Get to know… Russian food
In our World In Your Kitchen series, food writer Alissa Timoshkina shares her love of the food of her homeland
Dill is the quintessential Russian herb.
If you want to make any food that you’re cooking taste a bit more Russian, then just sprinkle some dill on top. It smells of fresh-cut grass and has a real herbaceous greenness to it; it’s a little bit bitter but it also has a sweetness to it. Immediately, it makes everything feel so light and fresh.
We tend to shy away from dill in the UK, but in Russia it’s used for so many different dishes and so many different occasions. It’s great with fish, of course, but my favourite way to use it is to blend it with butter and garlic to dress your steak or boiled new potatoes. Or you can sprinkle it on top of stews or chop it into salads. It brings such a beautiful vibrancy and freshness to any dish.
A typical authentic Russian dish is a hearty soup called schi.
It changes with the seasons and is so versatile. The main ingredient is sauerkraut – fermented cabbage – but you can also add lots of wild mushrooms and potatoes, or you can make a meat broth or a vegetarian broth. Essentially it only has three or four key ingredients but it has a really complex tang. You can make a big batch and because of the sauerkraut, it stays fresh for a really long time so it will keep in your fridge for almost a week, and the flavour keeps developing. It’s such a perfect way to feed the family for a week.
Russians love the idea of feasting
– almost like a meze, you bring lots of dishes out at the same time. It’s super-simple food, but it’s just about that sense of abundance at the table.
We love toasting! I know there’s a bit of a cliché that Russians like drinking, but it’s not just the mindless kind of drinking: it really has a tradition of toasting. It’s a lovely tradition that makes you reflect a little and be in the moment, and be grateful for the food that you’re having.
Siberian pelmeni dumplings (above) are another national staple
that every household makes in big batches because it’s fun to do together. It might look more complicated, but once you have your production line, it’s actually very easy and also one of the most therapeutic things to make.
Alissa is a chef and food writer. Her latest book is Salt & Time. Find her video interview on bbcgoodfood. com/the-worldin-your-kitchen and her recipe for pelmeni (Siberian dumplings) at bbcgoodfood. com/pelmenidumplings. @ alissatimoshkina