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Siemieniotka
Hemp seed and buckwheat soup
Siemieniotka: Silesian Christmas Eve soup of ground hemp seed with buckwheat
Hardly anyone outside Silesia has tasted it, but in villages around Racibórz and Opole siemieniotka is still the first dish on the Wigilia table, ladled out before the carp and the poppy-seed sweets. Hemp seeds are simmered, crushed and strained with onion into a pale, creamy, gently nutty soup, then poured over a spoon of buckwheat groats in each bowl. Use only food-grade hemp seeds from a health food shop. Where most people go wrong is skipping the straining, which leaves the soup gritty with shell. Chef's tip: toast the seeds in a dry pan for a minute before simmering to deepen the nutty flavour.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the soup
- 9 oz whole hemp seedsfood grade
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 2 onionschopped
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
To serve
- 5 ½ oz roasted buckwheat groats
- 1 ¼ cups waterfor the buckwheat
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rinse 9 oz whole hemp seeds in a sieve. Toast in a dry pan over a medium heat for 1–2 minutes, until they crackle and smell nutty.
3 minStep 2: Put the seeds in a pan with 6 ¼ cups water, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 40 minutes, until the shells start to split.
40 minStep 3: Meanwhile fry 2 onions in 2 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium heat for 8 minutes until soft and golden.
8 minStep 4: Simmer 5 ½ oz roasted buckwheat groats in 1 ¼ cups water with a pinch of the ¼ tsp salt, covered, for 12–15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender.
15 minStep 5: Add the onions to the hemp pan, then blend everything until as smooth as possible. Pour through a fine sieve, pressing hard, and discard the husks.
8 minStep 6: Return the strained soup to the pan, season with the rest of the ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and 1 tsp dried marjoram and simmer for 5 minutes, until it looks creamy and coats a spoon.
5 minStep 7: Spoon buckwheat into each bowl and ladle the hot soup over.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does siemieniotka take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 70 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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