Mari cuisine is considered very diverse. there are very different, but in turn, delicious dishes. Also this kitchen has much in common with the kitchens of the neighboring nations – Udmurts, Chuvashs, Tatars, and, of course, Russians.
History of the people
Mari represent the Finno-Ugric peoples. Most representatives of the Mari people live in Mari El. Some parts of the population dispersed to Kirov, Novgorod and Kostroma areas, also in Udmurtia and Tatarstan. Historically, the Maris have long been divided into three groups that differ from each other in mostly communication languages and culture. It is this meadow, mountain and Eastern Maris.
Meadow Mari live on the left bank of the Volga River, and mountain part of the people chose the upland coast of the same river for housing. how about the eastern part of the population, these are the same meadow Mari, only they moved to the Urals in the 17-18th century. To everyone it will immediately become clear that all of the “types” of the Mari among themselves very similar. The main differences are only in spoken language, everyday life and national costumes.
The representatives of this nation were first mentioned in the sixth century. Gothic historian Jordan. In those old days, the ancient Maris closely supported friendship with the Goths, after which friendly relations with the Khazars and with the Volga Bulgaria. From the 13th to the 15th centuries, the people was part of the Golden Horde, Kazan Hanst.
At these times, Moscow was at war with Kazan. During the war, Mari divided – part fought for the Russians, part for the Tatars. When Kazan lost the war in 1552, the Mari lands became part of the Russian State, which was just beginning to emerge from Moscow Russia. After this mess, the Mari remained in composition of Russia. In early 1920, they gained autonomy, and the middle the thirties of the same century became a revolution for the Mari – they formed their own ASSR.
Mari cuisine
Mari cuisine is considered quite ancient and is no longer developing. one hundred years. In degrees of its development, various dishes were added, which were getting better and better. The basis of Mari cuisine includes the products that the ancient Maris used to produce at one time by yourself. They found products not far from their homes – forests, meadows, rivers and lakes. The list of products used includes wild animals, fish, berries, mushrooms and herbs, as seasonings.
For example, the fish menu of Mari cuisine includes salad with sterlet, double ear, fish (salted and dried) soups, roast and fish casserole. Also, people actively used greens, with which cabbage soup or soups were prepared. Representatives of the forest and wildlife also interested in these people in the sense of cuisine. They ate meat Hares, deer, bears and moose. Also, for cooking your they used meat of very specific animals: eagle owl, hawks, hedgehogs, squirrels, even snakes and vipers.
Berries that were transformed into different desserts, drinks and kvass. Mushrooms were often dried and salty. Over time, honey was also used in the dishes. First they they took wild honey, and then, after mastering beekeeping, used honey of own production. From this product different drinks were produced, including alcoholic drinks.
Over time, due to the expansion of skills and agriculture, the circle The products used by the Maris increased. After starting cultivation of various crops, cereals appeared in the diet, namely: oat, barley and buckwheat. To porridge garnish often added beef and lamb, in rare cases, pork. One of my favorites Mari’s porridge is pumpkin. There have been times when porridge cooked even jelly.
As potato cultivation began, many dishes where potatoes were used. The number of potato dishes includes dumplings and pancakes, which are prepared from this plant. Over time, potatoes appeared as part of many of the first, and in the number of second courses. Sometimes Mari’s cuisine is compared to Belarusian, due to the fact that potatoes were often used as an ingredient their dishes.
After the Maris completed livestock, they began the first Cook dishes mainly in meat broth. Traditional Mari announced the soup with dumplings. Despite this, in their menu you can to meet many more different soups. Among the ingredients for cabbage soup, there are cabbage, potatoes, hogweed, rot, nettle and sorrel. Is present in the kitchen and soup consisting of viburnum. In order to manufacture cold soups also used various kvass.
Also not the last on the list of the Mari menu is milk and milk products. An integral part of the kitchen is considered yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, baked milk and butter.
For meat lovers, there are many meat and fish dishes. Mostly meat is served stewed and boiled, in rare cases fried. Fat and blood are used to make homemade sausages. The hunt for dumplings prepared with different fillings.
There is even a wide range of pastries. In flour products often add berries and honey.
Present time
Everyone understands that every tradition, including cuisine with improves and changes over time. Mari cuisine as well. Its development continues to this day. Take, for example, the roots, before they were laid raw in food. Today, tradition has changed, housewives believe that frying vegetables will give more taste.
Before, they used vegetables, relatively little, now quantity has increased. In the gardens, the number of plants increased. Nowadays, a rather large assortment is being grown in the gardens. vegetables.
Like all nations, the Mari are not obsessed only with their national dishes. Over time, young people begin to forget about national cuisine and adheres to what is now “fashionable.”
It is joyful to report that not all recipes are already forgotten. If a you want to personally try some of the dishes presented this people – visit the city of Yoshkar-Olu. There are several establishments in which prepare national dishes. If you are not traveling to this city planning, you can cook something from the dishes at home. For There are several recipes for this.
For a salad with sterlet, you will need:
- Sterlet – 110 g;
- Potato – 20 g;
- Fresh or pickles – 90 g;
- Chicken eggs – 1-2pcs;
- Apple – 20 g;
- Cranberries – 15 g;
- Sauce made from horseradish with sour cream;
- Salt, pepper, to taste.
Cooking
The potato should be cooked in its uniform and peeled. Then, in a couple with cucumbers cut it into small pieces. Hard boil the eggs and cut apples together with apples. Fish seasoned with salt and pepper, cut into cubes. After you mix everything, add cranberries. Serve with the sauce.
For salad “youth” you need to have
- Fresh cabbage – 30 g;
- Boiled carrot – 25 g;
- Pickles – 35 g;
- Chives – 40 g;
- Cheese – 5 g;
- Sour cream – 20 g;
- Salt to taste.
Cooking:
First you need to chop the vegetables. Then peel the cucumbers. After chopping, grate the cabbage with salt. That what happened you need to mix with shredded cheese in the proportions of 2/3 (more cheese). About a third of the vegetables leave whole need to decorate the salad. Cheese and vegetable mix, which turned out, need to salt to taste, pour sour cream. Then gently lay out slide on a plate. Garnish the salad with vegetables and cool. Can now serve salad to the table!
For soup with viburnum you need to have:
- Kalina;
- Sugar beet;
- Rye flour;
- Salt.
Cooking:
Bunches of viburnum should be cleared. Then you need to remove the berries. If you freeze the clusters, then the work will go faster and easier. Rinse viburnum. Add the finely chopped remaining ingredients to viburnum. After mixing, put in the oven so that the soup languishes and soars. Serve semi-chilled on the table.
For shots in a pot you need such Ingredients:
- Lard – 300 g;
- Oatmeal – 600 g;
- Pork – 100 g;
- Garlic – three wedges;
- Water and salt.
Cooking:
Lard, together with meat and garlic should be finely chopped. Everything, that it turned out, you need to mix with oatmeal. Pour salt over taste and place the products in a clay pot, volume which 1 liter Pour water so that the bulk is saturated with water. After that, put the pot in the oven, which will be heated until 190 degrees. After two hours, pull it out and place it in water bath.
