Banosh
Banosh is recognised by its sour cream, not by its grain: that is what makes it creamy and gives it the glossy richness water never could. You cook it without leaving the stove, stirring one way — the Hutsuls insisted on it, and it genuinely does keep the bottom from catching. The signal that it is ready is just as plain: golden butter rises to the surface.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 560 kcal
Ingredients
The porridge
To serve
Makes: 4 bowls
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Sift the cornmeal
Pass the cornmeal through a sieve, or at least pick through it: fine meal clumps in the bag, and in the finished porridge those clumps never break up.
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Step 2: Heat the sour cream
In a heavy-based pot stir the sour cream with the water, add the salt and sugar and bring to the first bubble over medium heat, stirring. It must not boil hard or it will split.
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Step 3: Rain in the grain
Pour the cornmeal in a thin stream with one hand while you whisk with the other. All of it should go in within a minute or two — this is the only moment lumps can form.
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Step 4: Cook and stir
Lower the heat and stir with a wooden spoon for 20–25 minutes, always in the same direction. It thickens slowly, and you cannot walk away: the base catches in half a minute.
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Step 5: Wait for the butter
Banosh is ready when it pulls away from the sides and golden beads of fat appear on top. If it still looks matt and trails from the spoon, give it five more minutes.
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Step 6: Fry the mushrooms
While it cooks, fry the onion in oil for 4 minutes, add the mushrooms and fry hard for 7–8 minutes, until the moisture has gone and they colour. Salt them at the end.
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Step 7: Serve hot
Spoon into warm bowls and top with the mushrooms and plenty of crumbled cheese. It is only good hot: once cold it goes firm and rubbery, and reheating does not bring it back.
Tips & variations
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Tip
The sour cream must be at least 20% fat and real dairy, not a vegetable-fat spread — on a light one the porridge never releases butter and stays a plain thick mush.
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Tip
Use a heavy pot. In a thin pan the grain scorches even on the lowest heat and the whole thing tastes of smoke.
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Variation
The classic mountain version uses pork cracklings: dice 150 g of cured fat, render it crisp and pour it over with its fat instead of the mushrooms.
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Storage
Banosh is not a keeper. If some is left, slice it cold and fry the slices until crusted — a different dish, but a good one.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 560 kcal | 2,240 kcal |
| Protein | 14 g | 56 g |
| Fat | 34 g | 136 g |
| Carbohydrates | 48 g | 192 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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