Each region in Russia has its own specialties. Somewhere they serve dried ferns or offer to taste salted tea with butter, and in some places surprise guests with frozen milk foam.
We tell you what you should definitely try when traveling around the country. And where is the best place to do it to get a truly unforgettable experience.
Kazan
Beshbarmak
Echpochmak, beshbarmak, tokmach, kystyby, tutyrma, kyzdyrma… Almost every national dish of Tatarstan, in addition to its original sound, has its own meaning, closely related to the history of the region. And it will be interesting for an inquisitive traveler to understand these mysteries.
What to try
Kystybyi
Unleavened fried flatbread with various fillings: porridge, stew, mashed potatoes or other products. Only the dough recipe has not changed – for several centuries in a row. And due to the fact that dark spots appear during the roasting process, in some regions of Tatarstan these flatbreads are called “kuzikmak” – bread with eyes.
Beshbarmak
Boiled meat with potatoes and noodles in the form of large rectangles. Its name translated into Russian means “five fingers”. The thing is that previously it was customary to eat the dish with your hands directly from a common cauldron (nomads rarely carried cutlery with them). Hence the name. They say it really tastes better.
Tutyrma
Juicy homemade sausage made from lamb or veal, to which rice or buckwheat is most often added. Served hot with a side dish. Translated, the name means “to fill”, “to fill”.
Kyzdyrma
Roast food eaten cold. It is prepared from horse meat or beef, less often from lamb and goose. The meat is cut into small pieces, seasonings are added and allowed to brew for several hours in the cold.
Where is
“Chiram”
There is a pleasant atmosphere here, a panoramic view of Kazanka, the chefs cook using ancient technologies, and tea is served in a huge samovar.
“Tugan Avylym”
Made in the style of a Tatar village house. In addition to the unusual atmosphere and traditional architecture, there is a monument to the triangle, with which tourists love to take pictures, and even a bathhouse!
Ulan-Ude
Buuzy
The peculiarity of Buryat cuisine is its simplicity and calorie content. The nomadic life of local peoples would be impossible without adequate food – fatty and satisfying. Of course, Russian cuisine has now been thoroughly integrated into the local menu, but you can also find original national dishes.
What to try
Buuzy
Minced meat wrapped in dough, prepared according to a special recipe from horse meat, beef or lamb with onions and fat. Not so long ago, vegetable buuzas for vegetarians appeared. This is the most important specialty of local cuisine, almost a national treasure. Local poets even dedicate poems to buuz!
Salamat
The pearl of Buryat cuisine is flour porridge, or fried sour cream with flour.
To prepare the dish, bring the sour cream to a boil, then gradually add flour and, stirring constantly, wait for the oil to separate. After this, the salamat is ready for use. It can be served hot or cold, as a main meal or as an addition to something already ordered. It is advisable to drink it with hot meat broth.
They say that the recipe has been known since the times of Genghis Khan himself! And the taste is so unusual that it cannot be compared with anything.
Oreomog
A national dish made from the entrails of a sheep, braided. To prepare it yourself, the recipe is not so easy to find; to get it, you will have to go to visit those who pass it on from generation to generation. It’s better to just order Oreomog at a local restaurant.
Arbin
Frozen horse fat with liver, cut into thin shavings. Served in nitrogen on a bed of ice with seasonings.
Urme
Traditional dessert – frozen or dried milk foam. It even sounds interesting. And also without sugar! It is customary to wash it down with salty tea and butter.
Where is
“Tengis”
One of the best restaurants in Ulan-Ude. Ancient recipes, a unique menu, a colorful interior and paintings by famous Buryat artists!
Ethnic restaurant “Orda”
People come here to get acquainted with the culture of nomadic peoples, taste authentic traditional cuisine prepared from environmentally friendly products and be transported back to the distant past for several hours.
Tyumen
Boar meat
The best place to start getting acquainted with northern cuisine is in this city. Here they remember and honor Siberian traditions and are ready to surprise discerning travelers with their diversity. Chefs use ancient recipes, adapting them for the general public.
What to try
Kevratem kul
Pike or perch fish soup. It is served as follows: the boiled fish is placed in a special plate and placed hot on the table. And the broth is brought in a separate mug.
Chimen nian
Yeast flatbread, fried on both sides in a greased frying pan.
Meat of wild animals
Today game can be tasted in virtually any region of Russia, but most associate such meat with Siberia. Stewed bear meat with potatoes and roast bear are especially popular in this region.
You should definitely try the meat of deer, quail, elk or wild boar.
Where is
“Chum”
Tyumen’s business card. A real shaman attended the opening of the establishment, so now one of the corners of the restaurant is considered magical!
“Capital of Villages”
Grotesque restaurant. For lovers of eclecticism and vivid impressions. Traditional dishes and modern unexpected recipes.
Izhevsk
Perepechi
Udmurt cuisine was formed in close connection with the traditional activities of the indigenous population. Residents plowed, gardened and raised domestic animals. Special attention was given to grain crops, so baking still occupies a special place on the table.
What to try
Perepechi
Like the Buryat buuz, this dish is the calling card of the region. Sometimes they are called cheesecakes because of their shape, but rye pies with meat or vegetable filling, filled with a mixture of eggs and milk, according to the recipe, do not resemble them at all.
Tabani
Sour and baked flatbread is a very popular local treat. It is served with zyret – a sauce made from milk and eggs – or sour cream. It looks like a regular pancake, only a little plumper.
Pelnyan
Translated from Udmurt it means “ear of bread”. But in fact – a specially prepared dumpling. To make the filling more juicy, leave the dumplings slightly open on one side.
Musen kubistaen shukasa
Sounds intriguing. This is a cold stew with cabbage and boiled liver. It is made on the basis of kvass and is a bit reminiscent of the familiar okroshka.
Virtyrem
Local residents have long been in favor of reasonable consumption and treated food sparingly – they tried to use the entire carcass of the animal, leaving a minimum of waste. This is how the blood sausage virtyrem appeared, which is prepared from fresh beef blood, lard, barley and garlic.
After meals, it is recommended to drink tea —a strong herbal drink.
Where is
“Tyr Korka” (Nourishing House)
Acquaintance with traditions, national Udmurt dishes, aromatic herbal tea and a beautiful view of the river.
“Ludorvai”
In the cafe located on the territory of the museum-reserve, you have the opportunity to plunge into the life of the Udmurt people and try dishes straight from the oven.
