the term beshbarmak means "five fingers" because nomads traditionally eat this dish with their hands. beshbarmak is usually made from finely chopped boiled meat, mixed with dough (typically egg noodles) and chyk, an onion sauce. it is typically served on large communal platters, shared between several people, after shorpo, which is a first course of mutton broth served in bowls called kese. it is also followed by a broth called ak-serke (shorpo mixed with kymyz or ayran), which is thought to help with settling the stomach. festive beshbarmak can be cooked together with kazy and chuchuk.

Main

Chakhokhbili

Chakhokhbili (georgian: ჩახოხბილი) is a traditional georgian dish of stewed chicken, tomato with fresh herbs. its name comes from the georgian word ხოხობი (khokhobi) which means pheasant.

Main

Chicken tabaka

Chicken tabaka (georgian: წიწილა ტაბაკა tsitsila tabaka) or chicken tapaka (georgian: წიწილა ტაფაკა tsitsila tapaka) is a traditional georgian dish of a pan-fried chicken which is also popular in other caucasian cuisines. it also became a common restaurant dish in the soviet cuisine and is found nowadays in many restaurants throughout eastern europe and central asia.the chicken is fried in a traditional frying pan called tapa (georgian: ტაფა). for frying thoroughly, the chicken is flattened out on the pan and pressed by a weight. in modern cookery, special pan sets with a heavy cover or with a screw press are often used. chicken tabaka is often seasoned with garlic or dressed with traditional georgian sauces, such as bazhe, satsivi or tkemali.

Main

Funchoza

Mung bean noodles with beef, chicken, shrimp, julienned vegetables, oil and vinegar

Main

Hanum

Large steamed rolled dumpling filled with meat, vegetable, potatoes, pumpkin

Main

Kasha

In english, kasha usually refers to pseudocereal buckwheat or its culinary preparations. in various east-central and eastern european countries, kasha can apply to any kind of cooked grain. it can be baked but most often is boiled, either in water or milk, and therefore the term coincides with the english definition of porridge, but the word can also refer to the grain before preparation, which corresponds to the definition of groats. this understanding of kasha concerns mainly belarus (каша), the czech republic (kaše), lithuania (košė), poland (kasza), romania and the republic of moldova (caşa), russia (каша), slovakia (kaša), kazakhstan, and ukraine (каша), where the term, besides buckwheat, can apply to wheat, barley, oats, millet and rye. kashas have been an important element of slavic diet for at least one thousand years.this english-language usage probably originated with jewish immigrants, as did the form קאַשי kashi (literally translated as "porridges").

Main

Katliety

Frikadelle are flat, pan-fried meatballs of minced meat, often likened to the danish version of meatballs. the origin of the dish is unknown. the term frikadelle is german but the dish is associated with danish, scandinavian and polish cuisines as well as german cuisine. it is considered a national dish in denmark. they are one of the most popular meals in poland, where they are known as kotlety mielone. in norway, the dish is known as kjøttkaker, and in sweden as pannbiff. there are various local variants of frikadelle throughout scandinavia, as both a main course and a side dish. in sweden, the word frikadeller refers to meatballs that are boiled, not pan-fried.

Main

Kebab

Kebab is a cooked meat dish, with its origins in middle eastern cuisines. many variants are popular around the world. kebabs consist of cut up or ground meat, sometimes with vegetables, and various other accompaniments according to the specific recipe. although kebabs are typically cooked on a skewer over a fire, some kebab dishes are baked in a pan in an oven or prepared as a stew such as tas kebab. the traditional meat for kebabs is most often mutton or lamb, but regional recipes may include beef, goat, chicken, fish, and sometimes pork depending on whether or not there are specific religious prohibitions.

Main

Lagman noodles

Laghman (kazakh: лағман, lağman; uzbek: lagʻmon; uighur: لەڭمەن, lengmen, ләғмән; kyrgyz: лагман, lagman) is a dish of meat, vegetables and pulled noodles from chinese cuisine and central asian cuisine. in chinese, the noodle is known as latiaozi (chinese: 拉条子) or bànmiàn (chinese: 拌面).as native turkic words do not begin with l, läghmän is a loanword from the chinese lamian and appears to be an adaptation of han chinese noodle dishes, although its taste and preparation are distinctly uyghur. it is also a traditional dish of the hui or dungan people who call the dish bànmiàn. it is especially popular in kazakhstan and kyrgyzstan, where it is considered a national dish of the local uyghur and dungan (hui) ethnic minorities. it is also popular in russia, uzbekistan, tajikistan, turkmenistan and northeastern afghanistan, where chickpeas are added to it and parts of northern pakistan. the crimean tatar cuisine also adopted lagman from the uzbek culture.

Main

Manti

Manti is a type of dumpling popular in most turkic cuisines, as well as in the cuisines of the south caucasus and balkans, central asia, afghanistan and chinese muslims. manti are also consumed throughout russia and other post-soviet countries, where the dish spread from the central asian republics. the dumplings typically consist of a spiced meat mixture, usually lamb or ground beef, in a thin dough wrapper and either boiled or steamed. size and shape vary significantly depending on the geographical location. manti resemble the chinese jiaozi, korean mandu, mongolian buuz and the tibetan momo and the dish's name is cognate with the korean mandu, chinese mantou and japanese manjū, although the modern chinese and japanese counterparts refer to different dishes.the name, depending on the language, can refer to a single dumpling or to more than one dumpling at a time; in english, it is often used as both a singular and plural form.

Main

Naryn

Naryn, neryn or norin (kyrgyz: наaрын, naaryn; kazakh: нарын, naryn; uighur: нерин; uzbek: norin; russian: нaрын, naryn) is a central asian dish with horse meat and different kinds of noodles. in kyrgyz cuisine, naryn is made of finely chopped lamb meat (or horse meat) with onion sauce. naryn with the addition of noodles is now called beshbarmak. in uzbek cuisine, naryn is a pasta dish made with fresh hand-rolled noodles and horse meat. naryn can be served as a cold pasta dish (kuruk norin, or "dry" norin) or as a hot noodle soup (khul norin, or "wet" norin). homemade pasta is rolled very thinly and cut into strips 2–4 mm wide and 50-70mm long. the noodles are cooked in plain boiling water or often in a broth of horse meat. horse meat is then shredded into the pasta. naryn might be served on a lagan (plate) decorated with slices of horse meat sausage (kazy). the dish is served as a part of any extended meal after the samosa and before the plov (osh).

Main

Pelmeni

Pelmeni (russian: пельмeни—plural, pronounced [pʲɪlʲˈmʲenʲɪ]; pelmen, russian: пельмень—singular, pronounced [pʲɪlʲˈmʲenʲ]) are dumplings of russian cuisine that consist of a filling wrapped in thin, unleavened dough. it is debated whether they originated in ural or siberia. pelmeni have been described as "the heart of russian cuisine".

Main

Pirog

Pirog (russian: пиро́г, ipa: [pʲɪˈrok] (listen), pl. pirogi пироги [pʲɪrɐˈɡʲi]; belarusian: піро́г; northern sami: pirog; latvian: pīrāgs, pl. pīrāgi; ukrainian: пиріг pyrih, pl. pyrohy пироги; lithuanian: pyragas, pl. pyragai; finnish: piirakka) is a baked case of dough with either sweet or savory filling. the dish is common in eastern european cuisines. pirogi (pl.) are characterized as "ubiquitous in russian life" and "the most popular and important dish" and "truly national goods" of russian cuisine.the name is derived from the ancient proto-slavic word pir, meaning "banquet" or "festivity". the russian plural, pirogi (with the stress on the last syllable), should not be confused with pierogi (stress on "ro" in polish and english) in polish cuisine, which are dumplings similar to russian pelmeni or ukrainian varenyky.

Main

Plov

Pilaf (us spelling) or pilau (uk spelling) is a rice dish, or in some regions, a wheat dish, whose recipe usually involves cooking in stock or broth, adding spices, and other ingredients such as vegetables or meat, and employing some technique for achieving cooked grains that do not adhere.at the time of the abbasid caliphate, such methods of cooking rice at first spread through a vast territory from india to spain, and eventually to a wider world. the spanish paella, and the south asian pilau or pulao, and biryani, evolved from such dishes. pilaf and similar dishes are common to balkan, caribbean, south caucasian, central asian, east african, eastern european, latin american, middle eastern, and south asian cuisines. it is a staple food and a popular dish in afghanistan, albania, armenia, azerbaijan, bangladesh, bulgaria, china (notably in xinjiang), cyprus, georgia, greece (notably in crete), india, iraq (notably in kurdistan), iran, israel, kazakhstan, kenya, kyrgyzstan, mongolia, nepal, (pakistani cuisine) pakistan, romania, russia, serbia, sri lanka, tanzania (notably in zanzibar), tajikistan, turkey, turkmenistan, uganda, and uzbekistan.

Main

Shashlik

Shashlik, or shashlick (russian: шашлык shashlyk), is a dish of skewered and grilled cubes of meat, similar to or synonymous with shish kebab. it is known traditionally by various other names in the caucasus, eastern europe and central asia, and from the 19th century became popular as shashlik across much of the russian empire and nowadays in the russian federation and former soviet republics.

Main

Sheep's head

Smalahove (also called smalehovud, sau(d)ehau(d) or skjelte) is a western norwegian traditional dish made from a sheep's head, originally eaten before christmas. the name of the dish comes from the combination of the norwegian words hove and smale. hove is a dialectal form of hovud, meaning "head" (cf. hǫfuð), and smale is a word for sheep, so smalahove literally means "sheep head". the skin and fleece of the head are torched, the brain removed, and the head is salted, sometimes smoked, and dried. the head is boiled or steamed for about three hours, and served with mashed rutabaga and potatoes. it is also traditionally served with akevitt. in some preparations, the brain is cooked inside the skull and then eaten with a spoon or fried. originally, smalahove was typically eaten by the poor.

Main

Tushonka

Tushonka (russian: тушёнка, ipa: [tʊˈʂonkə], from тушение — 'braising') is a canned stewed meat especially popular in russia and other countries of the former eastern bloc. it has become a common name for different kinds of canned stewed meat, not all of which correspond to the strict gost standards.tushonka can be used and preserved in extreme situations, and therefore is a part of military food supplies in the cis. for the people of the soviet union, tushonka was a part of military and tourist food supplies; at some extreme periods of time it could only be bought with food stamps.

Main

Varenyky

Pierogi are filled dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savoury or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water. they are often pan-fried before serving. pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of central, eastern and southeastern europe, though they most likely originated in china and came to europe via trade in the middle ages. the widely-used english name pierogi was derived from polish. in ukrainian, they are called varenyky. pierogi are also popular in modern-day american and canadian cuisine, where they are sometimes known under different local names. typical fillings include potato, cheese, quark, sauerkraut, ground meat, edible mushrooms, and/or fruits. savoury pierogi are often served with a topping of sour cream, fried onions, or both.

Main

Veal Orloff

Veal prince orloff, veal prince orlov, veal orloff, or veal orlov (russian: телятина по-орловски, tr. telyatina po-orlovski; french: veau orloff or veau orlov) is a 19th-century dish of russian cuisine, which purportedly was created by the french chef urbain dubois in the employ of prince orloff, former russian ambassador to france. the dish consists of a braised loin of veal, thinly sliced, filled with a thin layer of finely chopped mushrooms (duxelles) and onions (as soubise) between the slices, then reassembled in the original shape. it is then topped with mornay sauce (bechamel sauce with cheese) and browned in the oven.similar dishes are popular in russia today where they usually go by the name french-style meat (russian: мясо по-французски, tr. myáso po-frantsúski). in these varieties, veal is often replaced by cheaper sorts of meat, such as beef or pork, and the mornay sauce may be replaced by mayonnaise. a layer of sliced potatoes is also often added.

Main

Zrazy

Zrazy (polish: zrazy, lithuanian: zrazai or mušti suktinukai) is a meat roulade dish popular in poland (silesian rouladen), western belarus and lithuania. its origin can be traced back to the times of the polish–lithuanian commonwealth.

Main

Belyash

Peremech (tatar: пәрәмәч / pərəməç / pärämäç; bashkir: бәрәмес, tr. beremes; russian: беляш, tr. belyash) is an individual-sized fried dough pastry common for volga tatar and bashkir cuisines. it is made from unleavened or leavened dough and usually filled with ground meat and chopped onion. originally, finely chopped pre-cooked meat was used as a filling, but later raw ground meat became more common. alternatively, peremech can be filled with potato or quark.peremech is usually shaped into a flattened sphere with a circular "window" in the middle. in contrast to doughnuts, the hole does not go all the way through, but is only made at the top, such that the filling is visible in the middle. the shape is thus somewhat similar to russian vatrushka. however, dough neatly kneaded around the hole gives the classical peremech its distinctive shape.peremech is traditionally served with broth, qatiq (yogurt) or ayran.nowadays, the meat-filled version is popular throughout russia and other post-soviet countries where it is usually referred to as belyash (russian: беляш, pl. беляши, belyashi). this word appeared in russian in the second half of the 20th century and possibly derives from another tatar word, bəleş, which denotes a baked full-size pie with meat and potato filling. modern variants of belyashi can also be made without a hole in the top. along with pirozhki and chiburekki, belyashi are a common street food in the region. in finland the pastry is known as "pärämätsi" & first appeared in 1960s in tampere.

Main

Chebureki

Chebureki is a deep-fried turnover with a filling of ground or minced meat and onions. it is made with a single round piece of dough folded over the filling in a crescent shape.chebureki is a national dish of crimean tatar cuisine. they are popular as snack and street food throughout the caucasus, central asia, russia, lithuania, latvia, estonia, ukraine, eastern europe, as well as with the crimean tatar diasporas in turkey and romania.

Main

Öçpoçmaq

Ocpocmaq (;cyrillic: өчпочмак pronounced [ˌœɕpɔɕˈmɑq], literally triangle) is a tatar and bashkir national dish, an essential food in tatar and bashkir culture. it is a triangular pastry, filled with chopped raw meat, onion and potatoes. öçpoçmaq is usually eaten with bouillon or with tea. uchpuchmaks have been cooked for centuries by nomad turkic people. lamb, and, sometimes, horse meat was used to make a triangular pie. an opening on the top was used to add broth immediately before eating which made it a hot meal. this made cooking in the field fast and easy. for most of the soviet period, much of the tatar cuisine including uchpuchmaks was removed from public catering due to clumsy overregulation. in the late 60s, yunus ahmetjanov, a legendary chef pushed for recognition of uchpuchmak, chakchak and other tatar meals on the unionwide level and was successful in promoting them to public catering menus all across the soviet union. presently, uchpuchmaks are often made without an opening, however, it's still served with meat broth in a separate bowl. beef is the prevalent filling today; other varieties contain goose and duck meat.

Main

Pirozhki

Pirozhki (russian: пирожки́, tr. pirožkí, ipa: [pʲɪrɐʂˈkʲi], plural form of pirozhok; ukrainian: пиріжки, pyrizhky) are russian baked or fried yeast-leavened boat-shaped buns with a variety of fillings. pirozhki are a popular street food and comfort food in russia.

Main

Samosa

A samosa () is a fried or baked pastry with a savory filling, including ingredients such as spiced potatoes, onions, and peas. it may take different forms, including triangular, cone, or half-moon shapes, depending on the region. samosas are often accompanied by chutney, and have origins in medieval times or earlier. samosas are a popular entrée, appetizer, or snack in the cuisines of south asia, the middle east, central asia, east africa and their diasporas. the english word samosa derives from hindi word 'samosa' (hindi: समोसा), traceable to the middle persian word sanbosag (سنبوسگ) 'triangular pastry'. similar pastries are called sambusak in arabic; medieval arabic recipe books sometimes spell it sambusaj. the spelling samoosa is used in south africa.

Main

Samsa

A samosa () is a fried or baked pastry with a savory filling, including ingredients such as spiced potatoes, onions, and peas. it may take different forms, including triangular, cone, or half-moon shapes, depending on the region. samosas are often accompanied by chutney, and have origins in medieval times or earlier. samosas are a popular entrée, appetizer, or snack in the cuisines of south asia, the middle east, central asia, east africa and their diasporas. the english word samosa derives from hindi word 'samosa' (hindi: समोसा), traceable to the middle persian word sanbosag (سنبوسگ) 'triangular pastry'. similar pastries are called sambusak in arabic; medieval arabic recipe books sometimes spell it sambusaj. the spelling samoosa is used in south africa.

Main

Ashlyam fu

A spicy cold soup made with noodles, eggs, vegetables, spices

Main

Borscht

Borscht (english: (listen)) is a sour soup common in eastern europe and northern asia. in english, the word "borscht" is most often associated with the soup's variant of ukrainian origin, made with red beetroots as one of the main ingredients, which give the dish its distinctive red color. the same name, however, is also used for a wide selection of sour-tasting soups without beetroots, such as sorrel-based green borscht, rye-based white borscht, and cabbage borscht. borscht derives from an ancient soup originally cooked from pickled stems, leaves and umbels of common hogweed (heracleum sphondylium), a herbaceous plant growing in damp meadows, which lent the dish its slavic name. with time, it evolved into a diverse array of tart soups, among which the ukrainian beet-based red borscht has become the most popular. it is typically made by combining meat or bone stock with sautéed vegetables, which – as well as beetroots – usually include cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, and tomatoes. depending on the recipe, borscht may include meat or fish, or be purely vegetarian; it may be served either hot or cold, and it may range from a hearty one-pot meal to a clear broth or a smooth drink. it is often served with smetana or sour cream, hard-boiled eggs or potatoes, but there exists an ample choice of more involved garnishes and side dishes, such as uszka or pampushky, that can be served with the soup. its popularity has spread throughout eastern europe and – by way of migration away from the russian empire – to other continents. in north america, borscht is often linked with either jews or mennonites, the groups who first brought it there from europe. several ethnic groups claim borscht, in its various local guises, as their own national dish consumed as part of ritual meals within eastern orthodox, greek catholic, roman catholic, and jewish religious traditions. in 2022, the united nations educational, scientific, and cultural organization (unesco) announced that it had placed borscht on the list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding due to the risk that russia's invasion posed to the soup's status as an element of ukraine's cultural heritage. the new status means ukraine could now apply for special funds to finance projects promoting and protecting the dish.

Main

Chorba

Chorba from arabic (شوربه) from the word chareb (شرب, drinked) or shorba is a broad class of stews or rich soups found in national cuisines across the middle east, algeria, central europe, eastern europe, central asia, middle east, balkans and the indian subcontinent. it is often prepared with added ingredients but served alone as a broth or with bread.

Main

Dimlama

Dimlama or dymdama (russian: дымдама, dymdama) is a turkic and uzbek (or-more broadly-central asian) stew made with various combinations of meat, potatoes, onions, vegetables, and sometimes fruits. meat (lamb or sometimes veal or beef) and vegetables are cut into large pieces and placed in layers in a tightly sealed pot to simmer slowly in their own juices. vegetables for dimlama may include, in addition to potatoes and onions, carrots, cabbage, eggplants, tomatoes, sweet peppers, spiced with garlic and a variety of herbs and condiments. dimlama is usually cooked during spring and summer when there is a wide choice of vegetables. it is served on a large plate and eaten with a spoon.

Main

Djarkope

Lamb stew with vegetables

Main

Hybivka

Mushroom soup

Main

Kharcho

Kharcho, also spelled as harcho (georgian: ხარჩო), is a traditional georgian soup containing beef, rice, cherry plum purée and chopped walnuts (juglans regia). the soup is usually served with finely chopped fresh coriander. the characteristic ingredients of the soup are meat, cherry plum purée made from tklapi or tkemali, rice, chopped walnuts and a spice mix which varies between different regions of georgia. an example of a georgian recipe for kharcho is made using beef, lamb, pork, chicken or goose. cut a cleaned, thoroughly washed piece of beef brisket into pieces, put it in 2 quarts of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 2–2.5 hours, skimming the foam. when the meat is soft add the rice; after 10 minutes add the chopped walnuts, allspice, bay leaf and peppercorns. when it is almost ready add the cherry plum paste, the spices (cerulea, coriander seed, paprika, turkish smoked red pepper) and then simmer for 5 minutes more. adjust salt, add the fresh coriander, let it cool, and serve.

Main

Kletski

Flour or potato dumplings, serve, for example, in soup, with mushroom sauce, with onions, topped with sour cream, there are also dessert variations, for example, apple kletski

Main

Kuurdak

Kuurdak (kyrgyz: куурдак, kazakh: қуырдақ, qýyrdaq, turkmen: gowurdak; говурдак, uighur: قورداق қордақ qordaq, uzbek: qovurdoq, mongolian: хуурдаг), transliterated with various spellings, is a traditional meat dish made in central asia. the name comes from a nominalisation of the word "roast", "fried", referring to how the food is made. it is described as "stewed brown meat".kuurdak is one of the main and oldest dishes in kyrgyz cuisine. kuurdak is usually made from mutton, fat/oil and onion, it can be made using beef or any other kind of meat. in kazakh cuisine kuurdak is made from sheep's liver, kidney, heart and lungs.

Main

Meatball soup

Meatball soup is a soup made using meatballs, simmered with various other ingredients. the classic meatball soup consists of a clear broth, often with pieces of or whole meatballs with vegetables; common additions are pasta (e.g., noodles, although almost any form can be used), dumplings, or grains such as rice and barley. various types of meat are used, such as beef, lamb, pork and poultry.

Main

Okroshka

Okróshka (russian: окро́шка) is a cold soup of russian origin and probably originated in the volga region.the classic soup is a mix of mostly raw vegetables (like cucumbers, radishes and spring onions), boiled potatoes, eggs, and a cooked meat such as beef, veal, sausages, or ham with kvass, which is a non-alcoholic (1.5% or less) beverage made from fermented black or rye bread. okroshka is usually garnished with sour cream (smetana). later versions that first appeared in soviet times use light or diluted kefir, whey, ayran, or mineral water instead of kvass. the ingredients are diced and then mixed with kvass just before eating; the ratio of chopped food to kvass is similar to that of cereal to milk. this allows the vegetables to retain their texture. for that same reason, even though the ingredients are similar to those in a russian salad, the taste of okroshka is quite different from that of the salad. okroshka is mostly served in summer because the soup combines the refreshing taste of kvass and the lightness of a salad. salt and sugar can be added according to taste. in the recipes with mineral water, there is one more addition to the ingredients of okroshka: freshly squeezed lemon juice; this is to replace the flavor in the absence of kvass. okroshka is always served cold. sometimes ice cubes are added to served portions to keep the soup cold in hot weather.

Main

Pumpkin soup

Pumpkin soup is a usually 'bound' (thick) soup made from a purée of pumpkin. it is made by combining the meat of a blended pumpkin with broth or stock. it can be served hot or cold, and is a popular thanksgiving dish in the united states. various versions of the dish are known in many european countries, the united states and other areas of north america, in asia and in australia. pumpkin soup was a staple for the prisoners of war in north vietnamese prison camps during the vietnam war.squash soup is a soup prepared using squash as a primary ingredient. squash used to prepare the soup commonly includes acorn and butternut squash.

Main

Rassolnik

Rassolnik (russian: рассольник) is a traditional russian soup made from pickled cucumbers, pearl barley, and pork or beef kidneys. a vegetarian variant of rassolnik also exists, usually made during lent. the dish is known to have existed as far back as the 15th century, when it was called kalya. rassolnik became part of the common soviet cuisine and today it is also popular in ukraine and belarus. a similar dish is common in poland, where it is known as zupa ogórkowa (literally cucumber soup). the key part of rassolnik is the rassol, a liquid based on the juice of pickled cucumbers with various other seasonings. it is a favourite hangover treatment.

Main

Sup

Chorba from arabic (شوربه) from the word chareb (شرب, drinked) or shorba is a broad class of stews or rich soups found in national cuisines across the middle east, algeria, central europe, eastern europe, central asia, middle east, balkans and the indian subcontinent. it is often prepared with added ingredients but served alone as a broth or with bread.

Main

Svekolnik

Borscht (english: (listen)) is a sour soup common in eastern europe and northern asia. in english, the word "borscht" is most often associated with the soup's variant of ukrainian origin, made with red beetroots as one of the main ingredients, which give the dish its distinctive red color. the same name, however, is also used for a wide selection of sour-tasting soups without beetroots, such as sorrel-based green borscht, rye-based white borscht, and cabbage borscht. borscht derives from an ancient soup originally cooked from pickled stems, leaves and umbels of common hogweed (heracleum sphondylium), a herbaceous plant growing in damp meadows, which lent the dish its slavic name. with time, it evolved into a diverse array of tart soups, among which the ukrainian beet-based red borscht has become the most popular. it is typically made by combining meat or bone stock with sautéed vegetables, which – as well as beetroots – usually include cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, and tomatoes. depending on the recipe, borscht may include meat or fish, or be purely vegetarian; it may be served either hot or cold, and it may range from a hearty one-pot meal to a clear broth or a smooth drink. it is often served with smetana or sour cream, hard-boiled eggs or potatoes, but there exists an ample choice of more involved garnishes and side dishes, such as uszka or pampushky, that can be served with the soup. its popularity has spread throughout eastern europe and – by way of migration away from the russian empire – to other continents. in north america, borscht is often linked with either jews or mennonites, the groups who first brought it there from europe. several ethnic groups claim borscht, in its various local guises, as their own national dish consumed as part of ritual meals within eastern orthodox, greek catholic, roman catholic, and jewish religious traditions. in 2022, the united nations educational, scientific, and cultural organization (unesco) announced that it had placed borscht on the list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding due to the risk that russia's invasion posed to the soup's status as an element of ukraine's cultural heritage. the new status means ukraine could now apply for special funds to finance projects promoting and protecting the dish.

Main

Ukha

Ukha (russian: уха) is a clear russian soup, made from various types of fish such as bream, wels catfish, northern pike, or even ruffe. it usually contains root vegetables, parsley root, leek, potato, bay leaf, dill, tarragon, and green parsley, and is spiced with black pepper, saffron, nutmeg, and fennel seed. fish such as perch, tench, sheatfish, and burbot are sometimes used to add flavour to the soup. the roots of the soup originated in the culture of the russian cossack steppe riders and the soup is mostly associated in russia with the don region. while ukha is a fish dish that is made with broth, calling it a fish soup may not be absolutely correct. "ukha" started to be used as a term for fish broth in russian cuisine in the late 17th to early 18th centuries. in earlier times, this term referred to thick meat broths, and then later chicken. beginning in the 15th century, fish was more and more often used to prepare ukha, thus creating a dish that had a distinctive taste among soups. in the 19th century, many travellers visiting russia claimed ukha to be one of the best dishes in russian cuisine. vegetables were kept to a minimum when preparing ukha, and in fact, in classic belarusian cuisine, ukha was simply a rich fish broth that accompanied fish pies (pirozhki, rasstegai, coulibiac, and other pirogi). these days it is more often a fish soup, cooked with potatoes and other vegetables. a wide variety of freshwater fish can be used, and some aficionados opine that one cannot make a good ukha from saltwater fish species. fresh fish lends the dish the best flavor, and so if frozen fish is used, it is better not to defrost it. preference is given to smaller, younger fish, with the tail parts of bigger fish discarded. commonly fishermen add a shot of vodka to ukha at the end to create a specific flavour. another custom is to dip the smoldering firebrand from the fire directly into ukha at the very end.