Some fillers can be added to recieve the better taste. The most popular filler is raisins. Pieces of apple, pear, dried apricots or carrot are also welcome.
How to eat syrniki in a Russian way
The most widespread way to eat this dish is with sour cream. If you read other articles at our website, you will think we Russians consume every dish with sour cream. It is almost true. Not all the dishes, but many of them - bliny, vareniki, borscht, shchi, and pelmeni.
The second popular way is to eat syrniki with varenye. We call it "the sweetest manner". The third way is to eat this dish with concentrated milk. This manner is "too milky", because curd is made from milk as you remember.
The Genuine Russian syrnik should have a dark brown hard skin have formed while frying. If there is no skin or skin is black, then we will advise to demand the money back.
Syrniki are popular as food for children, because it is a healthy dish. It contains a lot of calcium, that children need to grow. Many kids like to eat the skin separately and after to finish the middle part.
Interesting about the name “syrnik”
The word “syrnik” may be translated as “made of cheese”. It is amazing, because there is no cheese inside, only curd. Why this dish was called like this? 9 of 10 Russians do not know the answer. Read more; we will tell you.
Modern hard cheese came to Russia from France in the 18th century with famous Russian king Peter the Great. The Russian word “syr” now means “cheese”, but before the 18th century it had meant “curd”. Curd had got the new name "tvorog", but all the dishes made of curd still have the old names. “Syrnik”, “syrok” and “syrnaya massa” – all these dishes made of curd but named after cheese.
For example, no changes have happened in Ukranian language; the Ukranian word “sir” means curd and cheese in the same time. In some regions of Russia this dish has another name “tvorojnik”, it translates as “made of curd”.
There and how to taste syrniki in Moscow
You may find it in every restaurant of Russian cuisine. Some national fast-foods may offer you syrniki, but not all the time. Their menu often changes very quickly.
The better idea is to visit a supermarket. The first type you may find there is a frozen type. These syrniki should be fried on a pan, and it is a bad choice for traveller, because you will need to find a kitchen. In the small gallery below you will see how it is looking like and the full cooking process.
There is a division of cooked food in most of the supermarkets in Russia. There you may buy already cooked syrniki. This second kind is convenient for travellers. You may eat it just after paying for it.
How to bring syrniki from Russia back home
You should choose the already cooked type. The storage time is one or two days. You just need to purchase fresh syrniki at the last day before departure, and it will not become waste when you will arrive home. Syrniki is a good idea as the sweet and tasty present for friends and family.
Syrniki in Russian culture
Curd was always a mark of wealthiness and syrniki was food of rich people.
There is a proverb in Russia: “kak syr v masle katalsya”. It translates as “to roll like cheese in butter”. It means - to live without problems and worry. If we tell like this, it does not means somebody is rich, but it means he/she have everything he need without working or doing something.
There is the word “syrnichat” in Russian language, but it very rarely used now. It means to eat without calculating money.
Next fact is very interesting. Curd and syrniki in old Russia had a legal power. We will tell about in details. In old Russia when parents of future wife and husband discussed the details of future marriage, they were eating curd or syrniki. Only in this case the treaty was legal.
Eating curd or syrniki was something like signing contract. This law was written by famed Russian ruler Yaroslav the Wise. He published the first Russian code of laws.
Curd or syrniki was a necessary dish while wedding. It should be offered to all guests.
Today syrniki is a common dish among Russians and it is magnificent.
Let you voyage to Russia be tasty and read our articles (link may be found below and at the left from the main text)