Good video as always. Here are some more in-depth explanations of the dishes mentioned here: 1) Borshch. Even though the most popular variation is the red borshch (червоний борщ), which was shown in the video, there are actually many other varieties of the soup, including: green borshch (зелений борщ), which might or might not include beetroot, but always includes some sort of green vegetable - such as sorrel, nettle, orache, dock, or spinach; cold borshch (холодний борщ), which is mixed with sour dairy (sour cream, kefir, or yogurt) and served cold with boiled eggs; and some more rare varieties - Hutsul white borshch (гуцульський білий борщ), Podillia white borshch (подільський білий борщ), iron borshch (залізний борщ), etc. Still, though, the red borshch is the most popular variety, and due to this it is also the most diverse - so much that each family traditionally has its own red borshch recipe. As described in the video, the only necessary ingredients are beetroot and cabbage, and all other ingredients vary depending on traditions and personal taste. For example, the Polissia borshch (from a foresty region in Northern Ukraine) often includes fresh or dried mushroom which are local to the region. More bizarre varieties can include sour cherries, apples, fish, dried smoked pears, or even pig's blood. In addition, borshch had a fairly large impact on the global cuisine, spreading from Ukraine to the rest of Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Americas, and even China, where they cook a borshch-inspired dish called luosongtang. Anyway, back to Ukraine: there are also many traditions associated with borshch, but none of them are universal and generally are only found in specific regions of Ukraine. There are so many of these traditions that I will not even try to list them here. 2) Varenyky (aka Pyrohy in parts of Western Ukraine). As described in the video, they are generally boiled, but if the filling need to be cooked gently so that the dumplings don't burst (for example, if whole berries are used as a filling), then they are steamed. This is one of the few rare occurrences of steaming in the Ukrainian cuisine. The fillings may be savory or sweet, and they vary depending on the region, but not as much as red borshch does. Common savory fillings include potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, brynza (a type of salty cheese). Common sweet fillings include quark cheese, sour cherries, apples, poppy seeds. Meat is not a common choice for a filling in varenyky because the filling must already be cooked before it is wrapped in dough, and the meat might end up overcooking if you use it. Savory varenyky are usually topped with zasmazhka (fried onions or onions&carrots) and sour cream, while sweet varenyky are usually topped with butter and sour cream. Similarly to borshch, a lot of local traditions involving varenyky exist. 3) Holubtsi (not khaluptsy 🤔). Even though nowadays the stuffing generally includes rice, traditionally millet or wheat were used. Also, a fun fact: this name of the dish literally means "little pidgeons," which makes many people question the origin of the dish. 4) Deruny. Well there's not much to say about these, potato pancakes exist everywhere in the world. Potato dishes are (stereotypically) associated in post-Soviet countries with Belarus, but actually they are popular pretty much everywhere in the region. 5) Kasha. As described in the video, buckwheat and wheat are the most common poridges of Ukrainian cuisine, but there are many others: millet, rice, barley, rye, oat, corn. 6) Banush. This dish originates from Western Ukraine, so it is pretty much only popular there. Traditionally it is cooked in a large pot on low fire and the ingredients must be put into the pot in a specific order but nobody really does this anymore. 7) Salo. This one might seem disgusting to some foreigners, so try to think of it like something similar to salami or bacon. On its own it doesn't have much flavor, but it is very rich in salt and glutamates, so adding it to savory dishes often improves the flavor significantly. A piece of salo on a slice of rye bread with a topping of hot mustard, horseradish, raw onion, or garlic is a very popular appetizer and snack. It is believed that salo originated from Cossacks, when they tried to make food that would last long and would not be stolen during Muslim Crimean Tatar raids. And yes, we do love our dill. That's the only herb/spice that you can add to any savory Ukrainian dish with the guarantee of not ruining the taste.
Thanks for all this additional information! I feel like I need to make PART 2 of this video now with all these additional insights! Yeah I know😑.. years of speaking ruzzian are creeping in when I don't pay close attention - I should be more careful
I love salo on pumpernickel or dark rye with a healthy sprinkling of freshly cracked black pepper and garlic. Goes sooo well with borshch. Also, my grandfather used to make a fresh horseradish and beet ‘relish’… amazing with beef.
Thank you! I am going over to Ukraine as a volunteer next year, and aside from please and thank you, food is high on the vocabulary list LOL. I will study Ukrainian for one month in Lviv before I volunteer.
Just now watching your video. It’s making me hungry. None of the supermarkets here have буряк or beetroot. Pretty hard to make борщ without буряк. I’ll finish watching this later. Looks wonderful! Слава Україні 🇺🇦💙💛
Watched the video again. Great job! I just ordered the book Traditional Ukrainian Cookery by Savella Stechishin. I’ve cooked russian and Polish dishes so this will be fun. I have planted plenty of beetroot in my garden. There are a couple of Ukrainian cooking channels from Іва́но-Франкі́вська о́бласть. Слава Україні 🇺🇦💙💛🌻
@@mariyaukrainian Most likely борщ if can find beetroot before those in my garden are ready to harvest. I’ll let you know. Maybe something I’ve never had before. By the way, I gave my russian cookbooks to my daughter.
@@stevencole9387 I should ask my mom for a borshch recipe that doesn’t require beetroot. I vividly remember her telling me that you do not necessarily need beets for borshch. I will definitely be a slight variation from more traditional recipes
@@mariyaukrainian The зелений борщ recipes that I’m familiar with require sorrel or Щавель. I also don’t have this. Western Oklahoma is not friendly to борщ. Have you cooked on a traditional піч? I have, where it was called печь. Yes, maybe if you do another борщ video you can include a recipe from your mom for зелений борщ. This book appears to be very comprehensive so there may be some good recipes that I can use.
No no it’s red borshch recipe that doesn’t call for beets:) I was born in a city and unfortunately never visited a proper хата with піч in Ukrainian village. My great grandma lived in a village and had піч but she lived further away in Eastern Ukraine and passed when I was little so I don’t remember much.
Holubtsi (i know that as Sarma) is actually ok but i kind of feel like you, not my favorite dish but i can eat that but Punjene Paprike or Stuffed Peppers with Rice and Meat is great and you also put some bacon or Panceta/Špek/Slanina for better taste, it is awesome. Dumplings look good i never eaten that, probably because our Piroške are bassicaly stuffed like Pizza and baked on oil. What you described about Baba(Granny) feeding you is so familliar, like when you visit a family member and you cant really leave untill you eat, that is bassicaly Mediterranian plus Slavic world signature habit, not sure for western Europe.
STUFFED PEPPERS is another popular Ukrainian dish too! I personally also prefer stuffed peppers to cabbage rolls! For my Grandma, everyone always looks starved and she has an intense inkling to feed them AND give food to go :D
@@mariyaukrainian That is an eternal question, stuffed peppers or Stuffed Cabage! Only truth is Baba or Teta(Aunt) don't care, you have to eat what's on the Table 😁 Do you use Ajvar in Ukraine and if you do does it have a different name, Ajvar is made from Peppers and Eggplant and is good with meat or even with French Fries!?
Good video as always.
Here are some more in-depth explanations of the dishes mentioned here:
1) Borshch. Even though the most popular variation is the red borshch (червоний борщ), which was shown in the video, there are actually many other varieties of the soup, including: green borshch (зелений борщ), which might or might not include beetroot, but always includes some sort of green vegetable - such as sorrel, nettle, orache, dock, or spinach; cold borshch (холодний борщ), which is mixed with sour dairy (sour cream, kefir, or yogurt) and served cold with boiled eggs; and some more rare varieties - Hutsul white borshch (гуцульський білий борщ), Podillia white borshch (подільський білий борщ), iron borshch (залізний борщ), etc. Still, though, the red borshch is the most popular variety, and due to this it is also the most diverse - so much that each family traditionally has its own red borshch recipe. As described in the video, the only necessary ingredients are beetroot and cabbage, and all other ingredients vary depending on traditions and personal taste. For example, the Polissia borshch (from a foresty region in Northern Ukraine) often includes fresh or dried mushroom which are local to the region. More bizarre varieties can include sour cherries, apples, fish, dried smoked pears, or even pig's blood. In addition, borshch had a fairly large impact on the global cuisine, spreading from Ukraine to the rest of Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Americas, and even China, where they cook a borshch-inspired dish called luosongtang. Anyway, back to Ukraine: there are also many traditions associated with borshch, but none of them are universal and generally are only found in specific regions of Ukraine. There are so many of these traditions that I will not even try to list them here.
2) Varenyky (aka Pyrohy in parts of Western Ukraine). As described in the video, they are generally boiled, but if the filling need to be cooked gently so that the dumplings don't burst (for example, if whole berries are used as a filling), then they are steamed. This is one of the few rare occurrences of steaming in the Ukrainian cuisine. The fillings may be savory or sweet, and they vary depending on the region, but not as much as red borshch does. Common savory fillings include potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, brynza (a type of salty cheese). Common sweet fillings include quark cheese, sour cherries, apples, poppy seeds. Meat is not a common choice for a filling in varenyky because the filling must already be cooked before it is wrapped in dough, and the meat might end up overcooking if you use it. Savory varenyky are usually topped with zasmazhka (fried onions or onions&carrots) and sour cream, while sweet varenyky are usually topped with butter and sour cream. Similarly to borshch, a lot of local traditions involving varenyky exist.
3) Holubtsi (not khaluptsy 🤔). Even though nowadays the stuffing generally includes rice, traditionally millet or wheat were used. Also, a fun fact: this name of the dish literally means "little pidgeons," which makes many people question the origin of the dish.
4) Deruny. Well there's not much to say about these, potato pancakes exist everywhere in the world. Potato dishes are (stereotypically) associated in post-Soviet countries with Belarus, but actually they are popular pretty much everywhere in the region.
5) Kasha. As described in the video, buckwheat and wheat are the most common poridges of Ukrainian cuisine, but there are many others: millet, rice, barley, rye, oat, corn.
6) Banush. This dish originates from Western Ukraine, so it is pretty much only popular there. Traditionally it is cooked in a large pot on low fire and the ingredients must be put into the pot in a specific order but nobody really does this anymore.
7) Salo. This one might seem disgusting to some foreigners, so try to think of it like something similar to salami or bacon. On its own it doesn't have much flavor, but it is very rich in salt and glutamates, so adding it to savory dishes often improves the flavor significantly. A piece of salo on a slice of rye bread with a topping of hot mustard, horseradish, raw onion, or garlic is a very popular appetizer and snack. It is believed that salo originated from Cossacks, when they tried to make food that would last long and would not be stolen during Muslim Crimean Tatar raids.
And yes, we do love our dill. That's the only herb/spice that you can add to any savory Ukrainian dish with the guarantee of not ruining the taste.
Thanks for all this additional information! I feel like I need to make PART 2 of this video now with all these additional insights!
Yeah I know😑.. years of speaking ruzzian are creeping in when I don't pay close attention - I should be more careful
I love salo on pumpernickel or dark rye with a healthy sprinkling of freshly cracked black pepper and garlic.
Goes sooo well with borshch.
Also, my grandfather used to make a fresh horseradish and beet ‘relish’… amazing with beef.
Thank you! I am going over to Ukraine as a volunteer next year, and aside from please and thank you, food is high on the vocabulary list LOL. I will study Ukrainian for one month in Lviv before I volunteer.
Thank you for doing this! I hope you enjoy your time in Ukraine! Best of luck and stay safe 🫶
Wishing you safety and good health, Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦
Just now watching your video. It’s making me hungry. None of the supermarkets here have буряк or beetroot. Pretty hard to make борщ without буряк. I’ll finish watching this later. Looks wonderful!
Слава Україні 🇺🇦💙💛
Great video!
Thank you:)
Very good! Thank you for this interesting Video. Easy to understand. Great! 👋🇺🇦🇺🇦 thank you from Germany! Greetings from Britta
You are very welcome, Britta 😌 thank you for kind words
Slava Ukraini!!
Watched the video again. Great job! I just ordered the book Traditional Ukrainian Cookery by Savella Stechishin. I’ve cooked russian and Polish dishes so this will be fun. I have planted plenty of beetroot in my garden. There are a couple of Ukrainian cooking channels from Іва́но-Франкі́вська о́бласть.
Слава Україні 🇺🇦💙💛🌻
Let me know how you find the cookbook! What will be the first dish you plan to cook?
@@mariyaukrainian
Most likely борщ if can find beetroot before those in my garden are ready to harvest. I’ll let you know. Maybe something I’ve never had before. By the way, I gave my russian cookbooks to my daughter.
@@stevencole9387 I should ask my mom for a borshch recipe that doesn’t require beetroot. I vividly remember her telling me that you do not necessarily need beets for borshch. I will definitely be a slight variation from more traditional recipes
@@mariyaukrainian
The зелений борщ recipes that I’m familiar with require sorrel or Щавель. I also don’t have this. Western Oklahoma is not friendly to борщ. Have you cooked on a traditional піч? I have, where it was called печь.
Yes, maybe if you do another борщ video you can include a recipe from your mom for зелений борщ. This book appears to be very comprehensive so there may be some good recipes that I can use.
No no it’s red borshch recipe that doesn’t call for beets:)
I was born in a city and unfortunately never visited a proper хата with піч in Ukrainian village. My great grandma lived in a village and had піч but she lived further away in Eastern Ukraine and passed when I was little so I don’t remember much.
Holubtsi (i know that as Sarma) is actually ok but i kind of feel like you, not my favorite dish but i can eat that but Punjene Paprike or Stuffed Peppers with Rice and Meat is great and you also put some bacon or Panceta/Špek/Slanina for better taste, it is awesome.
Dumplings look good i never eaten that, probably because our Piroške are bassicaly stuffed like Pizza and baked on oil.
What you described about Baba(Granny) feeding you is so familliar, like when you visit a family member and you cant really leave untill you eat, that is bassicaly Mediterranian plus Slavic world signature habit, not sure for western Europe.
STUFFED PEPPERS is another popular Ukrainian dish too! I personally also prefer stuffed peppers to cabbage rolls!
For my Grandma, everyone always looks starved and she has an intense inkling to feed them AND give food to go :D
@@mariyaukrainian That is an eternal question, stuffed peppers or Stuffed Cabage! Only truth is Baba or Teta(Aunt) don't care, you have to eat what's on the Table 😁
Do you use Ajvar in Ukraine and if you do does it have a different name, Ajvar is made from Peppers and Eggplant and is good with meat or even with French Fries!?
You need to stand up and go to your kitchen and cook girl!!