A festive Easter table cannot be imagined without daisies, but we also enjoy other dishes on that day. The Dovilė and Mantos Baijali family, who have been cooking and photographing for more than 10 years, suggest that you don’t forget the sweet dishes on that day and try the kiselius dessert inspired by Ukrainian cuisine.
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Dovilė and Mantas say that cooking and photographing food, which has become a hobby, arose out of the desire to taste and repeat the flavors they liked. And to make it easier to share discoveries with others, a blog www.bajaliai.lt was created.
“Writing a recipe is one thing, but illustrating it with photos is a completely different “taste” for someone who discovers that recipe and plans to make it. Therefore, Devilė usually looks for more interesting flavors, colors, combinations and cuisines of other countries, and I capture the recipes that have been successful at home. Even when traveling, what we plan to do during this Easter, above all we have specific wishes, what we want to taste in that country”, says Mantas Bajalis.
Discovered Ukrainian cuisine
Unable to travel during the quarantine, the enthusiastic citizens of Kaunas decided to do it differently – to get to know a new country every week by trying its recipes at home. New flavors helped not to get bored. Ukrainian cuisine became one of the discoveries.
“While traveling “virtually”, we found many things in common in the kitchens of other countries, and recipes of Ukrainian cuisine are no exception – we cooked Ukrainian cabbage pie and dumplings with cherries. The discovered kisiel dessert recipe, even though it was like our usual kisiel, was more reminiscent of a thick, tasty, sweet dessert that is hung with spoons like at a baby’s in the village”, – the interviewees shared.
Dovilė does not hide that she herself is the biggest kissel lover in her family – for her, it is a kind of dessert that she usually treats herself to during holidays.
“I could eat kissels every day, but both Christmas and Easter are occasions when you want a special kissel – seasoned with berries, honey, sometimes dried fruits. I like cherry kiselios the most, and cranberry could not be there,” the woman smiles and shares the recipe for kiselios dessert.
Ukrainian kissel dessert
- 2 cups of various frozen or fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or other favorite berries, mangoes, passion fruit, apricots or plums also work)
- 0.5 glasses of berry syrup
- 1 liter of water
- 2-3 full meals. sh. potato starch
- 1 cinnamon stick
- half a lemon
Boil water with a cinnamon stick, add berry syrup. Add the berries, cook for 5-10 minutes until soft, and squeeze in the lemon juice. Mix half a glass of water with starch and pour it into the boiling berries while stirring, after a few minutes remove the pot from the heat. Remove the cinnamon stick from the cooled jelly and pour it into glasses or jars in portions. The thick kissel dessert can be served with whipped cream, chocolate crumbs or simply alone.
Ready-to-use kissels have caught on in Lithuania
Kisielius is really popular in Lithuania, but it is mostly used on special occasions. According to the survey conducted last year by the company “Spinter tyrimi” on behalf of “Eckes-Granini Baltic”, 34 percent residents of the country consume this drink only during holidays.
“We usually classify kisieli as a dessert drink, just like fruit, berry or vegetable juice. However, if we tend to use juice for different reasons – some use juice to replenish their vitamin reserves, others want to enjoy it as a tasty drink, for others it is a way to get energy, then kisielius is often perceived as an attribute of the festive table, especially Christmas. However, we tend to think that kisielius is also perfect for Easter,” comments Marius Gudauskas, the manager of Eckes-Granini Baltic, the country’s largest producer of juices, nectars and fruit drinks.
Last year, the factory operating in Žiežmariai presented a new product – ready-to-use kisel in tetrapak packages. Cranberry and cherry-flavored kisieli also won the hearts of buyers, and the results of the first half of the year exceeded expectations.
“Kisielius is quite a versatile drink, it can be consumed both warm and cold. It can not only be enjoyed alone, but can also be used to prepare sweet cold soups, topping dry breakfast or porridge. In addition, it can be a great dessert, flavored with berries, ice cream or whipped cream,” says M. Gudauskas.
Blogger Dovilė also agrees with him – kisielius can be used not only as a sweet soup, but also as a sweet sauce to soak yeasty and fragrant baked goods, so you can safely serve kisielius on the Easter table as well as traditional dishes.
“We believe that there are no inappropriate dishes for the holidays. Each family has its own traditions, favorite tastes, and creates its own festive Easter table. It is not necessary to chase fashion, the most important thing is to listen to your heart and plan the festive table together with the whole family, and maybe even friends. After all, the best and funnest thing is to share, and there is no better place for that than the festive table”, D. Bajalienė concludes the conversation.
