Kulajda is a Czech soup made with potatoes, mushrooms, cream, and herbs like dill. It is typically served with dumplings or bread and hard-boiled eggs. Recipes vary, but the soup is a popular first course in Czech cuisine known for being rich and high in fat.
Kulajda is a creamy Czech herbal soup. It is also known as dill soup because, like much of the region’s cuisine, it typically contains large amounts of herbs. The other key ingredients include potatoes, mushrooms, cream and a side of hard-boiled eggs. Other possible ingredients include sour cream, cumin, and a range of other herbs and spices. Kulajda is typically served with dumplings or hearty bread.
The specific recipe for kulajda varies, usually depending on the version passed down through several generations of a family. In addition to the ingredients, preparation methods can vary. For example, potatoes can be cooked into soup, prepared separately and added right before serving or served as a side dish.
For a typical version of kulajda, the potatoes are first peeled, cut into chunks and boiled in vegetable broth. Then seasonings are added, such as cumin and mushrooms. Immediately after, the flour, milk and cream are whipped and poured into the broth. This mixture is left to cook for several minutes.
After cooking, the soup is removed from the heat and dill and salt are added. The vinegar can also be mixed in to enhance the flavor. The side dish of halved hard-boiled eggs is added last. Some recipes even suggest adding a pat of butter to each bowl of soup.
There are other kulajda recipes that start with making roux, a mixture of flour and water. Then spices and cream are added. Some recipes also call for the eggs to be cracked and cooked into the soup.
The soup is popular in the Czech Republic. It is usually served as the first course in a typical meal. Common ingredients in homemade Czech soups include lentils, beans, potatoes, and fish. Other popular types of soup include garlic, sauerkraut, button mushrooms and greens. Broth with noodles or dumplings is also commonly found in Czech restaurants.
Traditional Czech cuisine, including soups such as kulajda, is known for being rich and high in fat. Typical soup toppings, such as hard-boiled or raw eggs, cheese, and sour cream, are also indulgent. Many popular soups are substantial enough to be a main dish, though they are often served before an even higher calorie food such as a meat dish. While the old recipes are still much loved in the region, there has been a gradual trend towards healthier eating.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
