Cuisines Guide Team

👉 Blini are the thin pancakes of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus – golden, slightly lacy and soft enough to fold around almost anything. They are the symbol of Maslenitsa, the week-long festival before Lent, when...

👉 Pierogi ruskie are the most loved dumplings in Poland: soft half-moons of dough filled with mashed potato, crumbly farmer's cheese and golden fried onion, boiled and then often fried in butter. The name does...

👉 Herring under a fur coat – seledka pod shuboy, or simply "shuba" – is the bright purple layered salad found next to Olivier on almost every New Year table in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia...

👉 Manti are the big steamed dumplings of Central Asia, loved in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and far beyond. A very thin dough is wrapped around a juicy filling of hand-chopped lamb and plenty of onion,...

👉 Kutia is the first and most sacred dish of the Ukrainian Christmas Eve supper, Sviat Vechir. It is a simple mixture of whole wheat berries, ground poppy seeds, honey and walnuts – ingredients that...

👉 Napoleon is the Russian version of the French mille-feuille and one of the most popular cakes on New Year and birthday tables across the former Soviet Union. Eight or more crisp, flaky pastry layers...

👉 Chicken Kiev (often spelled Chicken Kyiv) is a crispy breaded chicken breast hiding a core of cold herb butter that bursts out when you cut into it. The idea came from French cooking in...

👉 Beef Stroganoff is the most famous Russian dish outside Russia: tender strips of beef quickly seared, then folded into a silky sauce of onion, mushrooms, mustard and sour cream. It is named after the...

👉 Pelmeni are Russia's beloved little meat dumplings: thin, tender dough folded around a juicy filling of beef, pork and onion, boiled in salted water and served with sour cream or butter. They come from...

👉 Plov (also called osh or palov) is the national dish of Uzbekistan and the heart of every celebration – so important that in 2016 UNESCO added Uzbek palov culture and tradition to its list...

👉 Medovik is the famous Russian honey cake: eight or more paper-thin, honey-scented biscuit layers stacked with a tangy sour cream frosting and left overnight until the whole cake turns soft, moist and almost melts...

👉 Borscht is the deep-red beet soup at the heart of Ukrainian cooking – so important that in 2022 UNESCO added the culture of Ukrainian borscht cooking to its list of intangible heritage in need...

👉 Olivier salad is the dish no New Year table in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia or the rest of the former Soviet Union is complete without. Small, even cubes of boiled potato, carrot and egg are...

👉 Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is a savoury Japanese pancake packed with shredded cabbage, cooked on a hot griddle and covered with sweet-savoury sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes and seaweed. The name means "grilled as you like it"...

👉 Chirbuli (ჩირბული) is a traditional Georgian breakfast from the Adjara and Guria regions: eggs gently cooked in a thick sauce of fried onions, ripe tomatoes and ground walnuts, finished with garlic and lots of...

👉 Birria is a rich, spicy stew from the Mexican state of Jalisco, traditionally made with goat and now often with beef. The meat is slowly braised in a sauce of dried chiles and spices...

👉 Chicken tabaka (წიწილა ტაბაკა, tsitsila tabaka) is one of Georgia's most famous dishes: a young chicken flattened, pressed under a heavy weight and fried in butter until the skin is deep golden and crackling....

👉 Shakshuka is a North African breakfast of eggs gently poached in a thick, spiced sauce of tomatoes and sweet peppers, served straight from the pan with bread for dipping. It is eaten across Tunisia,...

👉 Imeruli khachapuri (იმერული ხაჭაპური) is the everyday khachapuri of Georgia – a round, flat bread with a thick layer of salty, melted cheese sealed inside. It comes from the region of Imereti, and it...

👉 Chana masala is one of India's most popular vegetarian dishes: chickpeas simmered in a thick, tangy onion-tomato gravy with cumin, coriander, garam masala and a touch of sour mango powder. It is sold at...