Ukrainian Cuisine

The main difference I've noticed in Ukrainian lifestyle is the food. Because everyone walks for long distances each day, meals with lots of nutrients are vital. Since we have arrived to Zaporozhye, Ann has made each meal for all of us with a wide variety of dishes. Practically all of the food is home grown and home made.

Lots of families own dachas outside of the cities to grow their own produce. Their family dacha is an hour train ride away. They grow a wide variety of fresh vegetables and fruits like: tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, green onions, bell peppers, beet root, lettuce, garlic, dill, parsley, eggplant, zucchini, pumpkin, peas, beans, chili peppers, radish, horse radish, corn, sunflowers, watermelons, melons, apples, strawberries, raspberries, currant (black, white, and red), pears, apricots, sweet and sour cherries, mulberries, plums, and walnuts. Some of these do not keep for long so they either freeze, can, dry, pickle, or preserve them with sugar and they are used throughout the year.

I have started writing down some of Ann's recipes to take back with me because they are all so tasty!

Stewed Apples:

-Half a pan full of sliced apples (in eighths or quarters of apples)
-1/3 cup of water
-a bit of sugar if apples aren't sweet

Boil with lid on and simmer for 10 minutes or until apples are tender.

 Syrniki (pronounced: sir-nee-kee):

-1 egg
-1/4 tsp. of baking soda
-3 tsp of sugar
-7 oz. of cottage cheese (mash with fork until it has a smoother texture)
-1 full tbs. of flour

Mix egg, baking soda, sugar, and cottage cheese. Ball the dough with your hands until the texture becomes sticky. Flatten into small patties and cover each side with flour. Put patties on skillet with preheated oil and cook each side on medium heat until golden brown. Once each side is cooked, simmer with lid on for 10 minutes on low heat. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and jam.

Kompot (fruit drink):

White Kompot - 1 pear, 2 peaches, 2 apples, 3-5 apricots, 3 tbs. white currant
Red Kompot - 3 tablespoons of sour cherries or red currant, 2 tbs. strawberries, 2 tbs. raspberries, blue plums

Put into pot with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes. Then let infuse for one or more hours.

Borsch (a very traditional Ukrainian soup):

-2 small peeled and grated beet roots
-2 chicken breasts
-Bullion from chicken breasts
-1-2 grated carrots
-1 finely chopped onion
-1 tbs of olive oil
-4 medium sized potatoes
-1/4 head of finely chopped cabbage
-1 bell pepper sliced in thin strips (size of small bubble gum strip)
-2 small grated tomatoes
-chopped dill or parsley

Preboil beet roots for two hours

Put chicken breasts into pot of luke warm water and bring to a boil. Gather protein film that floats on top of the water. Cook on medium heat for 35-40 minutes (or until meat is done) with the lid on. Leave chicken in bullion until time to serve, then remove chicken and cut into pieces for each person.

Mix grated carrots and diced onions and simmer with 1 tbs of olive oil for 7 minutes. Peel potatoes while waiting. Mix potatoes, onions, carrots, and preboiled beet roots into bullion. Add salt. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked. Add finely chopped cabbage and chopped bell pepper to mixture and cook for no longer than 5 minutes.

Simmer 2 small grated tomatoes so all water evaporates and the texture resembles a sauce. Add chopped dill and/or parsley. Add tomatoes to the pot and boil for 3 minutes uncovered.

Serve with sour cream on bottom of bowl, green onions and fresh garlic on top.

Dried strawberry leaves:

Used for high blood pressure. Pour hot water into a cup with dried leaves and place a napkin over the cup for 15 minutes to infuse.

Waffle Cake:

-5 layers of thin round or square waffle
-About 10 ounces of condensed milk (Ann called it "skimmed milk")
-7 ounces of 72% fat butter

Soften butter. Put condensed milk and butter into bowl and use fork to mash until it becomes a smooth, creamy texture (Ann said this should take around 10 minutes). Use 2-3 tablespoons of mixture between each layer of waffle and on top. Top with chocolate shavings, crumbled waffles, nuts, or fresh fruit. Refrigerate or set out for one hour to allow mixture to soak into waffle.

Honey Cake:

-2 egg yolks
-1 egg
-1/2 cup of sugar
-3 tbs. of honey
-1 tsp. of baking soda and 1/2 tsp. of vinegar mixed
-2.5 cups of flour

Mix all of the ingredients to make a dough that is soft. Should be sticky. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. Divide dough into four parts. Bake each layer separately on an oiled baking sheet (keep hands wet with water so the dough won't stick to hands)and make layers thin (about 1/10 of an inch) and round. Bake each individual layer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 10 minutes or until the middle is baked. Once all four layers are done, trim edges so layers are the same shape. Icing: -7 ounces of 72% butter -10 ounces of condensed milk Make sure butter is soft and mix two together with fork until it is consistent. Ice in between each layer, on top, and on the sides. Top with crumbled excess cake from trimming, walnuts,

 


 Nobody in Ann's family drinks anything cold. With cold juices they will add hot water to make it a luke warm temperature. She said one way they prepared for my coming was by freezing ice in the trays for about a week because they don't ever have ice! One meal Ann wanted ice in her drink so it was a big deal and I gave her a hard time.

I don't know how it is possible after the amount of food I eat, but I have lost about 7 pounds on this trip! I think it is from eating healthier and walking everywhere. Note to self: if I ever need to go on a diet, but don't want to feel like I'm on a diet, come back to Ukraine!