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Homemade classic millet kulesh

Homemade Classic Millet Kulesh

Appetizing, rich, hearty, for every day. Millet kulesh can be cooked over a campfire or on the stovetop. Its consistency lands somewhere between porridge and soup. The brisket gives the dish a pleasant smoky flavor. A great lunch for the whole family.

Maria

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Meat broth

Millet

200

Pork brisket (smoked)

150

Potatoes

Carrots

Onion

Dill (4 sprigs)

Bay leaf

Butter

Ground black pepper

Salt

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 33 % 5 g

Fats 13 % 2 g

Carbohydrates 53 % 8 g

72 kcal

GI: 44 / 0 / 56

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make homemade classic millet kulesh? It's very easy! First, get the listed ingredients ready. You can make kulesh with water or meat broth. With broth, the dish comes out with a more pronounced flavor.
Step 2:

In a pot over medium heat, bring the meat broth or water to a boil. You can adjust how thick the kulesh is by using more or less broth.
Step 3:

While the broth comes up to a boil, prep the rest of the ingredients. Rinse the millet until the water runs clear.
Step 4:

Wash, peel, and cut the potatoes into medium cubes.
Step 5:

Cut the smoked brisket into thin strips. Instead of brisket you can use salt pork (slab fatback); the kulesh will just come out richer.
Step 6:

Peel the carrot and grate it on the coarse side.
Step 7:

Peel the onion and cut it into small cubes. If you or your kids don't like onion, you can leave it out, or add a whole peeled onion while the potatoes cook and fish it out afterward.
Step 8:

Wash the dill, shake off the water, and chop it finely. If you like, swap in or add other herbs — parsley, cilantro, scallions, or a mix.
Step 9:

Add the potatoes to the boiling broth. Bring back to a boil and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes.
Step 10:

Then pour in the rinsed millet. Cook over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes. The millet shouldn't overcook and fall apart.
Step 11:

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent.
Step 12:

Add the carrot and brisket. Fry, stirring, for another 5 minutes. If you're using salt pork instead of brisket, first render it down to crisp cracklings, then add the carrot and onion.
Step 13:

Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the pot. Add the bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the millet and potatoes are done.
Step 14:

At the end, stir the chopped dill into the kulesh.
Step 15:

Ladle the porridge (or soup, however you like to think of it) into bowls and serve. Enjoy!

Kulesh is an old Ukrainian dish — a loose porridge or thick pottage. So it's both a first and a second course at once, very rich and filling.
Important! Whether or not the recipe gives an amount of water for the soup, it's best to go by your own preference (thick or thinner soup), the size of your pot, and the ingredients you're using. Keep in mind that the author has their own idea of how much meat, potatoes, grain, and other ingredients belong in the soup, and it may not match yours. In practice, if you're cooking it for the first time, don't make a whole pot at once. Make a small batch to taste — for one or two people. To do that, scale all the recipe's ingredients down to 1–2 servings, and figure the water at about one cup per serving for a very thick soup, up to 1.5–2 cups for a thinner one. Don't forget that some of the liquid boils off as it cooks. After tasting a small portion, you can adjust both the amount of liquid and the proportions of ingredients to your liking. From then on, like most experienced cooks, you'll be able to add water and ingredients by eye.
For tasty millet porridge, read the article on the finer points of choosing and cooking millet.
Besides smoked pork brisket, you can use any other smoked meat in this dish: bacon, ham, and so on.