Belarusian dishes that warm you up in cold weather
Belarusian national cuisine is always nourishing, tasty and simple.
We have collected the top treats that will warm your soul even in the most severe cold.
Babka
“What about potatoes? Do you think potatoes are just something you boil and eat? Nothing of the kind! Do you know how many dishes can be prepared from potatoes? Well, consider: fried, boiled, mashed potatoes, french fries, potato pie...” the heroine of Nadezhda Rumyantseva dwelled in The Girls film, and she was absolutely right.
For example, one of the most interesting dishes is babka [a granny in Belarusian]. We grate the ‘Belarusian gold’ on a fine grater, add pre-chopped and fried lard, meat and onions (or whatever your heart desires, from mushrooms to red fish). There is also a little flour, an egg, salt and seasonings. Stir, pour into pots and into the oven for an hour. The ruddy ‘relative’ is served with sour cream.
Kalduny
Did you know that the famous potato pancakes have a ‘winter’ version? Kalduny with meat filling. The recipe is based on potatoes and minced pork, while the cooking technology is completely simple. Place a layer of potato mixture on a hot frying pan and a ball of seasoned minced meat on top. And ‘cover’ this splendour with another layer of yummy potato. Fry on both sides until golden brown. And then you can put it in the oven — the stewed kalduny turn out more tender.
Where did the dish get such an unusual name? There is no magic! It is believed that the prototype of Belarusian potato kalduny were pies made from flour dough. However, the name comes from the Latin word calduna, which meant ‘warm entrails’ (of an animal killed during a hunt).
Machanka with pancakes
Pancakes without machanka are like a sauna without a washcloth. This dish is an absolute hit in Belarusian cuisine restaurants. Probably because the name itself sounds very appetising. Moreover, every housewife, every chef prepares it in her own way — there is no traditional recipe. It can be different: with fried cracklings, whitened with sour cream. Other options include mushroom soup and even chicken in cream sauce. The main thing is that the pancakes can be properly dipped. By the way, machanka is usually served with large and fluffy pancakes made with kefir or yeast dough. This dish is eaten with your hands — it’s both more convenient and tastier.
Nalistniki
Do not confuse this dessert with ordinary sweet pancakes. The pastry of the puff pastry is thinner and more elastic, there is almost no taste — to better shade the filling. In general, like leaves with a treat!
The dough is usually mixed with milk, and cottage cheese mixed with raw egg and sugar is used as the most popular filling. The main secret of successful preparation is the correct folding of the foil. It is necessary to spread the filling only in the middle (do not smear), and put the free edges with an ‘envelope’. The last touch is on the pan or in the oven, as you like.
Klyotski s dushami [Dumplings with souls]
Not a single feast is complete without this miracle of culinary art in the north-west of Belarus. According to the locals, the name should be understood as follows: the shell of the dumpling is the ‘body’, and the stuffing inside is the ‘soul’. In 2017, the dish was included in the state list of historical and cultural values of Belarus.
Grated potatoes should be well squeezed through cheesecloth. The resulting juice is allowed to stand to obtain starch that binds the dough (otherwise the dumplings will stick together in boiling water). Roll the potatoes into balls and fill them with minced meat. Cook for forty minutes on low heat. It is possible, of course, to cook dumplings without ‘soul’, it will be an option for vegetarians.
