Kasha recipe history culture origin

Buckwheat has a special place in the Russian diet as well as Russian history and the modern Russian economy. Click here for original image.

Kasha (Sochivo, Kutya): Russian Porridge

Published: July 14, 2018

Early on those cold autumn and winter mornings, there is nothing quite like a steaming bowl of kasha (ะบะฐัˆะฐ) to prepare for a long day ahead. In Russia, kasha is porridge typically made by cooking โ€œะณั€ะตั‡ะบะฐโ€ (buckwheat), โ€œะพะฒััะฝะบะฐโ€ (oatmeal), or โ€œั€ะธัโ€ (rice) with โ€œะผะพะปะพะบะพโ€ (milk) or โ€œะฒะพะดะฐโ€œ(water). Porridge is not the first thing that comes to mind when considering delectable foreign cuisine, and indeed, like most simple foods is actually consumed in various forms by many world cultures. However, for Russians, it is a nutritious and versatile staple food, with significant cultural and economic importance.

Why Itโ€™s Called โ€œKashaโ€

(ะŸะพั‡ะตะผัƒ ะพะฝะฐ ะฝะพัะธั‚ ั‚ะฐะบะพะต ะฝะฐะทะฒะฐะฝะธะต?)

The word โ€œkashaโ€ is ancient, with a proto-Slavic origin. Mention of it is replete throughout written Slavic history, and the adage โ€œะบะฐัˆะฐ โ€“ ะผะฐั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐัˆะฐโ€ (Porridge is our mother) is a common folk saying without known origin. The Russian Primary Chronicle, the oldest known history of Russia, tells a tale of how kasha saved Prince Vladimir and his people. Besieged by a hostile Turkic tribe, Vladimirโ€™s subjects prepare kashaย with honey and offer it to the Turks who exclaim, โ€œOur princes will not believe this marvel, unless they eat of the food themselves!โ€

Most Americans think immediately of oatmeal when they think of porridge. However, kasha is associated in Russia primarily with buckwheat (buckwheat). The oldest traces of buckwheat as a cultivated crop are found in China where it crept northward to Siberia and then eventually west over the Ural Mountains. Buckwheat took hold in the Slavic regions, quickly becoming the staple crop.

There are many reasons for this. Probably most importantly, buckwheat only takes 30 days to reach maturity, making it ideal for Russiaโ€™s short summers. During the Soviet era, the USSR grew approximately 75 percent of the worldโ€™s crop of buckwheat. To the present day, Russia still produces the worldโ€™s largest crop of buckwheat, followed by the cropโ€™s progenitor, China.

Buckwheat, which is actually a fruit seed in same family as rhubarb and sorrel, is also unusually high in protein and microelements. Thus, the nutritional yield per harvest was also greater than many other crops, allowing the Slavs to stay healthier through the long winter and muddy spring and fall.

Do not be mistaken that kasha is only made from buckwheatย though. Nearly any type of grain can be used in substitute. Other common grains include rice, oats, millet, semolina, and barley.

When and How to Eat Kasha

(ะšะฐะบ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะตัั‚ัŒ ะบะฐัˆัƒ?)

Kasha holds a special place in Russiaโ€™s history and is eaten both as a common, everyday dish and, in more complicated preparations and presentations, for celebratory events and holidays. Kasha is often eaten by itself or as a main dish for breakfast or as a side dish for lunch or dinner. Many Russians will consider a lunch of soup and kasha,ย sometimes adding the kasha to the soup, a hearty and pleasant lunch.

Kasha is such a common food in Russia that it is included in the food baskets that economists watch to study the effects of inflation. Whenever Russians sense that an economic crisis may be on the horizon (which is not uncommon in Russia), the price of kasha,ย and especially buckwheat, is one of the first to rise as Russians will stock up and hoard the easily-storable, nutritious food.

Kasha recipe history culture origin
A dish of Christmas ะบัƒั‚ัŒั โ€“ boiled wheat with poppy seeds, nuts, and dried fruit.

Kasha is also associated with traditions associated with weddings, births, and holiday feasts. Sometimes referred to as โ€œthe first meal,โ€ kasha is among the first types of solid food that babies will eat because of its high nutrition and ease of digestion. At the birth of a baby, kashaย was cooked and served to friends and family as a โ€œะทะฐะฒะตั‚ะฝะพะณะพ ะบั€ะตัั‚ะธะปัŒะฝะพะณะพ ะฑะปัŽะดะฐโ€ (a baptismal covenant meal), signifying that the family will raise the baby in the rites of the church. This tradition, however, is now quite rare in the post-Soviet era.

Another kashaย tradition that is now rarely followed concerns marriage. On the second day of marriage, young couples once traditionally made couples at their homes, invited guests to eat it, and the guests would give money to the new couple to help start their new lives.

More commonly today, special variations of kasha are made for holidays. At Christmastime, Russians often prepare one of two special, sweet versions of kasha: โ€œัะพั‡ะธะฒะพโ€ (sochivo) or โ€œะบัƒั‚ัŒัโ€ (kutia). Sochivo takes a wheat base and adds honey, poppy seeds, and walnuts, along with a bit of salt. Kutia combines wheat or barley with the same base ingredients of honey, poppy seeds, and walnuts, but also usually adds some fruit and spices like apricots, raisins, and cinnamon.

Kochivo or kutia are consumed as the first of 12 dishes that make up a traditional Orthodox Christmas Eve feast on January 6. (Why is Russian Christmas on January 7? Click here.) Since Christmas is primarily a religious holiday in Russia, the feast is a reverent occasion. A single candle in the center of the table represents the Star of Bethlehem, and a hymn is usually sung immediately prior to the meal. One of these dishes is also sometimes made for New Yearโ€™s Eve, the major holiday of every Russianโ€™s year.

Kasha recipe history culture origin
โ€œBebi Sitterโ€ brand buckwheat kasha is specially prepared for children over four months old. Buckwheat kasha is often a Russianโ€™s first solid food.

Kutia is also traditionally made as a part of the extended mourning rites in Russian Orthodox funerals.

How to Prepare Kasha

(ะšะฐะบ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะบะฐัˆัƒ?)

Interestingly, although kasha has long been recognized by the Russian population as one of their major sources of nutrition and continued life, the continual cultivation and preparation of kashaย has also long been a source of worry and necessitated labor for the Russian population.

Thus, Russian has many positive sayings about kasha,ย such as โ€œั‰ะธ ะดะฐ ะบะฐัˆะฐ โ€” ะบะพั€ะผะธะปะธั†ั‹ ะฝะฐัˆะธโ€ (loosely translated: โ€œcabbage soup and porridge are our suckleโ€) and โ€œะณะดะต ะบะฐัˆะฐ, ั‚ะฐะผ ะธ ะฝะฐัˆะธโ€ (โ€œwhere you find porridge, you will find our brethrenโ€). However, Russian also has many negative sayings about kashaย as well. โ€œะ—ะฐะฒะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ ะบะฐัˆัƒโ€ (โ€œto cook porridgeโ€) is often used as a euphemism for โ€œto start troubleโ€ and โ€œั€ะฐัั…ะปั‘ะฑั‹ะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ะบะฐัˆัƒโ€ (โ€œto deal with porridgeโ€) means โ€œto deal with problems.โ€ Likewise, when snow mixes with dirt and pollution on winter city streets and forms a brown mush that tends to stain anything it touches, Russians call this mush โ€œkasha.โ€ If a Russian questions someoneโ€™s intelligence, he will frequently say that that person has โ€œะบะฐัˆะฐ ะฒ ะณะพะปะพะฒะตโ€ (โ€œporridge in his headโ€).

Sayings surrounding common preparations of kasha have also become standard parts of the Russian language. Kashaโ€™s universal topping is butter; it is pictured as the serving suggestion on nearly every box of prepackaged kasha,ย and it does notably improve the taste. A positive Russian saying about this is โ€œะบะฐัˆัƒ ะผะฐัะปะพะผ ะฝะต ะธัะฟะพั€ั‚ะธัˆัŒโ€ (You cannot ruin porridge with butter), which means that you canโ€™t ruin something by adding something good โ€” even if you add too much. Russian also has a saying that is typically used in more negative contexts: โ€œะ—ะฐะฒะฐั€ะธะป ะบะฐัˆัƒ, ั‚ะฐะบ ะฝะต ะถะฐะปะตะน ะผะฐัะปะฐ.โ€ This literally means โ€œyouโ€™ve boiled the porridge, so donโ€™t spare the butterโ€ but is used in the context of โ€œyou started something, now finish it (and do it right)โ€.

Kasha recipe history culture origin
A traditional Russian stove (the large white structure) would often take over a good deal of space in Russian homes.

Other common additives include salt, which can boost the flavor of even sweetened kasha. Eggs are very commonly added in various forms. A fried egg over the top of kasha or a boiled egg, peeled and diced with dill, and then mixed into kashaย both produce a very pleasant, common, filling, and inexpensive meal for many Russians.

Proper preparation also goes a long way, transforming a mess of gruel into a tantalizing bowl of hot cereal, abundant in nuanced flavor. A less common trick when cooking kasha is to refrigerate the dish before reheating and serving. Especially when adding several different ingredients (particularly herbs or seasonings), refrigerating the kashaย and letting the flavors blend for a day or two (similar to what recipes for potato salad often call for), can really bring out the flavor of the dish.

The most traditional preparation methods for kasha call for long hours of simmering in an old-style โ€œั€ัƒััะบะฐั ะฟะตั‡ัŒโ€ (Russian oven). These were massive structures, that once took up an entire corner of most Russianโ€™s homes. They were used for both cooking and warmth. The low, steady heat created the perfect consistency and grain texture while allowing plenty of time for the flavors to mix together. Today, it is far more common to see kasha simply prepared on a stovetop (or even microwave!): Pour milk or water over the preground supermarket kasha,ย and let it cook for the time stated on the box.

Because kashaย is eaten so widely throughout Russia and the former Soviet Republics, the variations on it are also nearly endless.

Letโ€™s Cook!

(ะ”ะฐะฒะฐะน ะฟั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธะผ!)

See below for a free recipe for various Russian kashas and free videos. If you are interested in cooking from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Georgia, and other places in Eurasia, make sure to see our other resources! You might also be interested in the following specialized cookbooks weโ€™ve enjoyed:

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ะ“ั€ะตั‡ะฝะตะฒะฐั ะบะฐัˆะฐ Buckwheat Kasha
  1. ะฟั€ะพะฟะพั€ั†ะธั: 1 ั‡ะฐัั‚ัŒ ะบั€ัƒะฟั‹ ะฝะฐ 2 ั‡ะฐัั‚ะธ ะฒะพะดั‹,
  2. ะฟะปะพั‚ะฝะฐั ะบั€ั‹ัˆะบะฐ ะฝะฐ ะฒะฐั€ะพั‡ะฝะพะน ั‘ะผะบะพัั‚ะธ (ะบะฐัั‚ั€ัŽะปะต),
  3. ะฟะตั€ะฒั‹ะต 3-4 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚ั‹ ะทะฐะบะธะฟะฐะฝะธั ัะธะปัŒะฝั‹ะน ะพะณะพะฝัŒ, ั ะฟะพัั‚ะตะฟะตะฝะฝั‹ะผ ัƒะผะตะฝัŒัˆะตะฝะธะตะผ ะฟะปะฐะผะตะฝะธ ะธ ัะพะฒัะตะผ ัะปะฐะฑั‹ะผ ะฒ ะบะพะฝั†ะต ะฒะฐั€ะบะธ,
  4. ะฝะตะปัŒะทั ะพั‚ะบั€ั‹ะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ะบั€ั‹ัˆะบัƒ ะธ ะผะตัˆะฐั‚ัŒ ะบะฐัˆัƒ ะฒะพ ะฒั€ะตะผั ะฟั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธั,
  5. ะ›ัŽะฑะฐั ะบะฐัˆะฐ ะปัŽะฑะธั‚ ะผะฐัะปะพ, ะฒ ั‚ะพะผ ั‡ะธัะปะต ะธ ะณั€ะตั‡ะฝะตะฒะฐั โ€“ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะปัะนั‚ะต ะตะณะพ ะฒ ะบะพะฝั†ะต, ะบะพะณะดะฐ ะฒั‹ะบะปัŽั‡ะธั‚ะต ะพะณะพะฝัŒ.
  1. Proportions: 1 part grains to 2 parts water
  2. A tight lid on the cooking pot
  3. Boil for the first 3-4 minutes on high heat, and gradually decrease heat until it is on very low by the end
  4. Do not uncover the porridge or stir while it is cooking.
  5. Buckwheat goes great with butter โ€“ add some at the end when you turn off the heat.
ะŸะตั€ะปะพะฒะบะฐ ั ะผััะพะผ ะธ ะพะฒะพั‰ะฐะผะธ Barley Porridge with Meat and Vegetables
ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹: ย (ะฝะฐ 4 ะฟะพั€ั†ะธะธ)
  • ะ“ะพะฒัะถัŒั ะฒั‹ั€ะตะทะบะฐ (ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝะฐั ะบัƒัะบะฐะผะธ ะฟะพ 1,5 ัะผ) โ€“ 400 ะณ
  • ะœะพั€ะบะพะฒัŒ (ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝะฐั ั‚ะพะฝะบะธะผะธ ะปะพะผั‚ะธะบะฐะผะธ) โ€“ 1 1/2 ัั‚ะฐะบะฐะฝะฐ
  • ะกั‚ะตะฑะตะปัŒ ัะตะปัŒะดะตั€ะตั (ั‚ะพะฝะบะพ ั€ะตะทะฐะฝั‹ะน) โ€“ 1 1/2 ัั‚ะฐะบะฐะฝะฐ
  • ะ›ัƒะบ ั€ะตะฟั‡ะฐั‚ั‹ะน (ะผะตะปะบะพ ั€ะตะทะฐะฝั‹ะน) โ€“ 2/3 ัั‚ะฐะบะฐะฝะฐ
  • ะ“ั€ะธะฑั‹ ัˆะฐะผะฟะธะฝัŒะพะฝั‹ ัะฒะตะถะธะต (ั€ะตะทะฐะฝั‹ะต ะปะพะผั‚ะธะบะฐะผะธ) โ€“ 230 ะณ
  • ะ‘ัƒะปัŒะพะฝ ะณะพะฒัะถะธะน โ€“ 4 ัั‚ะฐะบะฐะฝะฐ
  • ะ›ะฐะฒั€ะพะฒั‹ะน ะปะธัั‚ โ€“ 1 ัˆั‚.
  • ะŸะตั€ะปะพะฒะฐั ะบั€ัƒะฟะฐ โ€“ 2/3 ัั‚ะฐะบะฐะฝะฐ
  • ะกะพะปัŒ โ€“ 1/2 ั‡. ะป.
  • ะงั‘ั€ะฝั‹ะน ะผะพะปะพั‚ั‹ะน ะฟะตั€ะตั† โ€“ 1/2 ั‡. ะป.
  • ะœะฐัะปะพ ั€ะฐัั‚ะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพะต

ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะต

  1. ะ‘ะพะปัŒัˆัƒัŽ ั‡ัƒะณัƒะฝะฝัƒัŽ ะบะฐัั‚ั€ัŽะปัŽ (ะบะฐะทะฐะฝะพะบ) ั€ะฐะทะพะณั€ะตั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ัั€ะตะดะฝะต-ัะธะปัŒะฝะพะผ ะพะณะฝะต. ะกะปะตะณะบะฐ ัะผะฐะทะฐั‚ัŒ ั€ะฐัั‚ะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝั‹ะผ ะผะฐัะปะพะผ. ะ’ั‹ะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะฟั€ะพะผะฐัะปะตะฝะฝัƒัŽ ะบะฐัั‚ั€ัŽะปัŽ ะบัƒัะบะธ ะผััะฐ ะธ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธั‚ัŒ, ะฟะพะผะตัˆะธะฒะฐั, ะพะบะพะปะพ 4 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚, ะดะพ ะบะพั€ะธั‡ะฝะตะฒะพะณะพ ั†ะฒะตั‚ะฐ. ะŸะตั€ะตะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะถะฐั€ะตะฝะพะต ะผััะพ ะฝะฐ ั‚ะฐั€ะตะปะบัƒ ะธ ะพั‚ัั‚ะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ัั‚ะพั€ะพะฝัƒ.
  2. ะ’ ะบะฐะทะฐะฝะพะบ ะฒั‹ัั‹ะฟะฐั‚ัŒ ะผะพั€ะบะพะฒัŒ, ัะตะปัŒะดะตั€ะตะน, ะปัƒะบ ะธ ะณั€ะธะฑั‹, ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธั‚ัŒ, ะฟะพะผะตัˆะธะฒะฐั, ะพะบะพะปะพ 6 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚, ะดะพ ะฟะพะปะฝะพะณะพ ะฒั‹ะฟะฐั€ะธะฒะฐะฝะธั ะถะธะดะบะพัั‚ะธ.
  3. ะ’ั‹ะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะบะฐัั‚ั€ัŽะปัŽ ั ะพะฒะพั‰ะฐะผะธ ะถะฐั€ะตะฝะพะต ะผััะพ ะธ ะปะฐะฒั€ะพะฒั‹ะน ะปะธัั‚, ะทะฐะปะธั‚ัŒ ะฒัั‘ ะฑัƒะปัŒะพะฝะพะผ. ะะฐ ัั€ะตะดะฝะต-ัะธะปัŒะฝะพะผ ะพะณะฝะต ะดะพะฒะตัั‚ะธ ัะพะดะตั€ะถะธะผะพะต ะบะฐัั‚ั€ัŽะปะธ ะดะพ ะบะธะฟะตะฝะธั, ะฐ ะทะฐั‚ะตะผ ะฝะฐะบั€ั‹ั‚ัŒ ะบั€ั‹ัˆะบะพะน, ัƒะผะตะฝัŒัˆะธั‚ัŒ ะพะณะพะฝัŒ ะธ ั‚ัƒัˆะธั‚ัŒ ะผััะพ ะพะบะพะปะพ 1 1/2 ั‡ะฐัะฐ, ะฟะตั€ะธะพะดะธั‡ะตัะบะธ ะฟะพะผะตัˆะธะฒะฐั.
  4. ะ—ะฐั‚ะตะผ ะฒะฒะตัั‚ะธ ะฒ ะบะฐัั‚ั€ัŽะปัŽ ะฟะตั€ะปะพะฒะบัƒ, ัะฝะพะฒะฐ ะทะฐะบั€ั‹ั‚ัŒ ะบั€ั‹ัˆะบะพะน ะธ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฟะตั€ะปะพะฒะบัƒ ั ะผััะพะผ ะดะพ ะผัะณะบะพะณะพ ัะพัั‚ะพัะฝะธั ะบั€ัƒะฟั‹, ะผะธะฝัƒั‚ 30. ะŸะพัะพะปะธั‚ัŒ ะธ ะฟะพะฟะตั€ั‡ะธั‚ัŒ, ัƒะดะฐะปะธั‚ัŒ ะปะฐะฒั€ะพะฒั‹ะน ะปะธัั‚ ะธ ะฟะพะดะฐะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ะฟะตั€ะปะพะฒะบัƒ ั ะผััะพะผ ะฝะฐ ัั‚ะพะป.
Ingredients: (makes 4 servings)
  • Beef tenderloin (cut into pieces 1.5 cm) โ€“ 400 g/14 oz.
  • Carrot (thinly sliced) โ€“ 1 1/2 Cup
  • Celery (thinly sliced) โ€“ 1 1/2 Cup
  • Onion (finely chopped) โ€“ 2/3 Cup
  • Fresh mushrooms (such as sliced) โ€“ 230 g/8 oz.
  • Beef broth โ€“ 4 cups
  • Bay leaf โ€“ 1 leaf.
  • Pearl barley โ€“ 2/3 Cup
  • Salt โ€“ 1/2 tsp
  • Ground black pepper โ€“ 1/2 tsp
  • Vegetable oil

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Preparation

  1. Lightly grease a large cast-iron pot with vegetable oil. Put in the meat and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes, until brown over medium-high heat. Put the cooked meat on a plate and set aside.
  2. Add the carrots, celery, onion and mushrooms to the pot; cook, stirring, about 6 minutes, until the liquid has completely evaporated.
  3. Add the broth to the pot with the vegetables. Add the cooked meat and bay leaf and cook on medium-high heat to bring the contents of the saucepan to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat and simmer the meat about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  4. Then put the grains into the pot, close the lid again and cook the barley with the meat until the barley is soft (for about 30 minutes). Add salt and pepper, remove the bay leaf and serve.
ะšัƒั‚ัŒั Kutia (traditional Christmas porridge)
ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹:ย 
  • ะŸัˆะตะฝะธั†ะฐ โ€“ 150 ะณ
  • ะœะฐะบ โ€“ 50 ะณ
  • ะกะฐั…ะฐั€ โ€“ ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ
  • ะ“ั€ะตั†ะบะธะต ะพั€ะตั…ะธ โ€“ 80 ะณ
  • ะกะฐั…ะฐั€ โ€“ 50 ะณ
  • ะœั‘ะด โ€“ 50 ะณ
  • ะ’ะฐะฝะธะปัŒะฝั‹ะน ัะฐั…ะฐั€ โ€“ 10 ะณ
  • ะฆะตะดั€ะฐ ะปะธะผะพะฝะฐ (ะฟะพ ะถะตะปะฐะฝะธัŽ) โ€“ ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ

ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะตย 

  1. ะŸัˆะตะฝะธั†ัƒ ะฟั€ะพะผั‹ั‚ัŒ ะธ ะทะฐะผะพั‡ะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ั…ะพะปะพะดะฝะพะน ะฒะพะดะต ะฝะฐ ะฝะพั‡ัŒ.
  2. ะฃั‚ั€ะพะผ ัะปะธั‚ัŒ ะฒะพะดัƒ, ะฝะฐะปะธั‚ัŒ ั‡ะธัั‚ัƒัŽ ั…ะพะปะพะดะฝัƒัŽ ะฒะพะดัƒ. ะ”ะฐั‚ัŒ ะทะฐะบะธะฟะตั‚ัŒ. ะ’ะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ ะฟัˆะตะฝะธั†ัƒ ะดะพ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะฝะพัั‚ะธ ะฝะฐ ัั€ะตะดะฝะตะผ ะพะณะฝะต, 30-50 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚.
  3. ะ’ัะบะธะฟัั‚ะธั‚ัŒ ั‡ะฐะนะฝะธะบ. ะœะฐะบ ะฟั€ะพะผั‹ั‚ัŒ ั…ะพะปะพะดะฝะพะน ะฒะพะดะพะน. ะŸั€ะพะผั‹ั‚ั‹ะน ะผะฐะบ ะทะฐะปะธั‚ัŒ ะบะธะฟัั‚ะบะพะผ ะฝะฐ ะฟะพะปั‡ะฐัะฐ, ะฒะพะดัƒ ัะปะธั‚ัŒ, ะผะฐะบ ะพััƒัˆะธั‚ัŒ.
  4. ะ˜ะทัŽะผ ะทะฐะปะธั‚ัŒ ะบะธะฟัั‚ะบะพะผ ะฝะฐ 5 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚. ะ’ะพะดัƒ ัะปะธั‚ัŒ.
  5. ะžั€ะตั…ะธ ะฟะพั€ัƒะฑะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะพะถะพะผ.
  6. ะœะฐะบ ั€ะฐัั‚ะตั€ะตั‚ัŒ ั ัะฐั…ะฐั€ะพะผ ะฒ ัั‚ัƒะฟะบะต ะธะปะธ ะฑะปะตะฝะดะตั€ะต, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะผะฐะบ ะดะฐะป ัะพะบ.
  7. ะกะผะตัˆะฐั‚ัŒ ะฒัะต ะธะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ ะผั‘ะด ะธ ัะฐั…ะฐั€. ะœะพะถะฝะพ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ั†ะตะดั€ัƒ ะปะธะผะพะฝะฐ. ะ“ัƒัั‚ะพั‚ัƒ ะบะฐัˆะธ ะผะพะถะฝะพ ัะดะตะปะฐั‚ัŒ ะฟะพ ะฒะฐัˆะตะผัƒ ะฒะบัƒััƒ.
Ingredients:
  • Wheat โ€“ 150 g/5 oz.
  • Poppy Seeds- 50 g/1.7 oz.
  • Sugar โ€“ to taste
  • Walnuts โ€“ 80 grams/3 oz.
  • Sugar โ€“ 50 g/1.7 oz.
  • Honey โ€“ 50 g /1.7 oz.
  • Vanilla sugar โ€“ 10 g/0.35 oz.
  • Lemon zest (optional) โ€“ to taste

Preparation

  1. Wash the wheat and soak in cold water overnight.
  2. In the morning, drain it, and pour in clean, cold water. Bring to a boil. Cook the wheat until tender on medium heat 30-50 minutes.
  3. Boil a kettle of water. Rinse the poppy seeds with cold water. Pour the boiling water on the washed poppy seeds and leave for a half hour, then drain the water and let the poppy seeds dry.
  4. Pour more boiling water on the raisins. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drain the water.
  5. Chop the nuts with a knife.
  6. Grind the poppy seeds with sugar in a mortar or blender until the poppy seeds give juice.
  7. Mix all the ingredients, add honey and sugar to taste. You can also add lemon zest. The density of the porridge can be changed based on your tastes.
ะกะพั‡ะธะฒะพ Sochivo (traditional Christmas porridge)
ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹:
  • 1 ัั‚ะฐะบะฐะฝ ะทั‘ั€ะตะฝ ะฟัˆะตะฝะธั†ั‹
  • 100 ะณ ะผะฐะบะฐ
  • 100 ะณ ัะดะตั€ ะณั€ะตั†ะบะธั… ะพั€ะตั…ะพะฒ
  • 1-3 ัั‚ะพะปะพะฒั‹ะต ะปะพะถะบะธ ะผั‘ะดะฐ
  • ัะฐั…ะฐั€ ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ

ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธ:

  1. ะ—ั‘ั€ะฝะฐ ะฟัˆะตะฝะธั†ั‹ ั€ะฐัั‚ะฐะปะบะธะฒะฐัŽั‚ ะฒ ะดะตั€ะตะฒัะฝะฝะพะน ัั‚ัƒะฟะต, ะฟะพะดะปะธะฒะฐั ะฝะตะผะฝะพะณะพ ั‚ั‘ะฟะปะพะน ะฒะพะดั‹, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะพะฑะพะปะพั‡ะบะฐ ะฟัˆะตะฝะธั†ั‹ ะพั‚ะพัˆะปะฐ. ะ—ะฐั‚ะตะผ ัะดั€ะพ ะพั‚ะดะตะปััŽั‚ ะพั‚ ัˆะตะปัƒั…ะธ, ะฟั€ะพัะตะธะฒะฐั ะธ ะฟั€ะพะผั‹ะฒะฐั. ะ”ะฐะปัŒัˆะต ะฒะฐั€ัั‚ ะพะฑั‹ั‡ะฝัƒัŽ ั€ะฐััั‹ะฟั‡ะฐั‚ัƒัŽ ะฟะพัั‚ะฝัƒัŽ ะบะฐัˆัƒ ะฝะฐ ะฒะพะดะต.
  2. ะŸะฐั€ะฐะปะปะตะปัŒะฝะพ ั€ะฐัั‚ะธั€ะฐัŽั‚ ะผะฐะบ ะดะพ ะฟะพะปัƒั‡ะตะฝะธั ะผะฐะบะพะฒะพะณะพ ะผะพะปะพั‡ะบะฐ, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะปััŽั‚ ะผั‘ะด, ะฒัั‘ ะฟะตั€ะตะผะตัˆะธะฒะฐัŽั‚ ะธ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะปััŽั‚ ะบ ะฟัˆะตะฝะธั†ะต. ะ’ ะบะพะฝั†ะต ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะปััŽั‚ัั ั‚ะพะปั‡ั‘ะฝั‹ะต ัะดั€ะฐ ะณั€ะตั†ะบะธั… ะพั€ะตั…ะพะฒ.
  3. ะŸั€ะฐะฒะดะฐ, ะตัั‚ัŒ ะตั‰ะต ะพะดะธะฝ ัะฟะพัะพะฑ ะฟั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธั ัะพั‡ะธะฒะฐ โ€” ะธะท ั€ะธัะฐ. ะ ะธั ะทะฐะปะธะฒะฐัŽั‚ ะบะธะฟัั‚ะบะพะผ ะธ ะฒะฐั€ัั‚ ั‚ั€ะธ ะผะธะฝัƒั‚ั‹ ะฝะฐ ัะธะปัŒะฝะพะผ ะพะณะฝะต, ัˆะตัั‚ัŒ โ€” ะฝะฐ ัั€ะตะดะฝะตะผ. ะ•ั‰ั‘ ะดะฒะตะฝะฐะดั†ะฐั‚ัŒ ะผะธะฝัƒั‚ ะฝัƒะถะฝะพ ะฝะต ะพั‚ะบั€ั‹ะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ะบั€ั‹ัˆะบัƒ, ะดะฐะฒะฐั ั€ะธััƒ ะฝะฐัั‚ะพัั‚ัŒัั ะฝะฐ ะฟะฐั€ัƒ.
  4. ะกะพะพั‚ะฝะพัˆะตะฝะธะต ะฒัะตั… ะบะพะผะฟะพะฝะตะฝั‚ะพะฒ ะดะปั ัะพั‡ะธะฒะฐ ัะพั…ั€ะฐะฝัะตั‚ัั. ะœะพะถะฝะพ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะฝะตะณะพ ะธะทัŽะผ, ะบัƒั€ะฐะณัƒ, ั‡ะตั€ะฝะพัะปะธะฒ ะธ ั‚.ะด.
Ingredients: (makes X servings)
  • 1 cup of wheat grains
  • 100 g poppy seeds (3.5 oz)
  • 100 grams of walnut kernels (3.5oz)
  • 1-3 tablespoons honey
  • sugar to taste

Preparation:

  1. Work the wheat in a wooden mortar, adding a little warm water to help the wheat shell separate. Once separated, sieve and wash the wheat. Then cook the wheat as usual in water.
  2. Grind the poppy seeds until they give juice. Add honey, stir, and add to the wheat. Crush the walnuts and add.
  3. Rice may also be used in place of wheat in preparing sochivo. Pour boiling water over the rice and cook, covered, for three minutes on high heat or six over medium heat. Let stand for twelve more minutes before opening the cover, letting it further steam.
  4. You may add to rice sochivo anything that would be added to wheat sochivo: raisins, dried apricots, prunes, etc.

Our Favorite Kasha Videos

Competitive kasha!ย A short video showcasing the versatility of the dish with a number of chefs competing to make the best ะบะฐัˆะฐ.

ย 

An alternative video lesson on how to make rice kutia. The spoken Russian is fairly slow and clear, and the finished dish looks delicious!

ย 

A Russian Orthodox Monk gives a short history of sochivo and his own recipe for making it.

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About the author

Jonathan Rainey

Jonathan Rainey majored in History and English at Francis Marion University in Florence, SC. While at Francis Marion, he was a member of Phi Alpha Theta, National History Honors Society and worked as a reporter for The Patriot, the university's newspaper. Jonathan will be serving as an SRAS Home and Abroad Scholar in Vladivostok for the 2015-2016 school year.

Program attended: Home and Abroad Scholar

View all posts by: Jonathan Rainey