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Sour cereal soup is a Slavic traditional soup made with various types ofcereals such asrye,wheat andoats, which arefermented to create asourdough-like soup base and stirred into a pot of stock which may or may not containmeat such as boiledsausage andbacon, along with other ingredients such as hard-boiled eggs,potatoes and dried mushrooms.
The most notable,żur (also calledżurek, zalewajka,keselica orbarszcz biały[1]), is considered a part of the national cuisine ofPoland.[2] Made with soured rye flour (sourdough starter), sometimes also with soured oatmeal, bread or wheat, it has a characteristic slightly sour, thick and tangy taste, and is served hot.
Sour cereal soup can be also found inLithuanian,Ukrainian orBelarusian cuisine (asžur,kiselycia orkisialica), a reminiscence of all these countries current territory being once inCommonwealth of Two Nations.[3] Though it is also prepared in the mountainous regions ofBohemia in theCzech Republic, where it is known askyselo.
 Żur in abread bowl | |
| Alternative names | Żurek |
|---|---|
| Course | Soup,Entree |
| Place of origin | Poland |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Souredryeflour oroats; potatoes, hard-boiled eggs; in some variations: meat (sausage,bacon,pork ribs, etc.) |
| Variations | Kisełycia |
| Course | Soup,Entree |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Poland |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Souredwheatflour; meat (sausage,bacon,pork ribs, etc.) |
Żur (Polish:żur,diminutive:żurek) is a soup made ofsoured rye flour (akin to sourdough) and meat (usually boiled porksausage or pieces of smoked sausage,bacon orpork ribs).[4]
The recipe varies regionally. In Poland it is sometimes served in an edible bowl made of bread or with boiled potatoes. InSilesia, a type of sour rye soup known asżur śląski is served in a bowl, poured over mashed potatoes. In thePodlasie region and also elsewhere in Poland, it is common to eatżurek with halved hard-boiled eggs. InPolish Subcarpathia, there is a traditional variety made of fermented oatmeal (Polish:żur owsiany orkisełycia). In Polandżurek is traditionally eaten atEaster, but is also popular during other parts of the year. It is sometimes flavored with bits of sausage, usually eaten with bread or buns.[5]
Another similar soup, sometimes identified as identical with żur – but usually differentiated by its preparation with souredwheat flour rather than rye, is known asbarszcz biały (lit. 'whitebarszcz'). According to some regional traditions, żur is the lenten variation containing no meat and served with additions such as hard-boiled eggs and boiled potatoes, while barszcz biały is a variant with meat such as sausage and bacon.
The following ingredients may be used:
In Belarus,žur (Belarusian:жур) orkisjalica (Belarusian:кісяліца) is a soup made of fermented oatmeal or rye.Žur may also denote a thicker porridge, a type ofkissel made of fermented oatmeal, which is known since the times ofKievan Rus'.[9][10]
 | |
| Alternative names | Krkonošské kyselo, Kübelsauer |
|---|---|
| Course | Soup,Entrée,Main course |
| Place of origin | Czech Republic |
| Region or state | Giant Mountains |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Sourdough,mushrooms,caraway |
| 250[11] (depends on ingredients) | |
Kyselo (Czech:kyselo, krkonošské kyselo;German:Kübelsauer[12]) is a soup based onryesourdough andmushrooms.[13] It is a traditionalCzech cuisine from poor folk food originating in the NorthernBohemia highland region of theGiant Mountains.[12] It is very substantial and it contains an abundance ofproteins,B vitamins,dietary fiber and other importantnutrients.[11]
Kyselo has been a traditional daily food of poor people in the Giant Mountain region for centuries, primarily in the winter.[12][14] It is made from locally accessible, cheap, storable ingredients (the mushrooms are usually used dried) and nutritious ingredients so it provides substantial energy for hard mountain life and work.[15] Historically kyselo was made without eggs. Eggs in early times were produced mainly for sale on the market, not for one's own family, so eggs were only eaten on some holidays.[16] Potatoes became widespread among poor people ofCzech lands in the late 18th century, so before that time soups of this type were also made without potatoes.[16]
Usage of sourdough indicates that kyselo has ancient origins, probably inmedieval (andprehistoric)fermented cerealporridges.[13][16] The Giant Mountain region is on the Czech–Polish border, and kyselo is a close relative of the Polish sour rye soup.[17][18]
The wordkyselo isderived from the Slavic word ( Polish, Słowak, Czech) „kisić” „to make sour”,kyselý, which means 'sour' inCzech. The sourdough which kyselo is made from is called "chlebový kvásek" or "chlebový kvas" (not to be confused with the Russiankvass).
Sometimes another sour mushroom-based Czech soupkulajda or its variants are mistakenly calledkyselo.[19] The difference is thatkulajda and similar soups do not use sourdough butsour cream or milk and vinegar. To reduce this misunderstanding, kyselo is often calledKrkonošské kyselo ("Giant Mountain Kyselo").
In Eastern regions of the Czech Republic and inSlovakia there is a soup calledkyselica, but it is a variation ofsauerkraut soup.
The basis of kyselo is strongbroth made from mushrooms andcaraway in water. Central Europeanmushroom species such ascep and similar ones are used. The mushrooms are usually used dried in the winter.[15] The broth isthickened by sourdough which should ideally be made fromrye flour. Families in the Giant Mountains would brew their sourdough base in cookware called "kyselák" or "kvasák".[13] The thickened broth is supplemented by onionsautéed in butter,boiled and thenroasted potatoes andscrambled eggs and seasoned with salt andvinegar.[12][13][15][17][20][21][22] Due to its ancient origins, kyselo has no fixed recipe, and the preparation is a little different in every family. The recipe is passed on byoral tradition. There are local variants of kyselo in the Giant Mountains: without eggs or withhard-boiled eggs, boiled but not roasted potatoes, with or without cream, etc.
Instant powder kyselo base is now available for use in large catering kitchens[23] or liquid fermented cereal[24]
Kyselo is sometimes served in an ediblebread bowl.[11] Garnishes ofscallion,parsley or other green herbs can be used. The potatoes are often served on a plate for diners to help themselves.[22] Usually salt and vinegar are also on the table for personal seasoning preferences. Kyselo is filling so is often served as a main course.
As a staple food, kyselo plays an important part in local legends and fairy tales, especially in connection to the mythical mountain lordKrakonoš (German:Rübezahl). It is said that he gave sourdough to people and invented kyselo.[25] In the Giant Mountains there is also a peak called theKotel (Polish:Kocioł, German:Kesselkoppe) which meanscauldron. When fog rises from the valley at bottom of Kotel, people say that Krakonoš is cooking the kyselo.[26]
The namekyselo is well-known throughout the Czech Republic because ofVečerníčekchildren's television seriesKrkonošské pohádky (Fairy Tales from the Giant Mountains), in which Anče, one of the main characters, cookskyselo in almost all of the episodes.[27]
Eastern European cuisines also have variations of soups based on soured flour or other modes of fermentation. Examples areRussianokroshka made withkvass,[13]Romanianborș made of fermented wheat or barley bran along withciorbă, andFinnishhapanvelli soup is made withpea and sour dough. A more distant relative isJapanesemiso soup, which also uses a fermented basic ingredient –miso paste.[20]
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