In this part of the “Polish food” series, I would like to talk about unusual products that can be found in Polish grocery stores, specifically in the pickled vegetables section.
1 Sok z kiszonych buraków – Beetroot kvass juice. Barszcz czerwony – Red borscht.
Beet kvass juice is a quite popular product in Poland. This juice is made through the lactic acid fermentation of beets. It is consumed both in its pure form and diluted with water. It is considered a very beneficial product as it contains numerous vitamins, minerals, and probiotics.
Beet kvass juice is one of the main ingredients in Polish borscht (Barszcz czerwony). Classic Polish borscht is a strained broth with a rich beetroot color. This broth can even be drunk straight from a cup. Alternatively, it is served with “uszka” (small dumplings filled with cabbage and mushrooms) or mashed potatoes. Borscht with “uszka” is a traditional festive dish.
2 Żurek zakwas – Fermentation starter for Żurek soup
Żurek is a well-known traditional Polish soup that is prepared using a special bread sourdough starter. It typically consists of water, rye flour, and garlic. This sourdough starter can be made at home, as was done in the past. However, nowadays people often opt to purchase ready-made sourdough starter from stores. Moreover, it is easy to find, as it is available in any grocery store.
Recipe for Żurek soup https://www.takajaeda.com/en/recipes-en/zurek-polish-sour-rye-soup/
3 Barszcz biały – Starter for the respective dish (White borscht)
Unlike the sourdough starter for Żurek, this starter is made with wheat flour.
4 Przecier z ogórków kiszonych – Chopped pickles.
This product can be found in refrigerators with fermented products as well as on shelves with preserved foods. It consists of grated or finely chopped salted pickles.
Their main usage is for preparing the classic dish of Polish cuisine called cucumber soup “Zupa ogórkowa”.
In the next part, we will explore what other unique Polish products (or Polish food) can be found in local stores.