Kisiel (Sweet berry soup)

                                                                                                             Receta en Español

Kisiel or Kissel is a dessert typical in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania or Poland.

It is made with berries like strawberries, blackberries or blueberries. You should accompany it with smetana (sour cream) that provides freshness and makes the dessert less sweet.
This recipe comes from Belarus.

Ingredients:

-  1 kg strawberries.
-  500 grams sugar.
-  2 l water.
-  4 tablespoon potato flour or cornstarch.

Method:

1- Cut strawberries in half, put them in a food processor to crush.

 2- Put some sugar in a casserole, add two liters of water. Heat at low heat until all the sugar is dissolved. This way you get syrup.

3- Strain crushed strawberries through a siever.

4- To thicken the Kisiel use some potato flour, in case you don't find it , you can use cornstarch.
Put some water in a cup , add the potato flour and stir well until flour is dissolved.

5- Put crushed strawberries on a low heat , add syrup step by step.
Add the flour you have dissolved at step 4. Keep on stirring.

6- Cook until you see some bubbles on the surface, then let it get cold.
You can serve it cold or hot. It is better when you accompany it by smetana, you can buy it 24% fat or do it yourself following this recipe: sour cream.

My comments to the recipe
This is a healthy recipe, it is better to eat it accompanied by sour cream, it provides softness and freshness.



 Where to buy the ingredients

smetana and potato flour can be bought at 'Extra' ,a shop specialized in russian products. The shop is located at Rafael Riego street 10  in Madrid.

The owners answer clearly every doubt , besides, the prices of the products are not expensive.

Belarus

Bierascie roast chicken

                                                                                                           Receta en Español

The recipe I bring today is the way they cook chicken at Bierascie, a city from Belarus very near the polish border, the city is a stop of the railway line from Berlin-Warsaw-Moscow.

The result of this recipe is original and tasty.

Ingredients:

-  400 grams of chicken.
-  4 potatoes.
-  1 onion.
-  2 tablespoon raisins.
-  1 tablespoon chopped nuts.

For the sauce:

-  1 cup sour cream.
-  1 tablespoon butter.
-  1 tablespoon flour.
-  2 tablespoon tomato sauce.

Method:

1- Cut chicken in little pieces (30-35 grams of weight), sprinkle some salt over both sides of chicken.

Pour some oil in a frying pan , fry chicken.
Set aside.

2- Cut onion in little pieces sauté it. Set aside.

3- Peel and cut into cubes,salt and fry in some oil.
Place potatoes in a ovenproof dish.

4- Add onion over the potatoes.

5- Place chicken over the potatoes and onion.
6- Add some raisins.

7- Now make the sauce.
You will need sour cream at least 20% fat, you can buy it or you can make it by your own: sour cream.

8- Heat butter in a casserole, add some flour , stir with a wooden spoon.
After stirring for some time add tomato sauce, after cooking for a few minutes add sour cream, cook for 3 more minutes at medium heat , keep on stirring.
Let the sauce cool.

9- Once the sauce is cold , pour it over the chicken. Sprinkle some nuts.

10- Preheat oven at 200 ºC. Cook chicken in oven at the same temperature for 20 minutes.

My comments to the Recipe

The sauce , raisins and nuts provide a taste and juiciness to the dish.
This style of cooking a meat reminds me to the recipe I cooked for Albania: Tava elbasani (lamb with yogurt)



 Where to buy the ingredients

Sour cream can be bought at 'Extra' ,a shop specialized in russian products. The shop is located at Rafael Riego street 10  in Madrid.

The owners answer clearly every doubt , besides, the prices of the products are not expensive.

Belarus