Uzvar is an ancient Ukrainian drink made of mixed dried fruits. Classic combination is apples, pears and smoked prunes. But of course you can use any fruits that you like. Just avoid the fruits that were soaked in sugar syrup. Uzvar has natural subtle sweet taste and is pleasant to drink like it is. But…
gluten-free
Vegan Shuba (Eggplant under the sea)
Vegan Shuba or vegan Herring under the fur coat or Seliodka pod Shuboy – one of the Soviet symbols of the New Year. Veganized. Mostly all classic Soviet salads are made of boiled vegetables, some kind of meat or/and egg that are smothered with greasy Mayonnaise. As awful as it sounds but from time to…
Kidney beans curry (Rajma Masala)
One of my favorite ways to cook beans is to make this kidney beans curry. Serve it over rice for a filling main meal or as one of the side dishes. It is very fast to make if you already have cooked beans on hand or you can just use canned ones. I prefer to…
Perfect hummus for lazy people
I didn’t realize how imperfect was all the hummus I ate, before I tried it in Israel. I was on a tour in Jerusalem and I had about 5 minutes to grab something to eat. So I bought hummus “to go”. They put me some of the hot whole chickpea on a bottom and topped…
Vegan Borsch
Borsch is a King on Ukrainian table. Every Borsch tastes different. I’m going to share with you this family recipe of vegan Borsch. Originally it is made with meat like almost everything in Ukrainian cuisine. So for umami flavor of the stock I’m using porcini mushrooms. The closest substitute is dried shiitake. But regular button…
Chocolate black bean soup
Minty quinoa
I stumbled upon some sad-looking wilted mint in my fridge today, and you know what? It got me thinking—why not whip up a light lunch or a fancy side dish to bring it back to life? So, I decided to make this delightful, minty quinoa dish. The best part? You can totally switch up the…
Vegan plov (Rice pilaf)
Originating in ancient India, plov (or pilaf) is a traditional dish in Central Asia. It is highly popular in post-Soviet countries, especially the Uzbek-style plov. As a kid, I ate a lot of it. Although meat is a key ingredient in plov, I did veganise it without losing its authentic flavour. The recipe is pretty…
Ukrainian “Vinaigrette” salad
This traditional Ukrainian dish is highly popular during Lent before Christmas. You can make it with vinaigrette dressing to justify the name, but most family recipes just use oil. There are a few different versions of this salad. You can use green peas instead of beans and sauerkraut instead of pickles. You can roast, boil…
Red lentils and Kabocha squash in peanut sauce
I’ve been craving a lot of spicy food lately. It’s getting cold outside, and I probably need some more heat. I often make Thai and Indian curries, but I wanted something different this time. I bought Kabocha squash for a risotto a few days ago, and I will develop the recipe further. The squash’s fresh…