Ukrainian cuisine boasts a rich history and a diverse range of authentic dishes that have gradually disappeared from modern kitchens. While contemporary recipes have replaced some, others have been forgotten. Today, we’re bringing you 5 unique dishes that you can recreate in the comfort of your own home. Let’s start with zaiets, a traditional Ukrainian meatloaf!
Zaiets (meatloaf)
Also known as ‘fake zaiets’ (hare), this dish was born out of the desire to enjoy a game dish without hunting. The recipe cleverly substitutes other types of meat for the hare. Discover the full recipe and prepare a delicious meatloaf that will delight your taste buds! Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients:
- 1 kg pork
- 1/2 kg beef
- 3 bulb onions
- 100 g bread crumbs
- Vegetable oil – for frying
- Tomato sauce – for garnish
- Salt and black pepper- to taste
- Herbs – to taste
Cooking
- Grind pork and beef using a meat grinder. Peel and chop bulb onions finely. Combine the meat with onion and fry the mass in oil until tender.
- Mix bread crumbs with milk or water to get a porridge-like consistency. Add this mixture to the meat and stir carefully.
- Add fried onions, salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs. Mix everything well and place in a rectangular loaf pan greased with oil. If you don’t have such a pan, you can shape the meatloaf by hand and put it on a greased baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F) and bake zaiets for 60 minutes. After an hour, remove the meatloaf from the oven, spread tomato sauce on top, and put the meatloaf back into the hot oven for another 10 minutes to form a golden crust.
Dushenyna
This traditional baked stewed meat dish was a staple on festive tables. Prepared with pork coated in flour and slowly simmered with vegetables and spices, dushenyna was a true crowd-pleaser. The dish name originated from the Ukrainian verb “dushytysia,” which means to simmer or stew. Find out more about this mouthwatering dish and recreate it for your special occasions!
Ingredients:
- 500 g meat
- 1 big carrot
- 4-5 potatoes
- 2 tbsp flour
- Salt and black pepper – to taste
- Water or tomato juice
Cooking
- Wash and dry the meat. Cut it into large cubes and coat them with flour evenly.
- Wash and peel potatoes and a carrot, and cut them into any desired shape.
- Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and put them with meat in an oiled heat-resistant dish. Pour enough water or tomato juice to cover the ingredients by about an inch.
- Cover the dish with a lid or foil and place it in a oven preheated to 200°C (392°F). Immediately reduce the heat to 100°C (212°F) and let dushenyna simmer for two to three hours.
- The meat should become tender and easily fall apart into fibers.
Horokhlianyky
Horokhlianyky, also known as pea pancakes, are humble and nutritious pancakes that were once popular due to their budget-friendly ingredients. These pancakes were made primarily with peas and provided a cost-effective option for many households. Despite their simplicity, they offered a high nutritional value.
Typically, horokhlianyky were served alongside cracklings, mashed garlic, and a dollop of sour cream, creating a satisfying and flavorful combination. Don’t miss the chance to try this simple yet satisfying dish!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp flour or breadcrumbs
- handful of mint leaves
- Vegetable oil – for frying
- Sour cream – for serving
- Salt and black pepper – to taste
Cooking
- Boil peas for about five minutes in salted water. Once the peas are cooked, blend or process them in a meat grinder until smooth.
- Add the egg, finely chopped mint leaves, flour or breadcrumbs. Mix the mass and season it with salt and pepper. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and fry them in a well-heated and oiled skillet.
- Serve with a dollop of chilled sour cream.
Ohirochnyk
“Ogirochnyk”, or cucumber soup, is a broth with salty pickled cucumbers. It holds a special place in Ukrainian cuisine as one of the traditional clear soups, serving as a predecessor to the modern solyanka. This versatile dish can be prepared using meat or vegetable broth, making it suitable for fasting or vegetarian diets.
Ingredients:
- 5 salty cucumbers
- 3 liters vegetable or meat broth
- 1 bulb onion
- 5 medium-sized potatoes
- 5 tbsp sour cream
- Vegetable oil – for frying
- Fresh dill – for serving
- Salt and black pepper – to taste
Cooking
- Heat the broth. Once it starts boiling, add peeled and diced potatoes.
- Grate cucumbers finely and squeeze out the juice; keep it in a cup since you’ll need it later.
- Peel and chop the bulb onion finely. Cook it in a small amount of oil until translucent. Add the grated cucumbers, and stir-fry the mass together for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the cucumber and onion mixture to the pot and stir in the cucumber juice to adjust the soup’s sourness. Cook everything together for 2-3 minutes.
- Dilute sour cream in a cup with a few spoons of broth to avoid curdling, and pour it into the pot, stirring the soup thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- When serving, garnish the soup with finely chopped dill and decorate it with sliced salty cucumbers.
Khlyaky
Khliaky, gliagy, fliachky, or rubtsi are all names for a dish made with a cow’s stomach (tripe). The preparation of khliaky involved cooking the tripe and seasoning it generously with pepper and garlic. It could be enjoyed in various ways, such as mixed with boiled wheat or coated in flour before cooking.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg tripe
- 500 ml milk
- 3 liters meat broth
- 2 bulb onions
- 1-2 carrots
- 1 cup pickled tomatoes with juice
- 3 handfuls of noodles
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 bay leaf
- Garlic – to taste
- Salt and black pepper – to taste
- Vegetable oil – for frying
Cooking
- The essential step in preparing the tripe is boiling it to remove the specific smell. Cut the tripe into strips, place them in a container, and soak in milk overnight (preferably for about 12 hours) in the fridge. After that, drain and rinse the tripe thoroughly with cold water to remove the milk.
- Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot and boil the sliced tripe for 5 minutes. Pour off the water, rinse the tripe and the pot well. Repeat the process 3 times.
- Bring the broth to a boil in another pot and add the tripe. Reduce the heat to low and simmer everything for it 2-3 hours until the tripe becomes tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Peel and chop carrots and bulb onion. Cook them in a small amount of oil until tender, then add pickled tomatoes, season the ingredients with salt and pepper, and mix well. Cover the mass with a lid and let it simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
- Add the fried vegetables to the cooked tripe, the noodles, and bay leaf, and cook everything together until the noodles are done. Serve khlyaki with sour cream and finely chopped fresh herbs.
Ukrainian cuisine is a treasure trove of forgotten dishes that deserve to be rediscovered and enjoyed. These 5 unique recipes provide a glimpse into the rich culinary heritage of Ukraine.
From the flavorful zaiets meatloaf to the hearty dushenyna stewed meat dish, each recipe showcases the ingenuity and cultural significance of Ukrainian cooking. Don’t miss the opportunity to try the humble and nutritious horokhlianyky pea pancakes, the nourishing cucumber soup with its tangy broth, or the unique flavors of khlyaky, a dish made with tender tripe.
By exploring these forgotten dishes, you can savor delicious meals and contribute to preserving Ukrainian culinary traditions for generations to come.
