Spicy vegetables (onion, garlic, celery, horseradish) are widely used in Russian cuisine. Bulbs, roots, leaves and seeds are put in use fresh and dried. The vegetables can be boiled, fried, blanched or stewed.
Onion The most widely used vegetable. It is used for any dishes, except sweets. Depending on the taste, onion can be bitter, half bitter and sweet. Bitter onion is good for soups, sauces and meat, fish, vegetable and rice dishes. Half bitter and sweet onions are better to use for salads and appetizers.
Garlic Garlic is used in meat, vegetable, egg dishes, soups, salads and preserves. But garlic is never used for fish dishes, as it spoils the taste of the dish. Garlic. Finely ground, is added into the dish right after the finishing. To avoid pungent smell, garlic is combined with other spices.
Parsley and celery These spices have a lot in common. For meal, we use roots and leaves. Leaves are very good for salads. Soups, vegetable and mushroom dishes. Roots are added to soups. Parsley goes very well to fish and fish dishes. Celery is better to meats and vegetables. Celery is also used with pickles, eggplants and squashes.
Horseradish and mustard Horseradish and mustard are traditional Russian condiments. Horseradish root and mustard seeds are used for spicing. They are not added during the cooking and are served with ready dishes, as dressings. Horseradish sauce is good with fish and boiled meat cuts and mustard – with meat cuts.
Dill Dill green, fresh and dried, is used with all kinds of meat, fish, mushroom, egg and vegetable dishes. Dill is good in soups, salads, pickles and marinades.
Caraway Seeds of caraway are usually used for seasoning as they have rich aroma. Caraway seeds are added to soups (cabbage, onion, potato), sauces, sauerkraut, pickles, bread, buns, tvorog, cheese, beer and kvas. Caraway seeds are added to hot dishes 10-12 minutes before finishing.
Mint Different kinds of mint are used in cooking. But it is better to use not the kinds that impart bitterness while heating. That is why peppermint is excluded, and apple mint, lemon balm and balm are preferred. Mint is used dried or ground. It is really good for sweet dishes and sauces. Mint imparts piquancy to mincemeat, sauce and legumes.
Coriander Fresh coriander (leaves) is used as appetizing green to cheese, salads and soups. Coriander can be used as much as wanted like dill. Dried coriander loses the aroma, so it is dried very seldom.Coriander seeds are used in dough, dairy products, sauces, stewed and vegetable dishes.
Marjoram Marjoram leaves are used dried for first and main courses, especially with beef and sausages. Marjoram is combined with garlic in a perfect way. Marjoram is added to soups and sauces while cooking.
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