Kasha

Kasha

Buckwheat kasha
Type Porridge
Main ingredients Cereal (buckwheat, wheat, barley, oats, millet or rye)
Cookbook: Kasha  Media: Kasha

In the English language, kasha is a term for the pseudocereal buckwheat. In Central and Eastern Europe, especially in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Poland, kasha is a dish made of any kind of grains boiled in water or milk, i.e. a porridge.

The largest gross consumption per capita is in Russia, with 15 kg (33 lb) per year, and Ukraine, with 12 kg (26 lb) per year.[1] The share of buckwheat in the total consumption of cereals in Russia is 20%.[2]

This English-language usage probably originated with Jewish immigrants, as did the form קאַשי kashi (technically plural, literally translated as "porridges").[3]

The word generally refers to roasted whole-grain buckwheat or buckwheat groats. However, in Slavic Europe, it refers to porridge in general and can be made from buckwheat or any cereal wheat, barley, oats, millet and rye. At least 1,000 years old, kasha is one of the oldest known dishes in Central European and Eastern European cuisine.[4]

In Russian, buckwheat is referred to formally as гречиха (grechikha) and buckwheat grain and buckwheat groats as гречневая крупа (grechnevaya krupa). Informally buckwheat grain and buckwheat groats are called гречка (grechka), and the porridge made from buckwheat groats is known as гречневая каша (grechnevaya kasha). In Polish, buckwheat porridge is referred to as kasza gryczana. Annual (2013) per capita consumption of groats in Poland is approx. 1.56 kg (3.4 lb) per year (130 g (4.6 oz) a month).[5] The Czech cognate kaše (Czech pronunciation: [kaʃɛ] has a wider meaning, also encompassing mashed potato (bramborová kaše), pease pudding (hrachová kaše) etc.

In Russian culture

Kasha is one of the most popular Russian national dishes, the second after shchi. Kasha is commemorated in the Russian saying, "щи да каша – пища наша" (shchi da kasha – pishcha nasha) literally "shchi and kasha are our food" or, more loosely, "cabbage soup and porridge are our kind of food".

Kasha can be used at any meal, either as a dish in itself, or a side dish. They are cooked from a great variety of grains and their derivatives. There are three main types of Russian kasha: liquid, viscous and thick. The most loved in Russia is crumbly kasha seasoned with butter. Hence the Russian saying, "you'll never spoil kasha with a lot of butter".[6] The most common additives for kasha are dairy products - milk, thick sour milk, sour cream, curd and cream.[7]

In Jewish culture

As an Ashkenazi-Jewish comfort food, kasha is often served with onions and brown gravy on top of bow tie pasta, known as Kasha varnishkes.[8] Kasha is a popular filling for knishes[9] and is sometimes included in matzah-ball soup.

See also

References

  1. ↑ No 8 [008] 26 жовтня, 2007; [www.agro-business.com.ua/.../1655-2013-06-25-11]
  2. ↑ Russian Market of Buckwheat in 2009 - September 2010
  3. ↑ Steinmetz, Sol. Dictionary of Jewish Usage: A Guide to the Use of Jewish Terms. p. 42. ISBN 0-7425-4387-0.
  4. ↑ Molokhovets, Elena (1998). Classic Russian Cooking. Indiana University Press. p. 331.
  5. ↑ Biuletyn Informacyjny ARR 4/2013, Handel Wewnętrzny 4/2013 IBRKK
  6. ↑ Nourish Your Language: Foodie Words Refashioned
  7. ↑ http://www.advantour.com/russia/cuisine/porridge.htm
  8. ↑ "Le Cordon Jew". May 22, 2008. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
  9. ↑ . Retrieved May 30, 2007.
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