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Montenegro

Montenegro, on the Adriatic, is a Balkan gem with Podgorica as its capital, though Kotor’s medieval bay steals the show with fjord-like cliffs. Known for rugged mountains, Tara Canyon, and budding tourism, its economy mixes hospitality with aluminum and olives. Its Orthodox and Ottoman threads weave a Slavic soul. Montenegro’s raw beauty punches above its size.

Montenegro

Featured Dishes from Montenegro

Bread

Bread

Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diets. It is one of the oldest human-made foods, having been of significance since the dawn of agriculture, and plays an essential role in both religious rituals and secular culture. Bread may be leavened by naturally occurring microbes (e.g. sourdough), chemicals (e.g. baking soda), industrially produced yeast, or high-pressure aeration, which creates the gas bubbles that fluff up bread. In many countries, commercial bread often contains additives to improve flavor, texture, color, shelf life, nutrition, and ease of production.

Cicvara

Cicvara

Cornmeal porridge, serve with milk, cheese, kajmak

Gibanica

Gibanica

Gibanica is a traditional pastry dish popular all over the Balkans. It is usually made with cottage cheese and eggs. Recipes can range from sweet to savoury, and from simple to festive and elaborate multi-layered cakes. A derivative of the Serbo-Croatian verb gibati/гибати meaning "to fold; sway, swing, rock", the pastry was mentioned in Vuk Stefanović Karadžić's Serbian Dictionary in 1818 and by a Slovenian priest Jožef Kosič in 1828, where it was described as a special Slovenian cake which is "a must at wedding festivities and is also served to workers after finishing a big project". It is a type of layered strudel, a combination of Turkish and Austrian influences in different cuisines of the former Yugoslavia. Today the versions of this cake can be found in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, North Macedonia and other regions of the former Yugoslavia. Variants of this rich layered strudel are found in Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, and Syria.

Kajmak

Kajmak

Kaymak, sarshir, or qashta/ashta is a creamy dairy food similar to clotted cream, made from the milk of water buffalo, cows, sheep, or goats in Central Asia, some Balkan countries, some Caucasus countries, the Levant, Turkic regions, Iran and Iraq. The traditional method of making kaymak is to boil the raw milk slowly, then simmer it for two hours over a very low heat. After the heat source is shut off, the cream is skimmed and left to chill (and mildly ferment) for several hours or days. Kaymak has a high percentage of milk fat, typically about 60%. It has a thick, creamy consistency (not entirely compact, because of milk protein fibers) and a rich taste. The word kaymak has Central Asian Turkic origins, possibly formed from the verb kaymak, which means 'melt' and 'molding of metal' in Turkic. The first written records of the word kaymak is in the Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk of Mahmud al-Kashgari. The word remains as kaylgmak in Mongolian, which refers to a fried clotted cream, and with small variations in Turkic languages as qaymaq in Azerbaijani, qaymoq in Uzbek, қаймақ in Kazakh and Shor, каймак in Kyrgyz, kaymak in Turkish, gaýmak in Turkmen, კაიმაღი (kaimaghi) in Georgian, καϊμάκι (kaïmáki) in Greek, and кајмак (kajmak) in Serbo-Croatian, caimac in Romanian. This dairy food is called sarshir (سَرشیر) 'top of the milk' in Iran. They use this name because after boiling milk, a layer of fat stands on the top of the boiled milk.

Mekike

Mekike

Mekitsa is a traditional Bulgarian dish made of kneaded dough made with yogurt that is deep fried. They are made with flour, eggs, yogurt, a leavening agent, water, salt, and oil. In Serbia they are called mekike (sing. mekika), while in Macedonian mekica or pituljica, and in Bulgaria mekitsa. They are similar to Hungarian lángos and British Yorkshire pudding. Mekitsa is conventionally a breakfast dish. After the dough rises, it is torn into small balls, spread into flat rounds and fried in oil. In some recipes, yeast, baking soda, milk or yogurt might be used. A recipe from Silistra involves yogurt and bread soda, one from a village near Stara Zagora uses yeast and yogurt, and a recipe from Aytos suggests yeast and milk. One of the oldest known recipes contains only yeast, flour, salt and sugar and it uses water as the sole wet ingredient. It is recommended that the shaping of mekitsi before their frying be done with wet or oiled hand hands, using most commonly vegetable oil. When served, mekitsa is often powdered with icing sugar or garnished with jam, honey or sirene (white cheese). It can also be eaten with yogurt.

Peciva

Peciva

Baked goods, for example, pastries, strudel, kifle, flatbreads, rolls, bread, pretzels, bagels, cinnamon rolls

Pogača

Pogača

Pogača is a type of bread baked in the ashes of the fireplace, and later in modern ovens. Found in the cuisines of the Balkans, Levant, Turkish and Hungary it can be leavened or unleavened, though the latter is considered more challenging to make. It is generally made from wheat flour, but barley and sometimes rye may be added. It can be stuffed with potatoes, ground beef, olive, or cheese, and have grains and herbs like sesame, black nigella seed, or dried dill in the dough or sprinkled on top. The word derives ultimately from the Latin panis focacius, i.e. bread (panis) baked on the hearth or fireplace (focus), via the Byzantine Greek πογάτσα (pogátsa), thence entering the South Slavic languages as pogača / погача. A variant is known as pogačice (diminutive form), a type of puff pastry eaten in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Turkey (where it is called poğaça) with variations like karaköy. It is called pogatschen in Austria, and pagáče in Slovakia. It is known by similar names in other languages: pogácsa (Hungarian), pogace (Romanian), Greek: μπουγάτσα 'bughátsa', Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian Cyrillic: погача, Albanian: pogaçe, Arabic بغاجة (baghajah).

Popara

Popara

Popara is a dish made with bread. Typically the bread should be old, stale and have a thick crust. It is soaked in either hot tea, milk or water. Sugar, honey, butter, and cheese are often added. It is mostly made in Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Turkey, Croatia and Montenegro.

Proja

Proja

Proja is a Balkan dish made of corn flour, baking powder, sunflower oil, sparkling water and salt. As one of Serbian national dishes, alternative name for Proja (Проја) is also Projara (Пројара). Proha, Prova or Razljevak are alternative names used in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has been popular in times of widespread poverty, mostly before the 1950s, and remains a common everyday meal. It is often mistaken with projara, a somewhat fancier variant of proja, which includes the additional ingredients flour, eggs and yogurt. The ingredients should be mixed together and baked in a greased pan (which should be 5 cm high) until golden. Best served with kajmak and sour cream.

Bajadera torta

Bajadera torta

Bajadera is a Balkan layered nougat with almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts, invented and produced commercially by the Kraš confectionery company. In Poland, the term bajadera refers to a rum ball.

Baklava

Baklava

Baklava is a layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. It was one of the most popular sweet pastries of Ottoman cuisine. There are several theories for the origin of the pre-Ottoman version of the dish. In modern times, it is a common dessert among cuisines of countries in West Asia, Southeast Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa. It is also enjoyed in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where, although not a traditional sweet, it has carved out a niche in urban centers. The word baklava is first attested in English in 1650, a borrowing from Ottoman Turkish: باقلاوه /bɑːklɑvɑː/. The name baklava is used in many languages with minor phonetic and spelling variations. The earliest known reference to baklava is in a poem by the 15th century mystic Kaygusuz Abdal.

Bombice

Bombice

Chocolate balls or truffles, made with dates, almonds, fig, cocoa powder, rum, chocolate

Breskvice

Breskvice

Jam-filled peach-shaped cookies

Buhtle

Buhtle

Buchteln , Ofennudel(n), Rohrnudel(n)) are sweet rolls made of enriched yeast dough, filled with powidl, jam, ground poppy seeds or quark, brushed with butter and baked in a large pan so that they stick together and can be pulled apart. The traditional buchtel is filled with powidl.[citation needed] Buchteln may be topped with vanilla sauce, powdered sugar or eaten plain and warm. Buchteln are served lukewarm, mostly as a breakfast pastry or with tea. In the 19th century they could be boiled similar to dumplings. The origin of the buchteln is the region of Bohemia, but they also play a major part in the Austrian, Slovak, Slovenian, and Hungarian cuisine. In Bavaria buchteln are called Rohrnudeln, in Slovenian buhteljni, in Serbian бухтле/buhtle or бухтла/buhtla, in Hungarian bukta, in Kajkavian buhtli, in Croatian buhtle, in Polish buchta, and in Czech buchta or buchtička, in Lombard Buten. In Romania, in the Banat region, are called bucte.

Cheesecake

Cheesecake

Cheesecake is a dessert made with a soft fresh cheese , eggs, and sugar. It may have a crust or base made from crushed cookies (or digestive biscuits), graham crackers, pastry, or sometimes sponge cake. Cheesecake may be baked or unbaked, and is usually served cold. Vanilla, spices, lemon, chocolate, pumpkin, or other flavors may be added to the main cheese layer; Additional flavors and visual appeal may be added by topping the finished dessert with fruit, whipped cream, nuts, cookies, fruit sauce, chocolate syrup, or other ingredients.

Čokoladna torta

Čokoladna torta

Chocolate cake or chocolate gâteau is a cake flavored with melted chocolate, cocoa powder, or both. It can also have other ingredients such as fudge, vanilla creme, and other sweeteners. The history of chocolate cake goes back to the 17th century, when cocoa powder from the Americas was added to traditional cake recipes.

Cupava kata

Cupava kata

Layered dessert squares, made with fruit, nuts, streusel

Čupavci

Čupavci

A lamington is an Australian cake made from squares of butter cake or sponge cake coated in an outer layer of chocolate sauce and rolled in desiccated coconut. The thin mixture is absorbed into the outside of the sponge cake and left to set, giving the cake a distinctive texture. A common variation has a layer of cream or strawberry jam between two lamington halves. Lamingtons are believed to be named after either Lord Lamington, who served as Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901, or his wife, Lady Lamington. Most sources incline to the former. The earliest known reference to the naming of the lamington, from June 1927, links the cake to Lord Lamington.

Hurmašica

Hurmašica

Syrup-soaked pastries

Keks torta

Keks torta

No-bake layered cake made with cookies and chocolate sauce

Kiflice

Kiflice

Kipferl, kifli, kiflice, or kifle is a traditional yeast bread roll that is rolled and formed into a crescent before baking. It is a common type of bread roll throughout much of central Europe and nearby countries, where it is called by different names. It is thought to be the inspiration for the French croissant, which has a very similar shape but is made with a different type of dough. Stale kipfel[which?] are used to make a sweet bread pudding called Kipfelkoch.

Knedle

Knedle

Knedle , is a dish of boiled ball- or oval-shaped dumplings with a filling. The dough can be potato-based or made of choux pastry; sometimes it is curd-based. It is filled with fruits (whole strawberries, prune plums, apricots, pieces of apples), mushrooms, curd cheese, meat etc. Knedle are popular in Central and Eastern European countries. The fruit-filled variant can be eaten as dessert, a main dish, or side dish. Dumplings originated in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Plum dumplings are known in other languages as: Austrian German: Zwetschkenknödel, German: Zwetschgenknödel, Hungarian: szilvásgombóc, Croatian: knedle sa šljivama, Serbian: knedle od šljiva, knedle or alternatively gomboce in Vojvodina, Slovene: slivovi cmoki, Slovak: slivkové knedle, Czech: švestkové knedlíky, Polish: knedle ze śliwkami, Romanian: găluște/gomboți cu prune.

Koláč

Koláč

Round pastry topped with fruit, jam, cheese, curds

Krempita

Krempita

A cremeschnitte , also known as vanilla slice or custard slice, is a custard and chantilly cream cream cake dessert commonly associated with the former Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. However, its origin is most commonly associated with a city in Slovenia known as Bled where it is called "Blejska kremšnita". This dish remains popular across Central Europe and the Balkans in various variations, all of which include a puff pastry base and custard cream. Vanilla slice emerged as a variety of one of these similar desserts, but it is unknown which variety or varieties evolved into the modern dish. In Slovenia, kremna rezina is commonly associated with the town of Bled, an Alpine tourist destination in northwestern Slovenia. The cake recipe was brought to the local Hotel Park in 1953 by Ištvan Lukačević, chef of the hotel's confectionery store. He came to Bled from Serbia (Vojvodina) where a similar cake was already known. As of October 2009, 10 million cream cakes have been baked at the hotel's patisserie since its invention. The name of the dessert means simply "cream slice". Locals refer to it as kremšnita, from the German word Cremeschnitte, with the same meaning. While the kremna rezina from Bled celebrated their 10th million piece production, Slaščičarna Lenček, which is located in Domžale, in year 2013 celebrated the 75th anniversary since they have made their first one which is called Lenčkova kremna rezina.

Krofne

Krofne

Krofne are airy filled doughnuts. They are round and usually filled with jelly, marmalade, jam or chocolate as well as butter, Nutella and cinnamon. They can also be filled with custard, or cream, but that is usually less common. The name comes from German Krapfen, and it is a variation of the Central European pastry known as the Berliner. They are also similar to beignets. The recipe for homemade krofne includes yeast, milk, sugar, flour, salt, butter, eggs, rum, lemon peel, marmalade and powdered sugar. The dough is kneaded and prepared and then cut into small pieces, then made into a little ball, making it easier to cook. In Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, the consumption of krofne, or krofi, increases significantly during the yearly winter festival of Carnival. In Croatia, they are served on New Year's Day as a good-luck token as well as for prosperity,[citation needed] as well as for other holidays such as Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Kuglof

Kuglof

A Gugelhupf (also Kugelhupf, Guglhupf, Gugelhopf, pronounced [ˈɡuːɡl̩.hʊp͡f, -hɔp͡f, ˈkuːɡl̩-], and, in France, kouglof [kuɡlɔf], kougelhof, or kougelhopf, is a cake traditionally baked in a distinctive ring pan, similar to Bundt cake, but leavened with baker's yeast. There are three main types: cocoa; plain with a hint of vanilla and lemon zest; and a marbled combination of the two. It is especially popular as a traditional cake in Central Europe. In the cuisine of the Pennsylvania Dutch it is known as Deitscher Kuche .

Lenja pita

Lenja pita

Cake with a fruit or walnut layer in the middle, made with apples, cherries, walnuts, poppy seeds

Makovnjača

Makovnjača

The poppy seed roll is a pastry consisting of a roll of sweet yeast bread with a dense, rich, bittersweet filling of poppy seed. An alternative filling is a paste of minced walnuts, or minced chestnuts. It is popular in Central Europe and parts of Eastern Europe, where it is commonly eaten at Christmas and Easter time. It is traditional in several cuisines, including Polish (strucla z makiem, strucla makowa; poppy seed cake = makowiec), Kashubian (makówc), Hungarian (mákos bejgli), Slovak (makovník), Czech (makový závin), Austrian (Mohnbeugel, Mohnstrudel or Mohnstriezel), Ukrainian (pyrih z makom пирiг з маком or makivnyk маківник), Belarusian (makavy rulet макавы рулет), Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian (makovnjača or štrudla sa makom), Slovenian (makova potica), Romanian (coardă cu mac), Russian (rulet s makom рулет с маком), Lithuanian (aguonų vyniotinis), Latvian (magonmaizite), German (Mohnstrudel), and Yiddish (mohn roll). There are two different doughs used, one with yeast and one without. They dough is made of flour, sugar, egg yolk, milk or sour cream and butter, and yeast. The dough may be flavored with lemon or orange zest or rum. The poppy seed filling may contain ground poppy seeds, raisins, butter or milk, sugar or honey, rum and vanilla. Sometimes apricot jam, which is one of the most popular jams used in Hungarian cuisine, is substituted for sugar. There is another similar dish called walnut roll or nut roll, which contains a filling of ground walnuts and sugar, optionally enriched with raisins, rum, butter or milk and/or lemon zest. This filling may be spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove or vanilla.

Oblatne

Oblatne

No-bake wafer cake

Orahnjača

Orahnjača

A nut roll is a pastry consisting of a sweet yeast dough that is rolled out very thin, spread with a nut paste made from ground nuts and a sweetener like honey, then rolled up into a log shape. This 'log' is either left long and straight or is often bent into a horseshoe shape, egg washed, baked, and then sliced crosswise. Nut rolls resemble a jelly roll (Swiss roll) but usually with more layers of dough and filling, and resemble strudels but with fewer and less delicate dough layers. Fillings commonly have as their main ingredient ground walnuts or poppy seeds. Nut rolls can be found in the United States and in Central European cuisines. In the United States, "nut roll" is a more or less generic name for pastries of this type, no matter where they originate. Nut rolls are known also by many specific regional names, including: orechovník in Slovak; makowiec in Polish; potica, povitica, gibanica, orahnjača/orehnjača in Slovenian and Serbo-Croatian (walnut variant, makovnjača for variant with poppy seed, in Croatia can also be made with carob); kalács and bejgli in Hungarian; and pastiç (pastiche) or nokul in Turkish. Regional variations on nut rolls are part of weddings, for Easter and Christmas, as well as other celebrations and holidays.

Orasnice

Orasnice

Padobranci

Padobranci

A macaron or French macaroon (/ˌmækəˈruːn/ MAK-ə-ROON) is a sweet meringue-based confection made with egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond meal, and often food colouring. Since the 19th century, a typical Parisian-style macaron has been a sandwich cookie filled with a ganache, buttercream or jam. As baked, the circular macaron displays a smooth, square-edged top, a ruffled circumference—referred to as the "crown" or "foot" (or "pied")—and a flat base. It is mildly moist and easily melts in the mouth. Macarons can be found in a wide variety of flavours that range from traditional sweet such as raspberry or chocolate to savoury (as a foie gras).

Palačinke

Palačinke

Palatschinke is a thin crêpe-like variety of pancake of Greco-Roman origin. The dessert is common in the Balkans, Central and Eastern Europe. The dish is of Greco-Roman origin. In 350 BCE, the ancient Greek poets Archestratos and Antiphanes first mentioned plakous. Cato the Elder's short work De agri cultura ("On Farming") from about 160 BC includes an elaborate recipe for placenta. Palatschinke still bears the same name of its Greek and Roman ancestors. The origin of the name comes from the Latin word placenta, which in turn is derived from the Greek word plakous for thin or layered flat breads. The name of the dish has followed a track of borrowing across several languages of Central and Southeastern Europe; the dish originates from the Roman era of Central Europe and the Austrian-German term Palatschinke, the Czech palačinka, the Slovak palacinka, and the Croatian-Serb palačinka are deemed to have been borrowed from Hungarian palacsinta, that in turn from Romanian plăcintă (a cake, a pie), the Romanian word can be traced back to the Latin placenta, meaning "pie, cake".

Palatschinke

Palatschinke

Palatschinke is a thin crêpe-like variety of pancake of Greco-Roman origin. The dessert is common in the Balkans, Central and Eastern Europe. The dish is of Greco-Roman origin. In 350 BCE, the ancient Greek poets Archestratos and Antiphanes first mentioned plakous. Cato the Elder's short work De agri cultura ("On Farming") from about 160 BC includes an elaborate recipe for placenta. Palatschinke still bears the same name of its Greek and Roman ancestors. The origin of the name comes from the Latin word placenta, which in turn is derived from the Greek word plakous for thin or layered flat breads. The name of the dish has followed a track of borrowing across several languages of Central and Southeastern Europe; the dish originates from the Roman era of Central Europe and the Austrian-German term Palatschinke, the Czech palačinka, the Slovak palacinka, and the Croatian-Serb palačinka are deemed to have been borrowed from Hungarian palacsinta, that in turn from Romanian plăcintă (a cake, a pie), the Romanian word can be traced back to the Latin placenta, meaning "pie, cake".

Pekmez

Pekmez

Pekmez is a molasses-like syrup obtained after condensing juices of fruit must, especially grape, by boiling it with a coagulant agent like wood ashes or ground carob seeds. It is used as a syrup or mixed with tahini for breakfast. Pekmez is etymologically Oghuz Turkic in origin and it was called bekmes in the past. The oldest written account of the word is recorded in 1073 dictionary Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk by Mahmud al-Kashgari. Fruit molasses, defrutum, goes back to the classical period.

Pinca

Pinca

Pinca is a variety of Easter bread native to Italy, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria. It is particularly popular in Istria, western Croatia in parts of the Province of Trieste and the historical region of Dalmatia, the Goriška region of Slovenia, the Slovenian Littoral, southern Austria and Gorizia of Italy. In Italy, it is called pinza triestina to distinguish it from Venetian pinza and pinza bolognese. It is a sweet bread loaf with the sign of a cross, which is carved in with a knife before baking, on the upper side.

Pita sa jabukama

Pita sa jabukama

Plazma torta

Plazma torta

Cake made with crushed Plazma cookies, many types, for example, chocolate, caramel, fruit

Priganice

Priganice

Deep-fried dough, doughnuts, serve with honey

Puslice

Puslice

Meringue confections

Reform torta

Reform torta

Layered chocolate buttercream cake

Ruske kape

Ruske kape

Ruske kape are a type of cake dessert served in Balkan countries, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. It usually comes in a 60-millimetre-wide (2.4 in), round serving and includes coconut around the edge or sometimes crushed walnuts. The top is usually chocolate drizzled with vanilla. The center includes layers of alternating vanilla, chocolate, and sometimes a mocha flavor. The design of the confectionery itself is based on the papakha, a traditional shepherd's hat that is worn all throughout the mountainous Caucasus region, albeit the term "ruske kape" comes from the Russian Cossacks who wore the hat in the regiments they belonged to, hence its given name in the Balkans.

Sir od dunja

Sir od dunja

Quince paste/quince cheese, commonly cut into small squares or poured into molds and made into small confections

Sladoled

Sladoled

Ice cream is a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream that has been flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. Food colouring is sometimes added in addition to stabilizers. The mixture is cooled below the freezing point of water and stirred to incorporate air spaces and prevent detectable ice crystals from forming. It can also be made by whisking a flavoured cream base and liquid nitrogen together. The result is a smooth, semi-solid foam that is solid at very low temperatures . It becomes more malleable as its temperature increases. Ice cream may be served in dishes, eaten with a spoon, or licked from edible wafer ice cream cones held by the hands as finger food. Ice cream may be served with other desserts—such as cake or pie—or used as an ingredient in cold dishes—like ice cream floats, sundaes, milkshakes, and ice cream cakes—or in baked items such as Baked Alaska.

Spanski vjetar

Spanski vjetar

Layered meringue cake

Strudel

Strudel

Strudel is a type of layered pastry with a filling that is usually sweet, but savoury fillings are also common. It became popular in the 18th century throughout the Habsburg Empire. Strudel is part of Austrian cuisine and German cuisine but is also common in other Central European cuisines. In Italy it is recognized as a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (PAT) of South Tyrol. The oldest strudel recipes (a Millirahmstrudel and a turnip strudel) are from 1696, in a handwritten cookbook at the Wienbibliothek im Rathaus (formerly Wiener Stadtbibliothek). The pastry is probably descended from similar pastries such as börek and baklava.

Sutlijaš

Sutlijaš

Rice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and commonly other ingredients such as sweeteners, spices, flavourings and sometimes eggs. Variants are used for either desserts or dinners. When used as a dessert, it is commonly combined with a sweetener such as sugar. Such desserts are found on many continents, especially Asia, where rice is a staple. Some variants are thickened only with the rice starch, while others include eggs, making them a kind of custard. Rice puddings are found in nearly every area of the world. Recipes can greatly vary even within a single country. The dessert can be boiled or baked. Different types of pudding vary depending on preparation methods and the selected ingredients. The following ingredients are usually found in rice puddings:

Sutlijaš

Sutlijaš

Rice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and commonly other ingredients such as sweeteners, spices, flavourings and sometimes eggs. Variants are used for either desserts or dinners. When used as a dessert, it is commonly combined with a sweetener such as sugar. Such desserts are found on many continents, especially Asia, where rice is a staple. Some variants are thickened only with the rice starch, while others include eggs, making them a kind of custard. Rice puddings are found in nearly every area of the world. Recipes can greatly vary even within a single country. The dessert can be boiled or baked. Different types of pudding vary depending on preparation methods and the selected ingredients. The following ingredients are usually found in rice puddings:

Trilece

Trilece

Sponge cake topped with a milk topping and a caramel sauce, the milk topping was traditionally made with milk from goats, cows and buffalo, modern versions use cow milk, condensed milk and heavy cream

Tufahije

Tufahije

Tufahije is a dessert made of walnut-stuffed apples poached in sugar water. It is very popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Croatia. The Bulgarian pechani yabalki are also stuffed with walnuts, but are usually baked, not poached. Tufahije is served in large glasses with their own glazed syrup and whipped cream on top. It is usually accompanied by coffee.

Tulumba

Tulumba

Tulumba or Bamiyeh is a deep-fried dessert found in Egypt, Turkey and the regional cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire. It is a fried batter soaked in syrup, similar to jalebis or churros. It is made from unleavened choux pastry dough (usually about 3 cm long) piped with a pastry bag using an open star or similar tip. It is first deep-fried to golden colour and then sugar-sweet syrup is poured over it when still hot. It is eaten cold. Tulumba literally means 'pump' in Turkish, deriving from the Italian tromba. The dessert is called pomba in Cypriot Greek and bombacık in Cypriot Turkish. In Armenian cuisine it may be called either pomp or tulumba (Armenian: թուլումբա). Tulumba features in Albanian, Serbian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek (Greek: τουλούμπα), Azeri (Azerbaijani: Ballıbadı) and Turkish cuisines. The sweet is also found in Persian cuisine as bamiyeh (Persian: باميه), after the vegetable of the same Persian name (okra), due to its shape. In Hejazi it is called ṭurumba (Arabic: طُرُمْبَة) directly from Italian: tromba, but in Egyptian and some Arab cuisines it is called balaḥ ash-Shām (Arabic: بلح الشام), literally "Syrian dates" or "Damascene dates," though the name may have come from "şambali", another Turkish dessert (the "Şam" in "şambali" corresponding to "Shām" in "balaḥ ash-Shām" and both referring to Damascus). In Iraqi cuisine it is known as datli (Arabic: داطلي), directly coming from Turkish word tatlı. It is made from a yogurt[citation needed] and starch based dough, which is fried before being dipped in syrup. It is a special sweet often enjoyed at Iftar in Ramadan. It is also commonly sold alongside jalebi, which is prepared in a similar way, but arranged in a web-like arrangement of strips of dough.

Tulumba

Tulumba

Deep-fried cylinder-shaped choux pastry fritters, soaked in syrup or honey

Uštipci

Uštipci

Uštipci are doughnut-like fried dough balls popular in Southeast European countries, namely Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, and Slovenia. The origin of the uštipci pastry is unknown. The word uštipci comes from the verb uštinuti, which can be translated as "to nip, tweak or pinch". In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is occasionally referred to as peksimeti.

Vanilica

Vanilica

Small vanilla sandwich cookies with jam and topped with powdered sugar

Vasina torta

Vasina torta

Chocolate and walnut cake

Ajran

Ajran

Ayran[a] is a cold savory yogurt-based beverage that is consumed across Central Asia, and the Balkans, in Turkey and Iran. The principal ingredients are yogurt, water and salt. Herbs such as mint may be optionally added. Some varieties are carbonated. Ayran (cf. airag in Mongolian: 'mare milk', uyran (уйран) in Chuvash: 'buttermilk') is mentioned in Mahmud al-Kashgari's 11th century Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk, although he did not give any information how ayran was made. The word is derived from the Old Turkic root adır- ("to separate"), cf. Turkish ayır- ("to separate").

Blueberry juice

Blueberry juice

Blueberry juice is a refreshing drink made from fresh blueberries, known for its sweet and slightly tart flavor. It is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, making it a healthy choice for hydration and nutrition.

Boza

Boza

Boza, also bosa, is a fermented beverage originating from Central Asia and made in parts of the Balkans, Turkey, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and North Africa. It is a malt drink made by fermenting various grains: maize and wheat in Turkey. It is one of the oldest Turkic beverages.: 77 : 46 It has a thick consistency, a low alcohol content (around 1%), and a slightly acidic sweet flavor. According to Turkish etymological dictionary Nişanyan Sözlük, boza is etymologically Turkic in origin. The dictionary states that Old Turkic buχsı or buχsum are cognates, yet it is unclear from which language it was ultimately derived and which one took it as a loanword. Ármin Vámbéry says it is an ancient Turkish word found in Kutadgu Bilig. The oldest written account of the drink is under the name buχsum and is attested from the 1073 Middle Turkic dictionary Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk by Mahmud al-Kashgari. Modern Turkish word boza is believed to be cognates with the Old Turkic buχsı or buχsum. The drink under the name boza is first attested in Abu Hayyan al-Gharnati's early 14th century Kipchak Turkic work Kitab al-'idrak li-lisan al-'atrak

Buttermilk

Buttermilk

Buttermilk is a fermented dairy drink. Traditionally, it was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cultured cream. As most modern butter in Western countries is not made with cultured cream but uncultured sweet cream, most modern buttermilk in Western countries is cultured separately. It is common in warm climates where unrefrigerated milk sours quickly. Buttermilk can be drunk straight, and it can also be used in cooking. In making soda bread, the acid in buttermilk reacts with the raising agent, sodium bicarbonate, to produce carbon dioxide which acts as the leavening agent. Buttermilk is also used in marination, especially of chicken and pork. Originally, buttermilk referred to the thin liquid left over from churning butter from cultured or fermented cream. Traditionally, before the advent of homogenization, the milk was left to sit for a period of time to allow the cream and milk to separate. During this time, naturally occurring lactic acid-producing bacteria in the milk fermented it. This facilitates the butter churning process, since fat from cream with a lower pH coalesces more readily than that of fresh cream. The acidic environment also helps prevent potentially harmful microorganisms from growing, increasing shelf life.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new and developing wine regions, growing Chardonnay is seen as a 'rite of passage' and an easy entry into the international wine market. The Chardonnay grape itself is neutral, with many of the flavors commonly associated with the wine being derived from such influences as terroir and oak. It is vinified in many different styles, from the lean, crisply mineral wines of Chablis, France, to New World wines with oak and tropical fruit flavors. In cool climates (such as Chablis and the Carneros AVA of California), Chardonnay wine tends to be medium to light body with noticeable acidity and flavors of green plum, apple, and pear. In warmer locations (such as the Adelaide Hills and Mornington Peninsula in Australia and Gisborne and Marlborough region of New Zealand), the flavors become more citrus, peach, and melon, while in very warm locations, more fig and tropical fruit notes such as banana and mango come out. Wines that have gone through malolactic fermentation tend to have softer acidity and fruit flavors with buttery mouthfeel and hazelnut notes. Chardonnay is an important component of many sparkling wines around the world, including Champagne and Franciacorta in Italy. Chardonnay's popularity peaked in the late 1980s, then gave way to a backlash among those wine connoisseurs who saw the grape as a leading negative component of the globalization of wine. Nonetheless, it is one of the most widely planted grape varieties, with 210,000 hectares (520,000 acres) worldwide, second only to Airén among white wine grapes and fifth among all wine grapes.

Crna kafa

Crna kafa

Turkish coffee is a style of coffee prepared in a cezve using very finely ground coffee beans without filtering or settling to remove the grounds. Turkish coffee is very finely ground coffee brewed by boiling. Any coffee bean may be used; arabica varieties are considered best, but robusta or a blend is also used. The coffee grounds are left in the coffee when served. The coffee may be ground at home in a manual grinder made for the very fine grind, ground to order by coffee merchants in most parts of the world, or bought ready-ground from many shops.

Espresso

Espresso

Espresso is a concentrated form of coffee produced by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Originating in Italy, espresso has become one of the most popular coffee-brewing methods worldwide. It is characterized by its small serving size, typically 25–30 ml, and its distinctive layers: a dark body topped with a lighter-colored foam called "crema". Espresso machines use pressure to extract a highly concentrated coffee with a complex flavor profile in a short time, usually 25–30 seconds. The result is a beverage with a higher concentration of suspended and dissolved solids than regular drip coffee, giving espresso its characteristic body and intensity. Despite the stronger taste profile, espresso typically contains fewer milligrams of caffeine than a standard serving of drip-brewed coffee.

Jelen pivo

Jelen pivo

Jelen beer is a pale lager produced by the Apatin Brewery from Serbia that belongs to American-Canadian concern Molson Coors. It contains 4,6% alcohol and belongs to the class of light lagers. Jelen has won various awards within Serbia and participates in a variety of sponsorships. Its logo is a bugling red deer; jelen means deer. Since 2008, Jelen has been the general sponsor of the Guča Trumpet Festival and owner of the Jelen Top 10, one of the national pop-rock TV shows. It is the organizer of the Jelen Live Festival.

Kleka

Kleka

Fermented juniper berry juice

Krstač

Krstač

Krstač is an ancient variety of grape that is indigenous to Serbia and Montenegro. A high quality dry white wine is made from it. The wine may be rich, of harmonious bouquet and of light yellow color with 12.5% alcohol. Krstač is also known under the synonyms Beli Krstac, Bijela Krata, Bijela Loza, Bijela Vinogradarska, Bijeli Krstac, Krata Bijela, Krsta Bijela, Krstac Bijeli, Krstaca Bijela, Krstach Bianco, Loza Bijela, and Vinogradarska Bijela.

Mineral water

Mineral water

Mineral water is water from a mineral spring that contains various minerals, such as salts and sulfur compounds. It is usually still, but may be sparkling . Traditionally, mineral waters were used or consumed at their spring sources, often referred to as "taking the waters" or "taking the cure," at places such as spas, baths and wells.

Nik

Nik

Trebjesa Brewery is the largest brewery in Montenegro. It is based in Nikšić, and is owned by Molson Coors. It produces a small range of pale lagers under the "Nik" brand name. In the state union of Serbia and Montenegro, with around 53 million litres of beer produced annually, it was second by beer production, just behind Apatin Brewery. Beer from Trebjesa brewery is by far the most popular and most consumed beer in Montenegro. Besides the domestic market and that of Serbia, Nikšićko beer and other variants have significant popularity in Croatia, Slovenia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some quantities of beer are exported to France, Germany, Switzerland, Canada and England.

Nikšićko Pivo

Nikšićko Pivo

Nikšićko tamno

Nikšićko tamno

Pelinkovac

Pelinkovac

Pelinkovac is a bitter-sweet liqueur based on wormwood , popular in Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Bulgaria as well as in Slovenia, where it is known as pelinkovec or pelinovec. The alcohol content is 28–35% by volume. It has a bitter-sweet taste. Badel Pelinkovac was the first Croatian drink to be enjoyed in the court of Napoleon III of France. In January 2017, Badel Pelinkovac started exports to the United States. It took two years for the company to get the permits to export to the USA. The drink was already exported to 30 countries worldwide.

Plantaže

Plantaže

Plantaže is a Montenegrin wine and grape brandy producer. AD Plantaže, a joint stock company presently incorporated into Holding company "Agrokombinat 13 jul", is the biggest Montenegrin viticultural and winemaking company, and one of the biggest companies in Montenegro overall. The company is based in the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica. It was founded in 1963, and deals with the production of wine and table grapes, peach, production and distribution of wine and grape brandies, fish farming, catering and retail trade. The most important segment of the company is related to the production of grapes and wine, and it owns one of the largest vineyards in Europe with over 2,310 ha (23 km2) surface, covered with more than 11 million grapevines. The vineyards are situated in the Ćemovsko polje, a flat and sunny area located south of Podgorica.

Pomegranate juice

Pomegranate juice

Pomegranate juice is made from the fruit of the pomegranate. It is used in cooking both as a fresh juice and as a concentrated syrup. Various primary studies have been conducted into possible health benefits derived from drinking pomegranate juice, but there is no good evidence to suggest any effect in blood pressure management, glucose and insulin management, or heart disease. Interactions with prescription drugs are possible.

Rakija

Rakija

Rakia, rakija, rakiya, rachiu or rakı , is the collective term for fruit spirits (or fruit brandy) popular in the Balkans. The alcohol content of rakia is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger (typically 50–80%). Fruit spirits are known by similar names in many languages of the Balkans: Bulgarian: ракия, romanized: rakia; Serbo-Croatian: rakija/ракија; Albanian: rakia; Greek: ρακή, romanized: raki; Macedonian: ракија, romanized: rakija; Turkish: rakı (/ɾakɯ/); Romanian: rachie/rachiu.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned grape variety that originates from the city of Bordeaux in France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French words sauvage ("wild") and blanc ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France. It is possibly a descendant of Savagnin. Sauvignon blanc is planted in many of the world's wine regions, producing a crisp, dry, and refreshing white varietal wine. The grape is also a component of the famous dessert wines from Sauternes and Barsac. Sauvignon blanc is widely cultivated in France, Chile, Romania, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Bulgaria, the states of Oregon, Washington, and California in the US. Some New World Sauvignon blancs, particularly from California, may also be called "Fumé Blanc", a marketing term coined by Robert Mondavi in reference to Pouilly-Fumé. Depending on the climate, the flavor can range from aggressively grassy to sweetly tropical. In cooler climates, the grape has a tendency to produce wines with noticeable acidity and "green flavors" of grass, green bell peppers and nettles with some tropical fruit (such as passion fruit) and floral (such as elderflower) notes. In warmer climates, it can develop more tropical fruit notes but risks losing much aroma from over-ripeness, leaving only slight grapefruit and tree fruit (such as peach) notes.

Sok od drenjina

Sok od drenjina

Cherry juice is a fruit juice consisting of the juice of cherries. It is consumed as a beverage and used as an ingredient in various foods, processed foods and beverages. It is also marketed as a health supplement. It is produced by hot- or cold-pressing cherries, collecting the juice, and then filtering and pasteurizing it. Cherry juice is a mass-produced food product that is consumed as a beverage and used as an ingredient in various foods, processed foods and beverages. It is sometimes used as an ingredient in cherry ice cream and in cherry pie filling. It is also used as an ingredient in cherry brandy and cherry bounce. Cherry jelly has also been produced using the juice. Cherry juice concentrate is used by food manufacturers in the production of fruit juice blends. Cherry juice from the Montmorency cherry is used to produce cherry essence, which is used as a flavor concentrate by food manufacturers. Kirsch fruit brandy is sometimes produced via the distillation of fermented cherry juice. Cherry juice is also used as an ingredient in beer. For example, Samuel Smith Old Brewery's cherry beer contains 17% of organic cherry juice, and Three Floyds Brewing produces its Battle of Charro II Imperial Brett IPA using cherry juice as an ingredient. Cherry cider has also been brewed by some companies using cherry juice. Sweetened cherry juice is sometimes used in the production of kriek lambic, a distinctively sour, cherry beer style from Belgium.

Sok od grožđa

Sok od grožđa

Grape juice is obtained from crushing and blending grapes into a liquid. In the wine industry, grape juice that contains 7–23 percent of pulp, skins, stems and seeds is often referred to as must. The sugars in grape juice allow it to be used as a sweetener, and fermented and made into wine, brandy, or vinegar. In North America, the most common grape juice is purple and made from Concord grapes while white grape juice is commonly made from Niagara grapes, both of which are varieties of native American grapes, a different species from European wine grapes. In California, Sultana grapes are sometimes diverted from the raisin or table market to produce white juice.

Vranac

Vranac

Vranac , Serbian Cyrillic: Вранац; Macedonian: Вранец, romanized: Vranec) is a red grape variety that originates from Montenegro. It is the most planted grape variety in Montenegro. It is believed to be closely related to Kratosija. Vranac is considered the most important grape variety in Montenegro and one of the most important in North Macedonia. It is also grown in regions of Dalmatia (in Croatia), Herzegovina, Kosovo and south Serbia. It has been protected as a Montenegrin geographical indication of origin since 1977. The single largest producer is Plantaže, based in the Montenegrin capital Podgorica, with Vranac planted on about two thirds of 2,300 hectares of vineyards in the Ćemovsko polje near Podgorica. Other major producers include Macedonian Tikveš and Stobi. Vranac berries are large and deeply colored, with its dark berries growing on moderately vigorous and very productive vines. The fruit is harvested by hand. Depending on the area, this harvest can begin from mid-September and continue into October. Young Vranac wines have a bright purple hue and a nose full of red berries and fruit jams. Its firm tannin structure provides crispness and richness, with medium to high levels of extraction and acidity. After a year or two of aging, the purple develops into an intense dark ruby and the nose develops a more complex aroma that can include hints of cinnamon, chocolate, liquorice, flowers, black fruits, herbs and even woods such as oak. The taste is subtle, round, and full. It loses its sharpness and develops a longer and smoother finish.

Amberjack

Amberjack

Amberjacks are Atlantic and Pacific fish in the genus Seriola of the family Carangidae. They are widely consumed across the world in various cultures, most notably for Pacific amberjacks in Japanese cuisine; they are most often found in the warmer parts of the oceans. There are many variations of amberjack, including greater amberjack , lesser amberjack (Atlantic), Almaco jack (Pacific), yellowtail (Pacific), and the banded rudderfish (Atlantic). Though most of the Seriola species are considered "amberjacks", the species Seriola hippos (samson fish) is not. Greater amberjacks, Seriola dumerili, are the largest of the jacks. They usually have dark stripes extending from nose to in front of their dorsal fins. They have no scutes and soft dorsal bases less than twice the length of the anal fin bases. They are usually 18 kg (40 pounds) or less, and are found associated with rocky reefs, debris, and wrecks, typically in 20 to 75 m (10 to 40 fathoms). Greater amberjacks are also found in the Pacific.

Balšića tava

Balšića tava

Savory veal pie, veal and vegetables baked in cream sauce

Belmuž

Belmuž

A thick porridge made with fresh cow or sheep cheese, corn flour and salt

Bonito

Bonito

Bonitos are a tribe of medium-sized, ray-finned predatory fish in the family Scombridae – a family it shares with the mackerel, tuna, and Spanish mackerel tribes, and also the butterfly kingfish. Also called the tribe Sardini, it consists of eight species across four genera; three of those four genera are monotypic, having a single species each. Bonitos closely resemble the skipjack tuna, which is often called a bonito, especially in Japanese contexts. The fish's name comes from the Portuguese and Spanish bonito , identical to the adjective meaning 'pretty'. However, the noun referring to the fish seems to come from the low and medieval Latin form boniton, a word with a strange structure and an obscure origin, related to the word byza, a possible borrowing from the Greek βῦζα, 'owl'.

Bream

Bream

Bream are species of freshwater fish belonging to a variety of genera including Abramis (e.g., A. brama, the common bream), Ballerus, Blicca, Brama, Chilotilapia, Etelis, Lepomis, Gymnocranius, Lethrinus, Nemipterus, Pharyngochromis, Rhabdosargus, Scolopsis, or Serranochromis. Although species from all of these genera are called "bream", the term does not imply a degree of relatedness between them. Fish termed "bream" tend to be narrow, deep-bodied species. The name is a derivation of the Middle English word breme, of Old French origin. The term sea bream is sometimes used for fish of the family Sparidae including Acanthopagrus (Australia), Argyrops, gilt-head bream Sparus aurata (orata in Italy, dorada in Spain), black seabream Spondyliosoma cantharus and red seabream Pagrus or Pagellus species; or pomfrets (family Bramidae).

Brudet

Brudet

Brudet or brodet is a fish stew made in the Croatian regions of Dalmatia, Kvarner, and Istria, as well as along the coast of Montenegro. Brodetto di pesce, or simply brodetto , is the signature dish of almost all Italian Adriatic coastal cities (famous are fish stews from Venetian Lagoon, Romagna, Marche, Abruzzo, and Molise). It consists of several types of fish stewed with spices, vegetables, and red or white wine, or even vinegar. The most important aspect of brodetto is its simplicity of preparation and the fact that it is typically prepared in a single pot. It is usually served with polenta or toasted bread, which soaks up the fish broth, while other recipes serve it with potatoes or bread. Brodetto can significantly vary in style, composition, and flavour, depending upon the types of ingredients and cooking styles used. A similar dish from Corfu is known as bourdeto.

Buranija

Buranija

Yellow bean soup

Burek

Burek

Börek or burek is a family of pastries or pies found in Ottoman cuisine. The pastry is made of a thin flaky dough such as filo with a variety of fillings, such as meat, cheese, spinach, or potatoes. A borek may be prepared in a large pan and cut into portions after baking, or as individual pastries. They are usually baked but some varieties can be fried. Borek is sometimes sprinkled with sesame or nigella seeds, and it can be served hot or cold. It is commonly served with ayran or yogurt in Turkey, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia and Romania. It is a custom of Sephardic Jews to have bourekas for their Shabbat breakfast meal on Saturday mornings.

Buzara

Buzara

A style of preparing seafood such as shellfish, shrimp, mussels, in a wine broth, similar to moules marinière, serve with, for example, bread, pasta, polenta

Carp

Carp

The term carp is a generic common name for numerous species of freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large clade of ray-finned fish mostly native to Eurasia. While carp are prized quarries and are valued (even commercially cultivated) as both food and ornamental fish in many parts of the Old World, they are considered trash fish and invasive pests in many parts of Africa, Australia and most of the United States. The cypriniformes (family Cyprinidae) are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes, and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups share some common features. These features include being found predominantly in fresh water and possessing Weberian ossicles, an anatomical structure derived from the first five anterior-most vertebrae, and their corresponding ribs and neural crests. The third anterior-most pair of ribs is in contact with the extension of the labyrinth and the posterior with the swim bladder. The function is poorly understood, but this structure is presumed to take part in the transmission of vibrations from the swim bladder to the labyrinth and in the perception of sound, which would explain why the Ostariophysi have such a great capacity for hearing.

Ćevapi

Ćevapi

Ćevapi or ćevapčići (formal: diminutive; Cyrillic: ћевапчићи, pronounced [tɕeʋǎptʃitɕi]) is a grilled dish of minced meat found traditionally in the countries of southeast Europe (the Balkans). It is considered a national dish of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, with Bosnia and Herzegovina taking steps in branding and placing them on the list of intangible heritage, with a nomination for inclusion on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Ćevapi are also common in Albania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Western Romania. They are usually served in groups of five to ten pieces on a plate or in a flatbread (lepinja or somun), often with chopped onions, kajmak, ajvar (optional), and salt. Bosnian ćevapi are made from two types of minced beef meat, hand-mixed and formed with a funnel, while Serbian ćevapčići are made of beef, lamb, pork, or a mixture.

Common bleak

Common bleak

The bleak or common bleak is a small freshwater coarse fish of the cyprinid family. The body of the bleak is elongated and flat. The head is pointed and the relatively small mouth is turned upwards. The anal fin is long and has 18–23 fin rays. The lateral line is complete. The bleak has a shiny silvery colour, and the fins are pointed and colourless. Its maximum length is about 25 cm (10 in).

Čorba

Čorba

Chorba [a] or shorba (/ˈʃɔːrbə/ SHOR-bə; Azerbaijani: [ʃoɾˈbɑ])[b] is a broad class of stews or rich soups found in national cuisines across the Middle East, Maghreb, Iran, Turkey, Southeast Europe, Central Asia, East Africa and South Asia. It is often prepared with added ingredients but is also served alone as a broth or with bread. The word chorba in English and in many Balkan languages is a loan from the Ottoman Turkish چوربا çorba, which itself is a loan from Persian شوربا šōrbā. The spelling shorba could be a direct loan into English from Persian or through a Central or South Asian intermediary. The word is ultimately a compound of شور šōr meaning 'salty, brackish' and با bā meaning 'stew, gruel, spoon-meat'. The former is from Parthian ??? šōr meaning 'salty', and the latter from Middle Persian *-bāg meaning 'gruel, spoon-meat'.

Corba koprive

Corba koprive

Crni rižot

Crni rižot

Black risotto prepared with cuttlefish ink and seafood

Ćufte

Ćufte

Kofta is a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes found in South Asian, Central Asian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, North African, and South Caucasian cuisines. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced meat—usually beef, chicken, pork, lamb or mutton, camel or a mixture—mixed with spices and sometimes other ingredients. The earliest known recipes are found in early Arab cookbooks and call for ground lamb. There are many national and regional variations. There are also vegetable and uncooked versions. Shapes vary and include balls, patties, and cylinders. Sizes typically vary from that of a golf ball to that of an orange.

Dagnje

Dagnje

Mussel is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other edible clams, which are often more or less rounded or oval. The word "mussel" is frequently used to mean the bivalves of the marine family Mytilidae, most of which live on exposed shores in the intertidal zone, attached by means of their strong byssal threads ("beard") to a firm substrate. A few species (in the genus Bathymodiolus) have colonised hydrothermal vents associated with deep ocean ridges.

Dzigerica

Dzigerica

Liver from lamb, chicken, beef, pan-fried, in gravy, stewed, grilled, prepared many ways

Eel

Eel

Eels are elongated fish, ranging in length from five centimetres to four metres (13 ft). Adults range in weight from 30 grams to over 25 kilograms. They possess no pelvic fins, and many species also lack pectoral fins. The dorsal and anal fins are fused with the caudal or tail fin, forming a single ribbon running along much of the length of the animal. Most eels live in the shallow waters of the ocean and burrow into sand, mud, or amongst rocks. A majority of eel species are nocturnal and thus are rarely seen. Sometimes, they are seen living together in holes, or "eel pits". Some species of eels live in deeper water on the continental shelves and over the slopes deep as 4,000 metres (13,000 ft). Only members of the family Anguillidae regularly inhabit fresh water, but they too return to the sea to breed. Eel blood is poisonous to humans and other mammals, but both cooking and the digestive process destroy the toxic protein. The toxin derived from eel blood serum was used by Charles Richet in his Nobel Prize-winning research, in which Richet discovered anaphylaxis by injecting it into dogs and observing the effect.

Fish

Fish

Grilled, stewed, fried, boiled, smoked

Gibanica

Gibanica

Gibanica is a traditional pastry dish popular all over the Balkans. It is usually made with cottage cheese and eggs. Recipes can range from sweet to savoury, and from simple to festive and elaborate multi-layered cakes. A derivative of the Serbo-Croatian verb gibati/гибати meaning "to fold; sway, swing, rock", the pastry was mentioned in Vuk Stefanović Karadžić's Serbian Dictionary in 1818 and by a Slovenian priest Jožef Kosič in 1828, where it was described as a special Slovenian cake which is "a must at wedding festivities and is also served to workers after finishing a big project". It is a type of layered strudel, a combination of Turkish and Austrian influences in different cuisines of the former Yugoslavia. Today the versions of this cake can be found in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, North Macedonia and other regions of the former Yugoslavia. Variants of this rich layered strudel are found in Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, and Syria.

Grašak

Grašak

Pea is a pulse, vegetable or fodder crop, but the word often refers to the seed or sometimes the pod of this flowering plant species. Each pod contains several seeds (peas), which can have green or yellow cotyledons when mature. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and develop from the ovary of a (pea) flower. The species name Pisum sativum is also used to describe other edible seeds from the Fabaceae family such as the pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), the seeds from several species of Lathyrus and is used as a compound form for example Sturt's desert pea. Peas are annual plants, with a life cycle of one year. They are a cool-season crop grown in many parts of the world; planting can take place from winter to early summer depending on location. The average pea weighs between 0.1 and 0.36 grams (0.004–0.013 oz). The immature peas (and in snow peas and snap peas the tender pod as well) are used as a vegetable, fresh, frozen or canned; varieties of the species typically called field peas are grown to produce dry peas like the split pea shelled from a matured pod. These are the basis of pease porridge and pea soup, staples of medieval cuisine; in Europe, consuming fresh immature green peas was an innovation of early modern cuisine.

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