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Kulish
Kulish (куліш): Zaporizhian Cossack millet porridge-soup with potato, onion and salo
The Zaporizhian Cossacks of the Dnipro steppe cooked kulish in a black kettle over a campfire, and it is still the dish of fishing trips, summer camps and folk festivals on the island of Khortytsia. Millet, potato and onion simmer together into something halfway between a thick soup and a loose porridge, then a sizzling spoonful of fried salo, the salted pork fatback, goes in for smoky, savoury depth. It is humble, golden and comforting, best eaten hot with rye bread and a raw onion or pickle. The most common mistake is skipping the hot rinse of the millet, which leaves the porridge bitter. Kulish thickens as it stands, so loosen leftovers with a splash of water. Chef's tip: fry the salo slowly until the cubes are crisp, then fry the onion in the rendered fat; that fat carries all the flavour through the pot.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the kulish
- 7 oz hulled millet
- 7 ½ cups water
- 3 potatoespeeled and diced
- 5 ½ oz salted pork fatback (salo) or smoked streaky baconcut into small cubes
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 1 carrotgrated
- 2 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 tsp saltto taste
- ½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
To serve
- 3 tbsp fresh dill (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rinse the 7 oz hulled millet in a sieve under cold water, then pour a kettle of boiling water over it twice, until the water runs clear.
3 minStep 2: Bring the 7 ½ cups water to the boil in a large pot with the 2 bay leaves. Add the millet and simmer over a medium heat for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Add the 3 potatoes and simmer 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the potato is tender and the millet has burst open.
15 minStep 4: Meanwhile fry the 5 ½ oz salted pork fatback (salo) or smoked streaky bacon in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat for 8 minutes, until the fat has rendered and the cubes are crisp and golden.
8 minStep 5: Add the 2 onions and 1 carrot to the fat and fry for 7 minutes, until soft and golden. Stir in the 2 garlic cloves for 1 minute.
8 minStep 6: Tip the salo and vegetables, with all the fat, into the pot. Season with the 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and simmer for 5 minutes more, until thick but still spoonable.
5 minStep 7: Remove the bay leaves, rest 5 minutes off the heat and serve in bowls with plenty of 3 tbsp fresh dill.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kulish take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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