It is impossible to imagine national cuisine without dessert! And kulaga has long been such a tasty treat for the Belarusians. What kind of dish, recipe, and cooking subtleties are in VETLIVA today’s material.
Kulaga recipe history: it all starts with viburnum
To begin with, the recipe for kulaga from viburnum appeared a long time ago. Our ancestors prepared rye porridge from this sour berry, which was both every day and a festive dish, and was also considered a remedy. And this is not surprising: the process of kulaga cooking endowed it with a healing effect, thanks to which our ancestors were treated for colds and diseases of the nervous system.
An interesting fact from VETLIVA: the national dessert of the Eastern Slavs has always existed in two variations. One was called a real kulaga with viburnum, and the second — berry kulaga in Belarusian. Many restaurants in Minsk with national Belarusian cuisine offer to try what they taste like.
Kulaga was considered the favorite flour dish of Belarusians. In consistency, it resembled a dense porridge, that could be cut with a knife, or machanka (thick sauce which is perfect for both salty and sweet dishes). Despite the sweet and sour taste, it was served with boiled potatoes or bread was dipped in it.
Why kulaga is useful
The traditional recipe for making kulaga is based on malt fermentation, which is why it is also called malt. Sugar and honey are not added to a classic dish: everything it consists of is viburnum berries, rye malt, rye flour, and water. The kulaga became sweet only thanks to the natural berry, and not due to additives.
Thus, real kulaga is prepared by the method of restrained fermentation without access to air. During the preparation process, the dish acquires exceptional medicinal properties. The kulaga includes:
● special enzymes rich in B vitamins (Br, BB, B12 and Bi5f);
● tocopherols useful for the body,
● active vitamins C and P, which viburnum contains.
An interesting fact from VETLIVA: the healing effect was not so much in the composition of the dish but in the intricacies of its preparation. For example, the Belarusian kulaga recipe does not differ much from the Old Russian kulaga recipe. However, the absence of malt in its composition and, accordingly, the preparation of the dish without the fermentation process deprived it of almost all medicinal properties.
Kulaga: recipe for cooking
The recipe for kulaga made from rye flour and malt is simple, but takes a lot of time to prepare:
- Take the malt, dilute it with boiling water and leave it for an hour.
- Then add twice the amount of rye flour to it and ferment with a bread crust.
- When the dough turns sour, it is necessary to add viburnum berries to it, and then transfer it to a container with sealed edges: fermentation of the kulaga should take place without access to air.
Lifehack from VETLIVA: if you don’t have a sealed container, you can just take a piece of dough and cover the edges of the container with it. Please note that the kulaga should languish for 8–10 hours. That is why the Russian stove is best suited for its preparation, although now it can easily be replaced by a multicooker or oven.
The recipe for making Belarusian kulaga is much simpler:
- Take 100g of rye flour and dilute with warm water.
- A glass of berries (traditionally used viburnum, raspberries, currants, lingonberries, or assorted berries, there are even variations of the recipe for making kulaga from apples and other fruits) pour a glass of water and bring to a boil.
- Pour flour diluted in water in a thin stream, add sugar or honey to taste.
- Cook the kulaga over low heat until the consistency of jelly.
The finished dish is served with pancakes or white bread, and it is customary to wash it down with milk.
Do you like the recipes? Share photos of the finished kulaga with us when you cook it. And visit our Blog to know even more about Belarusian traditions!
