A thick millet porridge cooked with onions and often enriched with pork, lard or cracklings. It was famously suited to cooking over an open fire, making it an ideal food for the travelling and military life of the Zaporizhzhian Cossacks. 1)
A simple fish soup traditionally prepared from the catch of the Dnipro and surrounding waterways. Pike, carp, pike-perch and catfish can all contribute to the broth, with the fish often cooked outdoors in a large pot or cauldron. 2)
Freshwater fish is enclosed in dough and baked with onions, herbs or vegetables. The pastry keeps the filling moist and creates a practical meal that could be carried to fields, fishing grounds or along the river. 3)
A particularly concentrated fish broth in which large quantities of fish are cooked to produce a rich, intensely flavored soup. The dish belongs to the old riverine cooking traditions associated with the Dnipro and Cossack communities. 4)
Beetroot, cabbage, potatoes, carrots and onions are simmered with meat to create the region's hearty interpretation of borshch. Garlic, herbs and sour cream add the finishing touches, while summer versions can contain a particularly generous selection of fresh vegetables. 5)
A thick soup made with sauerkraut, potatoes and pork or smoked meat. The fermented cabbage provides a pronounced sourness that makes the dish especially satisfying during the colder months. 6)
Grated potatoes and onions are fried into crisp pancakes and served with sour cream. They are a wonderfully simple example of how potatoes became a versatile staple of Ukrainian home cooking. 7)
Soft dumplings filled with mashed potatoes mixed with fresh cheese and sometimes fried onions. They are usually served with sour cream or butter and can form a complete meal despite their modest ingredients. 8)
Sweet dumplings filled with sour cherries and sugar. The contrast between the soft dough and intensely tart fruit makes them a classic summer dish, often finished with sour cream. 9)
Cabbage leaves are wrapped around a filling of rice or another grain, minced meat and onions before being slowly braised. In traditional cooking, smaller rolls could be prepared in large quantities for family gatherings and celebrations. 10)
Grated potatoes are combined with onions and pieces of pork or smoked meat and baked until the top becomes deeply browned. It is an economical dish that turns a few basic ingredients into an exceptionally filling meal. 11)
Fish from the Sea of Azov and nearby rivers is minced with onion, egg and breadcrumbs and shaped into patties. Depending on the catch, species such as carp or pike-perch can be used. 12)
A rich cornmeal porridge cooked with dairy and sometimes topped with cracklings or mushrooms. Although better known from western Ukraine, cornmeal dishes also found their way into the broader culinary repertoire of the Ukrainian steppe. 13)
Sweet peppers are roasted until soft and slightly charred, then dressed with garlic and fragrant sunflower oil. The dish makes the most of the warm southern climate and the abundance of summer vegetables. 14)
Apples, pears, plums and other dried fruits are simmered gently to create a fragrant, naturally sweet drink. Traditionally associated with winter holidays, uzvar also demonstrates the importance of preserving the summer fruit harvest. 15)