Banosh

Banosh is an iconic, genuine Hutsul dish from the Ukrainian Carpathians, a hearty porridge of cornmeal cooked in cream or sour cream. It is the pride of Hutsul cuisine, a dish traditionally made by shepherds high in the mountains.

The main feature of true banosh is that it is cooked precisely in rich home-made cream or sour cream, not in water or milk, which gives it an inimitable creamy flavour and tenderness. Cornmeal is gradually sprinkled into the boiling cream and continuously, patiently stirred (traditionally with a wooden spoon and only clockwise) until the mass thickens and a golden oil begins to come to the surface — this is the main sign of a successful banosh. Banosh is served hot, necessarily with the classic Hutsul accompaniments: crumbly sheep's bryndza, crisp cracklings, and fried wild mushrooms. The combination of tender creamy porridge, salty bryndza, and aromatic mushrooms creates the rich, warming flavour of mountain cuisine. Banosh is not merely food but part of the authentic culture of the Hutsul region, a symbol of Carpathian hospitality that every visitor to this land is sure to taste.