Kissel
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Kisiel or kisel (Russian: кисель kisél’) is a popular dessert in Eastern and Northern Europe. It consists of sweetened juice or milk, thickened with arrowroot, cornstarch or potato starch; sometimes red wine or dried fruits are added. It is similar to the Danish Rødgrød and German Rote Grütze.
Kissel can be served either hot or cold, also together with sweetened quark or semolina pudding. Kissel can also be served on pancakes or with ice cream. If the kissel is made using less thickening starch, it can be drunk - this is common in Russia.
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[edit] History
Its name is derived from the old Slavic word meaning any kind of sour substance, as sour fruits are preferred. In the Tale of Bygone Years there is a story of how kissel saved a city.
[edit] Preparation
The way to make kissel: first mix water with potato flour and smashed fruits, then boil it. Recently it is also possible to buy instant kissel. Nowadays most of the Polish households prepare kissel from instant mixes instead of the traditional way. The most popular flavours are strawberry, gooseberry and raspberry. In Russia the most popular flavours are cranberry, cherry and redcurrant. Cranberry kisiel (Lithuanian: spanguolių kisielius) is a traditional meal of Kūčios (Christmas Eve supper) in Lithuania.
In Finland kisiel is called kiisseli and is often made of blueberries (since those can often be found growing wild in the forests and are thus free to gather) as well as from prunes, apricots, strawberries, etc. The thickness can vary depending on how much potato flour was used: thin blueberry soup is most easily consumed by drinking while the thickest version is almost like jelly and is eaten with a spoon. Rhubarb can also be used but it's often combined with strawberries to make it less tart.
[edit] Recipes
- Apple-Cranberry Kissel with Sweet Sour Cream
- Berry Kissel recipe
- Cranberry kissel
- Hot Cranberry Kissel
- Red Berry Kissel
- Summer Berry Basil Kissel
[edit] References
- “Kissel” from the Food Lover's Companion at Answers.com.
