New Blog

Finally!  I've started a new blog, Writing Cultures, and I hope you'll join me there.

This blog is about writing and the ways it can help us understand ourselves better and learn about the world. I hope to incorporate international food and recipes into the new blog as I have with this one.

Thank you!

The End of This Blog

After I returned to the U.S. from Russia, I struggled to figure out how to continue this blog. While I wanted to continue to explore Russian food, I felt it would be difficult to commit to writing a blog about food from a country I no longer lived in.  I started a few different blogs but have had trouble keeping up with any of them.  I hope to start something new soon.

Vegetarian Food in Russia

Vegetarianism is not widely understood or popular in Russia, but I have discovered that it is not too difficult to be a vegetarian in Russia, in you are not too strict about your diet and if you use a little creativity.

Of course, it's easy to cook a vegetarian diet for yourself because the country's grocery stores offer a wide range of vegetables, fruits, and starches. Although traditional Russian cabbage and potatoes may not round out a vegetarian diet, other offerings will. Green, red, and yellow peppers are easy to find in Russia; tomatoes are popular; and mushrooms come in a surprising number of varieties.

When eating out, there are decent options for the vegetarian diner. Although sometimes finding vegetarian dishes can be difficult, for the most part, it is not too large of a challenge. Russians like their meat, but they also like dairy products quite a lot. (If you are a vegan, living in Russia would be QUITE difficult!) Pirozhki and sloyki (types of Russian pastries) and bliny (thin Russian pancakes similar to crepes) can easily be found filled will cabbage, various types of cheese, potatoes, and mushrooms. Khachapuri is a Georgian pastry filled with rich, mouth-watering cheese. Fried eggs and omlettes are relatively easy to come by, and the old stand-by of "rice with vegetables" often yields a delicious meal (after explaining for several times that you do not want meat to go with this!).

Japanese food has become remarkably popular throughout Russia, and in some cases, it seems like every fourth restaurant serves some form of it. Miso soup, cucumber and avocado rolls, vegetable fried rice, or vegetable soba or udon make for a great vegetarian meal.

If you are willing to eat a little meat broth in a pinch, soups can sometimes be a reasonable compromises. In many restaurants, soups like borsht (beet soup) can easily be served without the beef chunks they oftentimes add in later, and sometimes soups made with chicken broth are intentionally served without any meat. (If you eat fish, you are even more in luck, since Russians love fish. You will be able to find numerous fish-broth soups such as ukha and will enjoy baked fish, smoked salmon, and caviar.)

However, in Moscow and St. Petersburg, it is increasingly possible to find dedicated vegetarian restaurants! The one pictured above (Jaggarnath) is located near the center of Moscow, not far from Red Square, and features a cafe and a grocery store. Although the general theme is Indian-influenced, you can find vegetarian foods and spices from Asia and other parts of the world. Tofu, vegetarian sausages and caviar, and soy products can all be found in the store. The buffet-style cafe features delicious and relatively inexpensive vegetarian dishes that will be such a feast to your eyes you will likely have difficulty choosing what to eat! Below is a sample of a meal I recently had: bean sprout salad with tofu chunks, Asian-flavored stir-fry and an all-natural ginger drink. All for 190 rubles, about $6!

Uzbek Food in Russia

Central Asian food is remarkably easy to find and quite popular in Russia. Many fast-food stands sell Central Asian foods like somsa (meat-filled pastries) and are usually run by Central Asian immigrants. There are also sit-down restaurants serving Central Asian food, some of them run by Central Asians themselves but most run by ethnic Russians.

The most common Central Asian cuisine in Russia is Uzbek, and most Russians are familiar with Uzbek foods like somsa, manti (dumplings filled with beef or mutton), and palov (rice pilaf with carrots, onions, beef or mutton, and sometimes chickpeas, raisins, and garlic cloves).

I recently had the opportunity to eat at several sit-down restaurants featuring Uzbek cuisine. The first took me by surprise. In the picture above, you can see this restaurant's two menus: one featuring Japanese food, the other with Uzbek food. The waitresses did not seem to consider this a strange combination and simply laughed when I asked why both were served. The atmosphere of this restaurant was definitively Japanese, but the menu featured a number of Uzbek dishes I have been unable to find elsewhere. Although they did not offer pumpkin manti, they did serve xonum and tuxum barak. Xonum (below left) is a roulette of steamed dough similar to manti. My host mom in Uzbekistan used to make xonum with pumpkin for me, but here my husband enjoyed some with beef and onions inside. Tuxum barak (below right) is a traditional dish in the western Khorezm region of Uzbekistan. Ravioli are filled with raw eggs and then boiled and eaten with sour cream, kefir, or qatiq.

Other Uzbek restaurants are focused exclusively on Central Asian food (usually with some Caucasian and Russian dishes mixed in). These restaurants tend to be relatively fancy and to aim to provide an "exotic" experience. Most offer hookahs for smoking flavored tobacco, and some feature bellydancers. Nearly all are designed with elaborate interior decorations such as draping curtains, plush pillows and benchs to sit on rather than firm chairs, and traditional Uzbek-style blue or green dishes. Some even offer guests the opportunity to sit on korpucha (futon-like cushions) on the floor and eat at traditional Central Asian low tables.

Honey Wine

A great way to warm up on a chilly Russian winter day evening is to drink some hot medovukha, or honey wine. This traditional folk drink can be found in bottles at grocery stores but is also sold at outdoor holiday markets, where I recently tried some. It's sweet and slightly alcoholic flavor is appealing, while the warmth of the liquid going down your throat on a frigid day will help keep you going when you feel you have reached your limit!

Russian-Style Junk Food

It seems that every culture has its own tastes, and marketers are quick to test new flavors in different markets. For example, here in Russia, I've come across a few interesting flavors of chocolate bars and potato chips.

The picture above shows a bag of shashlyk-flavored potato chips. Shashlyk is a type of meat kabob that probably originated in the Caucasus but today is popular throughout Russia and Central Asia. These chips are flavored with the vinegary, meaty taste of shashlyk, much as American chips often come in barbeque flavor.

I have also tried a Snickers bar with hazelnuts instead of peanuts. However, the taste is a bit more gourmet but seems to lose the essence of the Snickers bar (in my American opinion!).

Bliny: Russian-Style Pancakes

Bliny are thin, Russian pancakes similar to the French crepes. Although Russian cuisine also boasts thick pancakes (called oladi) and pancakes made with vegetables (called bitochki), the thin doughy bliny are far more popular and widespread. They are eaten with a variety of fillings, from sweet to salty and rich to starchy.

At home, Russians often make piles of bliny from scratch and enjoy them simply with butter or sour cream. Honey and jam are also popular fillings. However, bliny are more than just dessert: they are often eaten as a snack or a small meal. At lunchtime, long lines usually form at food stands that make bliny to order on round grills in front of your eyes. These stands serve sweet bliny but oftentimes specialize in "mealtime" versions. Popular fillings include: red caviar (see above picture), smoked salmon (see below picture), mushrooms in sour cream, potatoes and dill, tvorog (a soft, sweet cheese), brynza (a soft, salty cheese), or ham and cheese. Thanks to my meat-eating husband, I have included a few pictures on this blog with meat in them. :)

Bliny can also be purchased frozen and then are often filled with jam, tvorog, or beef. This is a popular quick dinner or breakfast, since they can be easily reheated on the stovetop or in a microwave. Of course, bliny can also be found at expensive, five-star restaurants and at coffee shops.

Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Pie)

As a vegetarian, one of my mainstays in Russia has been khachapuri. Although khachapuri is a Georgian dish, it is extremely popular throughout Russia and can be found at both roadside food stands and in fancy restaurants.

Authentic Georgian khachapuri is a little like a pizza or the Turkish pide. Even within Georgia there is some variation, but khachapuri is typically a round of leavened bread filled like a pizza (or in some cases like a calzone, with bread on top) with a mound of mouth-watering cheese. Some Georgian versions also include melted butter and/or a raw egg. All are served hot so that the cheese is stringy and soft.

In Russia, there are even more versions of this delicacy. It seems that Russians and other ethnic groups have adopted the idea of khachapuri but modified it to fit their desires. For example, although traditional khachapuri is about the size of a plate, most khachapuri sold at roadside food stands is smaller: about the size of the somsa or pirozhki sold along side it. Oftentimes it is filled with a variety of cheeses, sometimes the slightly sweet tvorog.

At Central Asian food stands that specialize in somsa (meat-filled Central Asian pastries), khachapuri is sometimes made with unleavened, flaky dough so that it is similar to a somsa. While on a trip to Yaroslavl, I even had khachapuri with cheese and mayonnaise!

Ikra

Many people know the Russian word "ikra" as "caviar," but in fact, it is also means vegetable puree/pate. I have not been able to figure out the reason for the use of the same word to mean both things, but I'm guessing it has something to do with "ikra" being a spread of some type (?).

I like several versions of vegetable ikra very much. One is made with eggplant and the other with squash. The pictures in this post are of the squash version. The ingredients are squash, onions, carrots, tomatoes, vegetable oil, and a little cayenne pepper.

Many people make homemade ikra, and I used to love my host mom's baklazhannaya ikra (eggplant ikra) in Uzbekistan. The process of making ikra basically involves stewing a mixture of vegetables. Most people make a large batch and then can the extras for use during the wintertime, when fresh vegetables are more expensive.

Store-bought versions of ikra are also quite good, however, and usually do not contain many extra preservatives or artificial ingredients. The "Veres" version in these pictures is relatively inexpensive but good. As you can see below, it is basically a puree of vegetables with a rich flavor.

Ikra is good on bread or crackers, and I enjoy it on top of rice or pasta. I have heard that many people also use it as a sauce or type of marinade for meats. Although the picture below may not look too thrilling, the vegetable ikra itself is delicious!

Qovoqli Manti

When I lived in Uzbekistan, my host mom used to make me delicious homemade qovoqli honum (is this the correct spelling??), which is a steamed, rolled dumpling filled with pumpkin. I recently had the chance to eat at an Uzbek restaurant in Tatarstan and was excited to see that they served qovoqli manti, pumpkin-filled dumplings that are similar to honum.

These qovoqli manti were delicious and tasted very authentic, minus the chunks of beef fat I sometimes found in pumpkin manti in Uzbekistan. I am used to eating manti and honum with qatiq (a type of plain yogurt) on top. Here they were served with an herb yogurt, which was also delicious.

In addition to manti, we had Uzbek flatbread and black tea that the server poured into a teacup and back into the pot three times, as is a tradition in Uzbekistan. The food was served on traditional blue-and-while Uzbek china, and in the background there was Uzbek music playing. All of this made me miss Uzbekistan and my friends there!

Tatar Pies

While in Kazan for a week and a half, I've been exploring Tatar food again. Tatar food includes elements of Russian and Central Asian cuisine, as well as unique regional dishes.

One of my favorite aspects of Tatar food are the many pastries. I've already written about gubadiya, which is a pie filled with rice, kort (a curd cheese), and raisins. I've also written about kystybyy, which are like tortillas filled with potatoes. In addition, there are pastries filled with chicken and rice and other assorted elements.

For an American, however, one of the most exciting elements of Tatar cuisine is that there are pastries that look like American pies! The slice above is from a pie made with dried lemons, apricots, and prunes. The tartness of the lemons mixes with the sweetness of the apricots and prunes for a sharp but sweet dessert. Delicious! There are also pies made with sour cream (and sometimes cranberries) that look and even taste somewhat like cheesecake.

Bitochki

I have recently discovered "bitochki." Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a good translation for bitochki; my favorite online dictionary says they are "round rissoles" or "minced collops," which means absolutely nothing to me. My guess is that the word comes from the Russian verb "bit," which means "to beat, strike, or smash." In fact, this is what bitochki are: pancakes made of flour and some kind of smashed/grated vegetable. They are very much like potato pancakes, which most Americans are familiar with, but are often made with vegetables other than potatoes.

The plate of bitochki above are cauliflower bitochki. I have also tried broccoli and squash bitochki, which are both very good. All have a mild flavor and basically taste like a mildly flavored pancake. However, they oftentimes have a very strong scent! The first batch of broccoli bitochki I bought to take with me to a group gathering smelled so strongly of onions and garlic that I thought maybe they had gone bad! My friends assured me that they hadn't, and we all gobbled them up.

Traditionally, bitochki are eaten warm with sour cream, but I personally like them just as much cold and plain, eaten like a piece of bread! They make for a fast and filling snack when I'm on the go!

To my surprise, I have seen some things labeled "bitochki" that I did not expect, like the potato pattie below. I have seen these thicker patties, which usually are made only or primarily from potatoes rather than a mixture of the vegetable with flour, labeled both "bitochki" and "potato cutlets." They are also delicious but are much thicker and more of a pattie than a pancake. I'm not sure the way I eat them is traditional, but I enjoy them with fried vegetables like you can see in the picture below and often some sour cream on top.

Khurma

Today I want to write about a fruit that is popular in this part of the world but difficult to find in most parts of the United States. Khurma (persimmon) is easy to find and regularly eaten here in Russia, but many Americans have never tasted it.


According to Wikipedia, the English word "persimmon" comes from Powhatan, an Algonquian language related to Blackfoot, Cree, and Mohican, and means "dry fruit." Unfortunately, I do not know the origin of the Russian word "khurma," but I know that in Uzbek the word is very similar -- "xurmo."


"Dry fruit" is a good way to describe persimmon. It is a very dense, stiff fruit that looks a little like a tomato on the outside but is not at all as soft and watery as a tomato on the inside. In fact, you might say it is even dry, hense the Powhatan word. Being dry is not a common quality for fruits, so this makes the taste unusual. The consistancy is more like a potato than like most fruit, and the flavor is very sweet but in a dry way -- like dry red wine almost.


If you eat persimmon when it is too ripe or too unripe, it has a way of coating your mouth with a strange film. However, if it is eaten when perfectly ripe, it has a pleasant, rich, and deep flavor. Below is a picture of how I eat mine -- cut into slices. Dried persimmons are also fairly common worldwide, and some cultures such as Korean and Japanese make fruit punch using persimmons. Here in Russia -- as far as I can tell -- it is most popular just to eat persimmon raw like I do.

Armenian Lavash

I have found two types of "lavash" in Russia -- Georgian and Armenian. Georgian lavash is more or less like Central Asian flatbread -- relatively flat leavened bread. Armenian lavash, on the other hand, is like a giant tortilla. The picture I have here is of Armenian lavash made in a tandir (clay oven), so it has darkened spots from the high heat of the oven. Lavash not made in this way is more homogenously white and looks exactly like a tortilla (although larger)! In fact, it is made with flour, water, and salt, just like a tortilla! Versions of lavash are also eaten in Iran, Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.

Although lavash is often eaten with kebabs as a kind of wrap, I personally enjoy mine by itself with a little melted butter spread on top. They could also be used as tortillas to make Mexican food, but I haven't tried that here, since my favorite part of Mexican food is cheddar cheese and is pretty difficult to come by in Russia. The lavash dries out quite quickly, though -- faster than tortillas -- so you have to eat it fast!

Sparzha -- Asparagus

I have discovered that sparzha (asparagus) is eaten in a different way in Russian than it usually is in the U.S. Here the more popular version is white asparagus rather than green asparagus, and it is frequently put into salads in a way that makes it almost have the consistancy of meat. This, of course, is ideal for a vegetarian!

The picture on to the left is of a popular salad that sparzha is added to. The salad is often called "morkov po-koreysky" (basically, Korean carrot salad). Korean salads in general are a very interesting subject. They are very popular in Russia and in Central Asia and are usually made with a vegetable of some type (most commonly carrots or cabbage). They seem to me to be a version of kim-chi that perhaps has changed slightly outside of Korea or perhaps was made differently by the Koreans who brought it to Russia and Central Asia.

Personally, I have never succeeded in making these salads as well as the ones I've bought, so I'm not sure what the secret is, but I think they are delicious. The carrot salad is usually made with carrots, onions, and garlic mixed with vegetable oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and red pepper. If you speak Russian (and even if you don't -- there are good pictures), check out this recipe.

Recently, I have found versions of this carrot salad with sparzha added to it like the one above (the white vegetable on top of the carrots is the asparagus). The sparzha has a chewy texture and a very mild taste that is pleasant. If anyone can tell me how to make the asparagus taste like this, please let me know! I think it is just sliced lengthwise and perhaps flash-cooked in boiling water or steamed. Delicious!

Kisel

I have been sick the past couple of days, so I've taken advantage of this opportunity to eat lots of kasha and drink lots of Kalmyk tea. I've also tried a mix for Russian kisel that I bought a while ago. Kisel is a semi-thick juice that is eaten as a dessert or can be a drink if diluted with milk.

I did not make homemade kisel but instead used a mix from the grocery store that reminded me a little of Kool-Aid. The directions say to mix it with cold water in a small portion and then mix that cold water mix into hot water and boil. This is what I did to create a sort of thickened gel dessert/drink. It is sweet, smooth, and refreshing. When I was in Elista about a month ago, I also tried the more liquid version mixed with milk and enjoyed it. This is more like a berry milkshake almost.

Homemade kisel is made by mixing and heating berries, water, and sugar to create a syrup and then adding potato start to thicken the mixture. The process appears to be relatively simple (see the recipe here), but until I feel a little better, I'm going to be making mine using a packet!

Kalmyk Tea: More Detailed Information

A Kalmyk friend of one of my friends passed along a very interesting and informative article about the history and rituals associated with Kalmyk tea. I wanted to pass along the article so you could read it also.

My translation from Russian is below. I apologize that parts are not particularly smooth, but I think you will get the basic idea. I tried to make parts as colloquial as they could be in English but still retain the main ideas from the origin. (Natalia and Andrei, please correct my Russian translations from the original! Thank you again to both of you.)


Kalmyk Tea

"Kalmyks konw of a legend in which the origin of their tea is related to the religious reformer Tszonkhava (Lama Tsonkap). The legend was put into writing by the author of an article in 1980 based on information from Ovshin Ernzhen (1918-1988).

A variant of this legend is available in the anthology "Khalmg Tuuls" (published in Elista, Russia). It says that one day, Tszonkhava fell sick and appealed to a well-known healer. The healer prescribed him a certain drink that he called "divine" and recommended that Tszonkhava take it for seven days on an empty stomach. Following the advice of the healer, Tszonkhava was cured of his illness on the seventh day, which corresponded with the 25th day of the lunar calendar month Bars. Because of this event, on this day Tsvonkhava commanded all believers to light a candle to honor the Buddha, add one year to his age, and prepare his healing drink, later called "Khalmg Tse" ("Jomba") by the Kalmyks.

After this time, Kalmyks began to celebrate the holiday Zul in dedication to this event, and on this holiday the most esteemed dish became Kalmyk tea. Also in memory of the healing miracle, they began to daily carry out the tea ritual of presentation to the divine.

Another source (Khamg Tuuls, 2, Elista, 1968) says that Kalmyk tea was known long before the time when the Kalmyk's ancestors began to eat meaty food. At that time, there was a prohibition on eating food with meat.

This source reports that one Lama decided to create a vegetarian dish that would provide the same calories as meat dishes. With this goal, he recited a special prayer for 30 days. According to the legend, thanks to the prayer invocation, a miraculous culture arose to the Lama on the 30th day. This is how the Kalmyks got the tea that became their most esteemed food. From this time forward, the average day for a Kalmyk started with tea, and not a single holiday passed without it.

Special relations related to tea as a "divine drink" came to define the specific tea ritual of the Kalmyks. Many customs exist related to ceremonial preparation and presentation of Kalmyk tea. We have settled on a few that are presented below.

It is considered a good sign when a person has the luck to find someone at morning tea. In this situation, the hosts of the home say, "Sen kuune amn tosta" ("A good perosn always finds nourishing food") and invite the visitor to take part in the morning tea-drinking. As a rule, Kalmyks never refuse this kind of invitation because a successful solution to the start of work begins with morning tea, which is confirmed in the proverb: "Orun tse uupad iarkhla, kerg kutskh" ("If you drink tea from the morning, work is fulfilled").

Offering unfresh tea, even in the most constraining circumstances, is considered extremely improper. This is why the preparation of tea is performed in the presence of a guest. If in the process of tea preparation, the hostess commits a blunder, this is interpreted by the guest as disrespect to him.

What kind of rules should the hostess follow when preparing and presenting Kalmyk tea?

1. First, it is forbidden to prepare tea with simple boiling water; tea leaves should be added to it. Plain boiled water is used only in exceptional circumstances such as a time of sickness, extreme poverty, etc. Anticipating the possibility of this, people will boil water and add one of the ingredients of traditional tea (salt, tea leaves, drops of milk).

2. All movements during the tea preparation and ritual of tea presentation are done from the left to the right, like the path of the sun. In the foundation of this rule, one can see remnants of the sun cult, which had enormous significance for Kalmyks. It is thought that carrying out circular motions, people hope that life and all good intiatives will irreversibly move forward in agreement with the laws of the dialectic.

3. After the tea is well brewed, it is salted, milk is added to taste and so is nutmet, which has been ground with butter. Then the tea is carefully mixed with a ladle.

4. The first serving of prepared tea is presented to the Buddha. The tea is poured into a sacrificial teacup, which should be permanently located on an altar. After a certain period of time has passed, this tea is given to children, especially to boys.

5. It is known that Kalmyks traditionally worshipped the sun, moon, and earth. For this reason, they regularly performed ceremonies of sacrifice to the heavenly bodies and the earth and related in a special way to forms that were reminiscent of the objects of the cult. For example, for Kalmyks it was forbidden to pass through the threshold of a caravan wagon with a round frame or to carry into the home a cup with broken edges. Dishes intended for guests should correspond to the canon of traditional etiquette. A Kalmyk proverb says: "Give the best food to a guest." The quality of the serving dish should match the quality of the food. A guest could entirely refuse tea if it is served in a cup with broken edges or if while presenting it, the index finger dips into the cup of tea.

6. The person presenting tea should carry the cup with both hands level with his chest, so as to specially demonstrate his respect and heartfelt affection to the guest. In the past, the presentation ritual was carried out in a kneeling posture, since the Kalmyk's ancestors drank tea sitting on the ground or at a low table.

7. During the presentation of tea, the hierarchy of those presentation is strictly observed: tea is served first to the eldest, whether or not he is a guest, relative, or someone else. If the addressee is a member of the clergy or an important government official, then the presentation ritual is carried out by the host of the home.

8. The receiving presentation should take the cup in both hands, perform the ritual of aspersion (tsatsl tsatskh) with the ring finger of the right hand, and pass on wishful thinking, in which good wishes are addressed to the drink itself, the person, the tea being served, and to his family. The speaker, as a rule, also mentions himself.

9. Having drunk the tea, Kalmyks return the empty dish to the host. It is forbidden to turn an empty cup upside down. This is akin to a curse.

The tea ceremony is only one of many ceremonies and rituals of the Kalmyks. However, in it reverberates the Kalmyk national character, their religious devotion, their enviable continuity, and their allegiance to the traditions and practices of their ancestors."

Tatar Dairy Products

As you can tell, I'm a big fan of dairy products of all types. In Tatarstan, I've tried a few dairy products than are different from the products in other parts of Russia. One is Katyk (pictures above), and the other is kort (below).

I first became familiar with katyk in Uzbekistan, where it is called qatiq. I thought that qatiq was simply the Uzbek word for kefir, but now I have learned that the two products are actually different. In Tatarstan, kefir and katyk are sold side-by-side but are not the same. Kefir has a much more bitter, sharp flavor, while katyk is milder and is basically like plain yogurt. Like kefir, however, it is usually drunk rather than eaten with a spoon.

I have been unable to figure out exactly the difference in how kefir and katyk are made and why they taste different. If anyone has the answer, please let me know! I think that katyk is simply a less sharp version of kefir more like yogurt.

Another interesting Tatar dairy product is kort, which I also heard of in Central Asia but do not remember having tried. Kort is similar to tvorog and but is cooked. It is a curd cheese that is drier than tvorog and a little less sweet. One explanation I have found for how kort is made is that a starter culture is added to milk as it is boiled down to form kort, which is darker in color than tvorog, probably because it has been cooked. It's flavor is very mild, and it is traditionally mixed with butter, baked with honey, and eaten with tea. As I explained in an earlier post, it is also baked into pastries like gudabiya.

Chak-Chak

A traditional Tatar dessert that is also popular in other parts of Russia and in nearby countries is Chak-Chak. In some ways, I can liken it to a giant rice-krispie treat. The dessert is made with a dough of flour, sugar, milk, and eggs that is cut into small pieces and then fried. Next the pieces are coated with a honey/sugar mixture and formed into a shape. Here in Tatarstan, you can find different shapes of chak-chak sold as gifts and party desserts. Usually they come in the form of large pyramids wrapped in festive paper with bows.

The picture below shows a less festive square-shaped mass of chak-chak. Although it may appear that you could eat the pieces of chak-chak individually, in fact, they are all bound together by the honey/sugar mixture, much as the rice krispies in a rice-krispie treat are bound together with marshmellow. To eat chak-chak, you need to pull off a piece or cut it with a knife. The flavor is pleasantly sugary and doughy without being sickeningly sweet.

For a recipe, see this link.

Gubadiya: More Tatar Cuisine

Yesterday I said that had not been able to find Gubadiya anywhere, but today I ran across it at a local grocery store here in Tatarstan. It is a small pie -- a little larger than your hand -- that has melted "kort" on the top of it. Kort is a traditional Tatar dairy product made from tvorog and milk that is similar to sweet cottage cheese.

Not having had gubadiya before or knowing what to expect, I thought that perhaps it would be filled entirely with kort, like a Tatar version of a Russian pirizhok. However, when I bit into it, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was not the case. As you can see below, it was filled with a layer of kort at the bottom with a mixture of rice and raisons on top. According to one recipe I have seen, it also sometimes contains dried apricots, but this version had only raisins, rice, and kort. It was a delicious combination of sweet and salty flavors and makes for a filling and nutritious snack or small meal.