Russia (bbabo.net), - Russian cuisine has a rich and intricate history - it was constantly enriched with recipes from different nations, often altering them in its own way. Many half-forgotten primordially Russian dishes and products should be returned to our table - this will benefit health. Natalia Denisova, a scientist and nutritionist at the Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Biotechnology, told Nedelya about this.

How to cook the right porridge

Many consider porridge to be tasteless, but healthy food. In fact, we simply do not know how to cook it! In the old days, porridge was the main food for everyone - from a peasant to a king. Peter I adored barley porridge. And there were also millet, buckwheat, pearl barley, spelled (wild wheat), oat porridges ...

Cooked porridge in a clay pot in the oven. At a low temperature, the groats languished for several hours, boiled well, retaining the maximum amount of vitamins.

It was porridges that provided the peasants with vegetable protein (the common people rarely saw meat). Hemp or linseed oil (lard in wealthy families), mushrooms, and berries were added to porridge. It turned out to be a complete and tasty dish.

Important: cerealso a source of many vitamins (especially group B - thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate), minerals - magnesium, selenium, iron. The consumption of bread and bakery products per capita per year in pre-revolutionary Russia (1913) was 200 kg per year, while a modern Russian consumes only 96 kg per year. At the same time, according to the WHO recommendation, cereal dishes should form the basis of the diet.

From the turnip to the potato

Vegetables, fruits, berries have always been loved in Russia. Root crops, cabbage, peas were grown in the gardens. They collected wild-growing edible plants - nettle, gout, plantain, wild garlic, wild onions, not to mention berries and mushrooms. Greens were stored for the winter - salted, fermented, dried.

Until the 18th century, the main product in Russian cuisine was turnips. It was boiled, steamed, baked, added to soups and pies. Under Peter I, potatoes appeared in Russia, and gradually they replaced turnips. Although lovers grow it now.

It is good if a healthy vegetable is on your table at least twice a week. Turnip contains vitamins A and C, K, B vitamins, fiber, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, sulfur, organic acids, essential oils, as well as iodine, which we lack so much. And the calorie content of turnips is only 30 kcal per 100 grams.

The easiest way to cook a steamed turnip. The root crop must be peeled, cut into slices, put in a pot, pour in a little water and send to the oven to languish at an average temperature (about 120 degrees) for two hours. Steamed turnips were eaten with butter and salt. Or with honey.

"Where cabbage soup is, look for us here too"

Contrary to popular belief, our national soup is not borscht at all, but cabbage soup. Since ancient times, in Russia, stew was prepared, most often from fish or on bread, with cabbage and herbs.

There are two main components in real cabbage soup: sour dressing (cabbage pickle or apples, later sour cream appeared) and cabbage (and, for example, sorrel is put in green cabbage soup). In poor homes, soup could only consist of this. But in the classic version, meat, mushrooms or fish, roots (carrots, parsley), spices (onions, garlic, celery) were added to cabbage soup. Ready cabbage soup should sweat under the lid in a warm oven. Sometimes they were left for a whole day - the famous daily cabbage soup was obtained.

Tyurya is the grandmother of okroshka

In fact, tyurya is salted cold water with breadcrumbs and chopped onions. Finely chopped vegetables and roots (the same turnip), greens and herbs were added to it, and whitened with yogurt. Actually, prison is the progenitor of our okroshka.

It was prison that Tolstoy's hero Konstantin Levin ate with his men during the mowing.

Preparing a prison is simple: for a liter of water you will need two tablespoons of rye crackers, one finely chopped onion, a tablespoon of finely chopped plantain and quinoa (boil the herbs with boiling water and cool), salt. You can make tyuryu with kvass or beetroot broth.

Important: WHO experts recommend consuming at least 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-4 servings of fruits per day, at least 300-400 g in total.

Catch, little fish...

The word "corporal" came to us from Ancient Russia: this was the name of a group of fish dishes from ancient times. Most were prepared from minced fish, that is, from chopped fillet - the “body” of the fish, hence the name “tel” may have come from.

How to cook it? Here is the simplest option: clean the fish, divide each halves along the ridge into two halves (do not remove the skin), select the bones. Twist each fillet layer with a tight roll and tie with a thread. Bread the rolls in flour, place tightly in a cloth napkin or bag, wrap, tie the bundle with a thread. Dip the bundle with the fish in the prepared boiling water with salt, onion, spices and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Then take it out, let it lie down for 10-15 minutes and remove it from the napkin. Serve warm or chilled with horseradish.Another interesting old dish is "ear". So called stewed meat or fish with the addition of vegetables, baked under the "eye" of dough. The fried meat, together with turnips, rutabaga and carrots, was baked in a sauce in a pot, and when it was almost ready, they covered the pot with a dough lid - an "ear".

Important: WHO experts recommend eating fish at least 2-3 times a week. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are rich in sea fish, improve fat and cholesterol metabolism, and are good for the heart.

Drink kvass

Tea was at first too expensive for a common man. But kvass was not only drunk, but also used for cold and even hot soups. Kvass was made not only from bread, but also from vegetables, such as beets or turnips.

The simplest recipe is rustic rye white kvass. Rye flour (2-3 tablespoons) and water are mixed to the density of sour cream, two tablespoons of honey and a few raisins are added for fermentation. Top up the starter with warm water and leave it warm for a couple of days. Then the sourdough is poured into a three-liter jar, topped up with water, two more tablespoons of honey and rye flour are added. After a few days, we drain the liquid - this is young kvass. Honey is added to it to taste and sent to the cold. And the remaining thick is again diluted with water, flour and honey are added - now you get more mature kvass. Each time, the leaven becomes more vigorous, and the kvass cooks faster.

Sbiten - for warmth and fun

Another Russian favorite is Sbiten, a drink made from water, honey and spices.

It's easy to prepare. Here is one of the recipes. For five liters of water you will need 200 grams of honey or molasses, 2 teaspoons of ginger, 2 grams of cinnamon, 5 cloves, 5 tablespoons of dry mint, 3 star anise, 10 black peppercorns, 7 cardamom pieces.

In boiling water, you need to dissolve the molasses, boil, add spices and boil for another ten minutes. Strain, add honey. Ready! The drink will help keep you warm in the winter frost. By the way, it helps with the onset of a cold.

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