Source: Belarusian cuisine

Source: Belarusian cuisine. Miensk, Uradžaj, 1994. HOME

RITUAL DISHES

KARAVAJ. 10 cupful flour, 120 g yeast, 1 cupful sour cream, 100 g butter, 50 g raisins, 4 cupful milk, 8 eggs, fat, salt.

Make a leavened dough by dissolving the yeast in lukewarm milk, add the salt, stir in half the flour and mix well until even. Set aside to rise for 2 hours. After the dough has risen, and begins to settle, add to it honey, eggs, raisins, sour cream, butter and knead the dough until it leaves the sides of the bowl clean. Set aside to rise again. After the dough has doubled its original bulk, beat it down and set aside to rise, then knead on the table and place in a greased mould.

Decorate the top of the karavaj with dough figures, colour caramel, brush with beaten egging and bake in oven.

BABINA KAŠA [KASHA] (PORRIDGE). 5 cupful wheaten cereal, 2 tblsps butter, 3 eggs, sugar, raisins salt.

This is a conventional dish at a Belarusian birthday party. It is made from the wheaten cereal. Wash the cereal in water, pour into a big pot with boiling salted water and boil until done. Then add the butter, raisins, sugar, eggs and mix. Brush the top of the kaša with beaten egging mixed with butter and bake. Serve in pot in the end of the party.

KANUN (PORRIDGE). 5 cupful millet, sugar, salt.

A funeral repast dish. Sift the millet and wash. Pour into a saucepan, cover with hot water, bring to a boil, add the salt, sugar and boil over a slow fire until thickened. Then transfer it to the oven.

SYTA. 1 l water, 3-4 tblsps honey.

Pour the cooled boiled water into a deep bowl, add some honey and sugar and mix well. Then bring to a boil and set aside to cool.

KUĆCIA. 5 cupful coarse barley, 12 cupful water, fat, salt.

A Christmas dish. Sift the coarse barley, wash in water and pour into a pot with salted boiling water and boil until thickened. Then place into the oven for some time. Season the kućcia with fat or butter.

KUŁAHA. 1 kg berries, 1.5 l water, 3-4 tblsps rye flour, 1-2 tblsps honey or 1 cupful sugar.

For making kułaha can be used various fresh forest berries (wild strawberries, bilberry, raspberries, red whortleberry, great bilberry, guelder rose berries), and also plums and cherries with their stones removed. Boil berries in oven until they become soft. Some time before done, add honey or sugar to taste, and then, stirring constantly, add the rye flour. Separately serve pancakes (bread) and fresh milk (kvass).

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