Russian cuisine and its nutritional value

| When thinking about Russian cuisine, caviar, vodka, and Russian salad may come to mind, but Russian cuisine offers much more than that.

It is true that the caviar and vodka They are products that enjoy a lot of fame, but in reality there are many other foods of great quality and more nutritional interest that are typical of the russian cuisine.

We are talking about the gastronomy of the country with the largest geographical extension in the world, it is part of both European and Asian continents, and that undoubtedly conditions the multiculturalism and the great richness and diversity of its elaborations. Thus, the different cultural influences, the cold climate and the peasant life of most of its geographical extension are going to be the main determining factors of the cuisine of this great country.

Food of Russian cuisine and its nutritional contribution

Russian cuisine abounds with cereals used in a wide variety of breads, porridges or preparations such as Blinis (rye, wheat, barley and millet). They are also consumed vegetables Typical of cold climates, these vegetables are eaten cooked, steamed, baked or fermented, but they are always made separately, as for example in the cabbage soup called Schi (cabbages, nettles, turnips and radishes). Other typical foods of Russian food are fish (usually smoked), poultry, mushrooms, berries, honey and spices due to the oriental influence.

Russian cuisine is very varied, that is why it has a very complete and interesting nutritional contribution:

• Fiber: varied use of whole grains and seeds that represent a contribution to the diet, as well as vegetables from cold climates, such as cabbages, and bulbs.
• Carbohydrates: also slow absorbing, like potatoes, such as radishes or turnips.
• Protein: thanks to fish, meat, milk and other dairy products.
• Vitamin C: through the use of berries

In summary, there are many good options within this type of gastronomy. Why not try them?

Typical dishes of Russia

Borsh Soup A very typical dish of Russian food is Borsch soup. It is a vegetable soup, which generally includes beet roots, and this is what gives it a characteristic deep red color. It can serve hot or cold, is served and prepared differently depending on it. In its preparation you can also include different vegetables such as beans, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, or mushrooms and it is accompanied by potatoes and even meats (chicken, pork or beef).

Pelmeni The Pelmeni They are a kind of stuffed pasta similar to tortelinis or ravioli. In this case, the filling is made by pork, lamb and beef balls. The dough is made with flour, eggs, water, and sometimes milk as well. The most variable in this recipe are the spices that are used, generally pepper, onions, and garlic, they are mixed when making the filling.

Blini We could say that Blini They are a kind of pancake or crepe, as it is made from flour, eggs, milk and yeast. They can be eaten cooked in the oven or fried and you can add filling or not. They can be eaten salty when we fill them with meat, fish, ham, caviar, etc. Or also in its sweet version if we take them with sweet things like honey, fruits, jams, condensed milk or Smetana, a kind of sour milk cream that is obtained by fermentation.

Olivie salad This is what we know by the name of Russian salad, but actually in Russia it is called OlivieAs it takes the name of the chef of the Hermitage restaurant in Moscow where the recipe was devised, according to the story. This salad is made with a variety of foods cut into small cubes and dressed with mayonnaise. Contains potatoes, carrots, chicken, peas, cucumbers, and eggs. And, sometimes, it is accompanied by mandarins and other typical winter fruits and its use is closely linked to the festivities.

Berries In Russia, different types of berries grow wild and their consumption is very common, especially in more rural areas. There are the Klukva, cranberry or northern berry, which are quite acidic; the Bursnika that, although they can be eaten directly naturally, their somewhat sour taste means that they are used to prepare sweets, jellies, jams, etc. There are also different types of genus: Smorodina, the Ribes or red and black currants. The currants are also used to prepare jams, fillings for cakes and pastries, juices ...

Shashlik This preparation is a marinated meat skewer. There are different marinade options, one of them is with tomatoes, onions, pepper and salt, and vinegar, kefir or beer are also used. Once we have the marinated meat, it is punctured on the skewer and roasted.

Okroshka Although it seems paradoxical in a cold country, the Okroshka is a cold soup very popular, which of course is usually only prepared in summer. Its name comes from the word "kroshit" which means to chop or cut into pieces, because to make it they are minced into different small cubes vegetables like radishes, pickles or onions and also cooked potatoes, boiled egg and ham. The kvass drink, a fermented drink that is made with rye flour, malt, rye bread and apples, and other fruits are also used during its preparation. Anyway, there is the option of preparing this soup with and citric acid. Generally, a tablespoon of Smetana is served on the surface of this soup.

• The multiculturalism due to the great extension of the country, the extremely cold climate and the peasant life of a large part of the Russian population are the characteristics that have most influenced the development of its gastronomy.
• Cereals such as rye and preparations based on these are consumed, vegetables such as cabbages and turnips, smoked fish, poultry, berries, mushrooms, honey, spices, etc.
• Some of the most characteristic dishes of Russian cuisine are Borsh soup, Pelmeni, Olivie salad, which we know here as Russian salad, or Blini.

Bachelor of Food Science and Technology Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics