Do you like to eat pancakes? What kind of pancake do you like?
There are some countries that have a kind of pancake with typical of the country. There is also a slight difference in how to cook even though the ingredients used are almost the same. In Russia there are also pancakes which are typical Russian food. The Russian pancake is called Blini. Have you ever eaten it?
So that you know more about Blini and how to make the pancake, let’s see about the easiest way to make DIY Russian Blini.
Pancake is a food that is often a favorite of many people in several countries in the world. Usually the food is enjoyed at breakfast along with a cup of tea. Pancake is also a children’s favorite foods, especially if eaten with a soft and sweet jam. It’s delicious, isn’t it?
Just like several other countries, Russia also has a type of food that is similar to pancake. The typical Russian pancake is called Blini. This is also called bliny. Blini is a pancake of Russia and Ukraine. Blini is food that you can also make at home. Yes, you can do it yourself.
In fact, there are still many people who mistakenly recognize Blini and pancakes in other countries. Some even do not know if Blini is a kind of pancake. In order to add information to you about Blini, this article will discuss what Blini is and the easiest way to make DIY Russian Blini.
- About Russian Blini
Blini or also known as Bliny is pancake from Russia and Ukraine. These foods are traditionally made from wheat, buckwheat flour and several other types of flour. Eating Blini has become a tradition for Russians in certain celebrations.
Blini has some similarities with pancakes in general. The Russian pancake round shape that has a lot of variety for its size. Blini size made will adjust the size of the pans used. What distinguishes Blini from pancakes in general is its thickness. Blini is always very thin but not as thin as crepes from France and not as thick as pancakes from America.
When people in Russia, both men and women, make Blini, they don’t only make 2 to 3 Blini for each family member. They can make it up to more than 40 Blini to continue to be eaten for the next few days. You can enjoy Blini in your own way and fill it with what you like.
- The Right Time to Eat Russian Blini
In the past, Blini was made to celebrate the Maslenitsa tradition in Russia. This tradition is also referred to as Pancake Week, Butter Week and other terms. Maslenitsa is actually a sun festival to celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of spring. The round blini symbolizes the sun. This festival will be celebrated for a week. People will continue to eat pancakes and did not eat anything else.
Blini are also made for a woman who had just given birth. It is believed to bring good luck to the baby. Additionally, Blini is a necessity also in the funeral ceremony. Indirectly, Blini has accompanied people from birth to the day of their death.
Now, Blini can also be enjoyed at any time other than at the Maslenitsa event. It is suitable for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You only need to adjust the fill in the Blini you eat.
- Ingredients to Make Russian Blini
To make Russian Blini, there are many recipes used. Starting from the easiest to the ones that use various kinds of additional ingredients to cook. This time, I will show the easiest way to make a DIY (Do It Yourself) Russian Blini.
The ingredients that you have to prepare are:
- 1 cup of flour (or adjusted to the batter, do not be too watery)
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups of warm milk
- 1 spoonful of sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons of butter to melt
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- Vegetable oil or sunflower oil to fry the batter.
For the type of flour used in Blini dough, you can use wheat flour, buckwheat flour, oats and some other types of flour that you feel are suitable.
- How to Make Russian Blini?
The steps you have to do to make Russian Blini are:
- Beat eggs in a large bowl and add the warm milk
- Then add salt, sugar, baking soda and melted butter in a large bowl and mix well
- Slowly and gradually, add the flour in the large bowl and mix well
- Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. You can adjust the size of the pan diameter to suit your taste
- Pour the batter into the pan and cook for about 30 seconds and then flip. Cook the other side for the same time as before
- After Blini is cooked, lift it to a serving plate and serve with filling according to your taste
- Repeat the process until the dough in a bowl-out.
The amount of Blini you make will adjust the amount of dough you make and also the diameter of the pan you use for cooking.
- Fillings for Russian Blini
In order to make Russian Blini that you make even better, you can add various kinds of fillings into your Russian Blini. Popular ingredients to be the fillings for Russian Blini include raspberry jam, sweetened condensed milk, honey, caviar and others. You can also eat Russian Blini with filled minced meat, fried cabbage and onions, sautéed mushrooms and so on.
When you choose to eat Russian Blini with filled minced meat with fried onions, make sure you don’t eat it during the Maslenitsa celebration because it’s prohibited.
I hope this article can really help you to find out the easiest way to make DIY Russian Blini.