Cook for Ukraine: Learn these Ukranian recipes and share them online

Chefs and home cooks are celebrating Ukrainian cuisine and raising money

Bapka is a cake often eaten at Easter time in Ukraine.

Amidst the continuing conflict in Ukraine, with devastating scenes broadcast across the world, it's encouraging to see how many people on social media are using their platforms as a force for good.

In the culinary world, UK-based Ukrainian chef Olia Hercules and Russian food creative Alissa Timoshkina have teamed up to launch #CookForUkraine, raising awareness of the humanitarian crisis and funds for those in need.

The campaign encourages people to cook or bake Ukrainian and Eastern European-inspired dishes, share their pictures on social media and donate to UNICEF's Ukraine appeal via the #CookForUkraine fundraising page.

Cooking may seem like a small way to contribute to a huge issue, but as Hercules writes on Instagram: "Every single positive post or physical act of kindness, full of love, that brings attention to what's happening, helps."

What to get involved, but not sure what to cook? Here are some tasty traditional Ukrainian dishes to try...

Borscht

Ukraine's national dish, borscht is a beetroot soup eaten hot or cold, and usually served with sour cream and pampushki (garlic rolls). Traditionally, borscht is made with beef stock, but it's easy to swap it out for a vegetarian version.

Beetroot soup

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

I usually find borsht much too sweet and intense. This beetroot soup is much less sweet and more savoury and earthy

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions, finely diced

• 1 large potato, finely cubed

• 2 medium cooked beetroot, chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• 1 small chilli, finely diced

• 1 celery stalk, finely diced

• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced

• Olive oil

• 100g butter

• Sea salt and black pepper

• 1 litre of vegetable stock

• Crème fraiche to serve

Method

1. In a large pot or casserole over medium high heat add the butter to the pan along with a drizzle of olive oil. Once melted, add the onion, garlic, celery and chilli, cooking for a few minutes until the onions have softened and the garlic has become fragrant. Add the potato and carrot to the pan, stirring everything together so that it is all coated in butter.

2. Make a cartouche (paper lid) out of a bit of baking parchment and then pop the lid on. Turn the heat down to medium and leave the vegetables to soften for around 6-8 minutes. Take the lid and cartouche off and add the cooked beetroot along with the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and then leave to simmer for around 15 minutes until everything is soft and fragrant.

3. Pulse the soup in a food processor or using a stick blender until very smooth and pink. Check the seasoning and serve in deep bowls with a dollop of crème fraiche and some crusty bread.

Pancakes

Pancake lovers can take their pick from thick, fluffy syrniki (cheese pancakes), topped with jam and sour cream, or thin, crepe-like nalisniki, traditionally filled with cottage cheese.

Cabbage rolls

Called golubtsi in Ukrainian, these cabbage rolls are filled with minced meat and rice, and either baked in the oven or stewed in a pan.

Stuffed cabbage rolls

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

These beauties were actually inspired by social media. There is an exciting trend of sharing videos of recipes on TikTok.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 35 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 10-12 spring or savoy cabbage leaves, the outer green ones are best. Washed well

• 200g cooked basmati rice

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• Small handful of pine nuts, toasted

• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped preserved lemon peel

• Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

• Tablespoon of thyme leaves

• 1 egg, beaten

• Sea salt

• Black pepper

• Sumac

• Olive oil

• 50g butter

Method

1. Place the cabbage leaves in a large pot of boiling salted water over medium high heat. Do this in batches if needs be. Cook for around 2 minutes, just enough for them to become workable but still retain their vibrant green colour and a little bit. Cut out any central stalks.

2. Transfer the blanched leaves to a large bowl of cold or iced water to cool. Drain the leaves and gently pat dry with a kitchen towel.

3. Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil and add the chopped onion. Turn down the heat slightly and cook for around 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.

4. Season lightly with sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper and add the chopped up preserved lemon. Cook for a further 5 minutes until the onion has turned translucent and the preserved lemon has softened and become fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.

5. In a large bowl mix together the cooked rice, onion and preserved lemon, toasted pine nuts, thyme leaves, chopped parsley and beaten egg.

6. Season with a pinch of sea salt, few cracks of black pepper and a teaspoon of sumac.

7. Make the rolls by placing a heaped tablespoon or two of the rice filling in the middle of a cabbage leaf. Fold in all the sides so that you get a nice compact, slightly oblong little dumpling. Arrange the cabbage rolls seam side down in a frying pan or skillet on medium-high. Add butter to the pan along with around 120ml of water. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot and leave to steam for around 15 to 20 minutes.

Dumplings

Known as either varenyky or pierogi, these boiled dumplings can be sweet or savoury. Popular fillings include potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, onions, cherries or currants.

Sweet or savoury Ukranian dumplings

Chicken Kyiv

Named after the Ukrainian capital, the culinary classic chicken Kyiv is made by stuffing a chicken breast with garlic butter, coating it with breadcrumbs and deep-frying it.

Babka

Rich in flavour but with a light, fluffy texture, babka is a sweet, cake-like bread, often eaten at Easter and topped with icing.