Ukraine is not just famous for vodka and having the world’s deepest metro station underground. Ukrainian Cuisine has put this country on the European continent on the gastronomical map. The country is so vast that you will get a variety of indigenous dishes to taste on your vacation. Despite having the third busiest in the world, the people of Ukraine are attached to their roots and have preserved their culture in food.
Here are some of the most famous dishes from Ukraine that you should definitely try on your holiday in this part of Europe.
Chicken Kiev is what put Ukraine on the map in terms of cuisine. The famed Ukrainian dish is famous in all households. It is made from chicken fillet and a lot of butter. You put a block of butter between the chicken fillet and fry it. Avoiding butter from flowing outside requires a lot of patience that comes with expertise. If you are in Ukraine, then you must definitely try this succulent dish. It is mainly served as an entre at most restaurants.
In this Ukrainian dish, it is two of your favorite things combined; potato and pancakes. The crispy, golden pancakes made from finely grated potatoes can be had in either breakfast or dinner. In Ukraine, it is called deruny. So, now you know what to order when you are in a Ukrainian cafe. You may even add slices of meat, chopped onions, mushrooms, herbs, and spices to diversify the flavor. Though it tastes best when simple. You can easily make it at home if you wish to try. It is one of the most staple Ukranian breakfast foods of locals.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls or golubtsi are another scrumptious traditional dish in the Ukrainian cuisine. A great choice for dinner, it takes hours to prepare mouthwatering cabbage rolls. There are mainly two ways of how cabbage rolls are made in Ukraine. One the minced meat is wrapped in cabbage leaves, it is either baked in the oven or stewed in a pan. The succulent roll is then topped with a dollop of sour cream and served. Drooling already.
If the Chinese have their dumplings, Ukrainians have Vareniki. Like momos, vareniki are also made from dough but these dumplings are thicker. Vareniki have all kinds of filling depending upon the imagination and preference of guests. However, cabbage, meat, potato, mushrooms, and cheese are typical Vareniki fillings. Just like most of their dishes, Ukrainians serve vareniki with sour cream. You must try these succulent Ukrainian dumplings on your holiday. You won’t have enough of them.
Ukraine cuisine is so diverse that some of the dishes are unique to western and eastern parts of the country. Banush is a western Ukrainian legendary dish that was considered a poverty dish not long ago but now it is served in cafes in different renditions. Banush is made from corn grits, pork meat, and cottage cheese. It is so filling that you will not feel hungry for hours after having it. Sometimes, mushrooms are also added in it to make it more flavorful. It is traditionally cooked on fire which imparts a smoky flavorful to the dish.