The traditions of the Belarusian national cuisine for many centuries formed under the influence of neighboring countries - Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland. As a result of the fusion of different trends appeared Belarusian cuisine that gave the world the simple in composition, but great taste dishes. What is the difference between food from Belarus kitchens of other countries?

Features Belarusian cuisine

A set of products available to the Belarusian cuisine, is hardly unique, its culinary techniques are also used in other national cuisines. However, in a typical Belarusian cuisine were dishes that are not in the culinary traditions of neighboring countries.

Belarus was a poor country, and it left its mark on the national cuisine. The most delicious (and therefore most expensive) products are used modestly, even sparingly as a seasoning for dishes everyday low. Popular dishes from chopped raw - mushroom powder, a variety of meat and fish meat. Such dishes combining excellent taste with low cost. Inexpensive and dishes of offal, such as the stomach or the udder.

There is a national Belarusian cuisine, of course, more expensive dishes - such as baked whole large pieces of pork or mutton rarer. This dish is called "pyachisto" and is preparing a comparatively rare. Poultry, usually goose, baked as a whole.

Belarusian cuisine is a gentle, low-key style. Spices are used sparingly, mostly onion, garlic, coriander, fennel, cumin and bay leaf. The basic techniques of cooking - baking, longing, fire, prolonged cooking. National dishes are mostly soft consistency: even old stringy meat or offal after long languishing in a clay pot in the oven becomes tender and supple. Such techniques mitigate the meat is marinating, or soaking in the Belarusian cuisine are not used.

Not rich life explains the old Belarusian tradition to cook for dinner one single dish, substitute soup and a main dish. For density in soups added flour or starch. To create a simple product of a complex dish required lengthy treatment, often consisting of several operations.

For Belarusian cuisine is not typical mix of different types of vegetables or fruit. As a rule, it consisted of the main dishes (victuals) and additional (paint over) component. As the main component were vegetables (carrots, turnips, cabbage, potatoes) and cereals (barley, millet, buckwheat). Shaded used as meat, fish, mushrooms, vyandlinu (born smoked sausage), bacon. To mitigate the dishes used oils: linseed and hemp seed oil, sour cream, lard, ghee and milk.

Popular products

In Belarus, instead of wheat flour often used rye, barley, buckwheat, pea, and especially - oatmeal. Rye flour was mainly used for baking bread and oatmeal - for other flour dishes. The properties of oatmeal are very different from those of wheat. This meal is very useful, it is easy to digest and contains a lot of nutrients, but in its pure form is not suitable for many dishes. In addition, Belarus has long been known yeast. As a result, national cuisine knows pies and cakes Patties. Hospitable dish . And the Belarusian raschinnye pancakes have a very distinctive taste and a little reminiscent, for example, Russian pancakes.

Products made of wheat flour have spread in Belarus, only the XX century. Before that, bread and other dishes were often mixtures of different types of flour. Such mixtures are allowed to take full advantage of all the beneficial properties of each variety of flour.

From vegetables in Belarus are widely used legumes, cabbage, carrots and of course, potatoes. Potatoes came to the country much earlier than in Russia, and immediately became popular. An important role played and the fact that the climate in Belarus is very favorable for growing the most delicious potato varieties rich in starch. Therefore, the Belarusian potato dishes are very tasty in their own country, and if we use potatoes grown in other countries, the result may not be as good.

In Belarusian cuisine occupy an important place mushrooms. Interestingly, they are not taken to fry, but only boil and simmer. The most common mushrooms used not raw and dried, turned into flour and used as a flavorful condiment. The fish in the Belarusian cuisine are not fried, but only boiled, pripuskayut, dried and converted into the stuffing.

Despite the prevalence of dairy products, pure milk products in the traditions of the Belarusian cuisine there. Sour cream, milk, cottage cheese and butter play the role required of additives that transform dishes from mushrooms, potatoes, vegetables and flour.

Sweet dishes in the Belarusian national cuisine is also almost there. In the role of the dessert are the fresh berries and sweet drinks. The only Belarusian sweet dish - Kulaga. It is made from boiled fruit, sweetened and thickened with rye flour.

Many Faces of Potatoes

The first thing that comes to mind at the mention of the Belarusian cuisine - potatoes. From the "bulbs" in Belarus are preparing a variety of dishes. In most cases, use shredded potatoes: boiled (ordinary mashed potatoes), grated and ottsezhenny raw or grated raw potatoes with juice. This boiled potato mixture can be mixed with crude. Much less prepared dishes from a potato - usually potatoes "in uniform" or "tushanka" - stewed potatoes. Processing potato dishes are usually quite long and consists of several operations. For example, potato pancakes Draniki   first fried and then stewed in sour cream Smetana: untold riches of Russian cuisine .

Maria Bykov