Amid all the lectures, parties, and house chores, some days, it might be pretty hard for a student to make a decent meal for themselves. This is usually where the convenient yet unhealthy options come to attention – oven pizzas, dumplings with unidentifiable meat/veggies, or their more refined, but just as bad cousin, takeout food. In this post, I’ll try to suggest a quick and easy way to make some proper delicious food – and further, meet a new culture through its cuisine. Estonian food! Not just that – QUICK and EASY Estonian food! After all, there is no better way to indulge in a people’s culture than by not just tasting their food but also making it
NB! No Estonian grandmas required for these recipes.
First up, Kama. Historically, it’s been a non-perishable, easy-to-transport food. Today, it will fulfill the same task of feeding hungry bellies. The Kama is now an excellent option for dessert or for those with a sweet tooth, and it can even be breakfast. While the original recipe for Kama includes drying a variety of grains, such as rye, wheat, oats, barley, and beans, that will not be the case for this recipe since most of us are both lazy and have the privilege of having the pre-produced Kama nearby, we will just make a trip to the shop and buy ourselves some nice pre-made Kama mixture.
Now, this mixture alone will not be the delicious dessert I promised, the way I like to make it is:
- Mix equal parts of Kama and Kefir
- Add a teaspoon of sugar (I like it sweet, but you can add less and adjust to your taste)
- A teaspoon of raspberry jam
This will be great by itself, but if you want to give it a little extra, some good toppings are:
- Chopped banana
- Apple (especially in apple season, it’s basically free!)
- Almonds, Nuts
Pretty much anything! You can add whatever you have in your fridge.
Photo credit: estoniancuisine.com
Next up, if you want something more filling for lunch, I’d recommend Kiluvõileib!
It’s simple but yummy, and making it is easier than trying to pronounce it.
Ingredients:
- Dark rye bread (Leib)
- Smoked fish
- One egg
- Butter
- Green onions
- Herbs
Preparation:
Boil the egg and toast the Leib, butter the bread generously and get the fish out. In stores, you will usually find it pre-packed and ready to go; just look for “Sprotid.” Assemble the sandwich(es), and you’re good to go! This dish is also relatively healthy, full of protein and fiber 🙂
Photo credit: Aron Urb
And there you have it – quick, easy, and above all, delicious. I hope you enjoy them, and feel free to post some tasty pictures and tag us 🙂
