📍 Central and Southern Ukraine⏱ 45 min🍽 Serves: 4plant-based

Kulish — Millet Porridge with Bacon

One pot, plenty of comfort.

Where it comes from

Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Kirovohrad Oblast, Mykolaiv Oblast, Kherson Oblast

History

Kulish is a thick millet dish associated, among other settings, with travel and Cossack camp cooking. Versions include cracklings, meat, or meatless additions.

Today

This home version uses cultivated mushrooms and is closer to porridge than a thin soup.

Ingredients

• 200 g millet
• 250 g potatoes
• 250 g button mushrooms
• 150 g onion
• 30 ml neutral cooking oil
• 1100 ml water

Method

1. Rinse millet thoroughly with hot water.
2. Chop vegetables and mushrooms.
3. Sauté onion and mushrooms in oil in a heavy pot.
4. Add potatoes, millet, water, and salt.
5. Simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring.
6. Check that the grain is tender.
7. Adjust thickness with hot water and rest for 5 minutes.

How to serve

Serve with herbs. It thickens as it cools.

Sources

• Cultural background

Check ingredients for allergens. Times and amounts are approximate.