Nowadays in our country almost all the people prefer authentic Russian food, even when they dine out. Here are traditional Russian courses that are most delicious, that are loved by both Russians and overseas guests so much and that are worth trying here in Russia:
Borsch
It is the most popular and the most famous Russian soup. There is a strong belief that a woman is a good wife only if she can cook borsch. Of course it is said humorously but there's a true point to it because everybody loves borsch! It is made on a meat or chicken bouillon of beetroots, carrots, potatoes, cabbage and other vegetables. Borsch can be hot or cold. The taste of borsch is different with every cook, because there is space for imagination when you are making it! If you got interested and would like to try and cook borsch at home, you are welcome to peep in here. But we advise you to first try it at a Russian restaurant or at a Russian home and then come back here, jot down the recipe and cook it for your friends or relatives or for yourself!
Solyanka
Some people love it more than borsch! It's the favorite of many people whom we know, including foreign guests! Solyanka is a very special soup. It's made of different kinds of meat, pickled cucumbers, olives, pepper and spices. Some put prunes or lemon inside - there are different ways of cooking this soup.
Ukha
It is a very special Russian fish soup. Cooking real ukha is an art. It is especially delicious if cooked outdoors. Say, you go fishing and then cook ukha out of the fresh fish that you've just caught yourself, under the open air in an iron kettle on the open fire. Ukha should smell of the fire smoke! And it is usual to have it together with Russian vodka. Got interested in the experience of Russian fishing? Try it yourself when you are here! Learn more on the page We offer.
Pelmeni
They are little balls of minced meat wrapped in thin dough and boiled in water. They are especially delicious with different sauces - sour cream, mushroom sauce, tomato sauce, and also with butter, vinegar, or mayonnaise. Russians eat pelmeni in tons! They can be home-made (then they are especially tasty) or one can buy them ready and frozen at a department store and just boil at home very quickly. That is why they are sometimes humorously called "food for bachelors". In restaurants they are hand-made and usually the cook makes them a real work of art!
Vareniki
These are pieces of thin dough in which different stuff is wrapped - berries, cottage cheese, sometimes potatoes or buckwheat. They are boiled and then served with sour cream or butter.
Golubtsi
They are big pieces of minced meat with rice and spices inside, wrapped in cabbage leaves and stewed in tomato sauce with prunes, greens, pepper or other spices (like thyme, coriander, basil etc.). Golubtsi are considered to be a meal for special occasions and they are not cooked very often, but nevertheless loved by practically every Russian.
Blini (pancakes)
These are very special in Russia. Their recipe is very ancient. Even many centuries ago Russians cooked them. We say "to bake blini" by old tradition though they are actually fried on a frying pan now. It is considered the most elaborate art of a cook to make blini very thin. And believe me it is not an easy thing to do! Blini are baked of wheat flour and served with diverse fillings - butter, sour cream, honey, salmon, trout, caviar, mushrooms, minced meat, cottage cheese, home-made jam (varenye) of such forest berries as bilberry (whortleberry), red bilberry (red whortleberry), cranberry, gooseberry, cloudberry, raspberry, bramble (blackberry) etc. Initially blini were made to such traditional Russian holiday as Maslenitsa. This name comes from the Russian word "maslo" which means butter. This holiday is still widespread in our country. It symbolizes saying farewell to winter and welcoming of spring. Maslenitsa means joy, feasts, presents and public festivities. People used to dress up and go out visiting their friends and relatives and in every home there were (and are now) blini made for everyone!
Oladyia
They are small very thick pancakes made in a slightly different way than blini. Here, just the opposite, the art of making them means that they should be as thick as possible. They cannot be filled with anything, but they are usually eaten with sour cream, honey, or varenye.
Olivie (Russian Salad)
Olivier salad is a traditional salad dish in Russian cuisine, which is also popular in many other European countries. In different modern recipes, it is usually made with diced boiled potatoes, carrots, brined dill pickles, green peas, eggs, celeriac, onions, diced boiled chicken (or sometimes ham or bologna sausage), tart apples, with salt, pepper, and mustard added to enhance flavor, dressed with mayonnaise. In many countries, the dish is commonly referred to as Russian salad, although this term can connote vinegret. A variation called Stolichny salad exists, and is also popular in the Russian cuisine.
Plov
Originally this meal was not Russian; rather it came to us from Azerbaijan which was part of the Soviet Union once. However, it is extremely popular here. It is rice cooked in a special way with oil, carrots, and chicken, meat or turkey.
