Zhur
A traditional Belarusian sour soup whose tang comes from fermented rye (or oat) flour rather than vinegar. The starter is cooked with smoked pork, potatoes, root vegetables, and marjoram, then served with a hard-boiled egg and sour cream.
Ingredients
- 400 mlrye sour starter
- 400 gsmoked pork ribs
- 1500 mlwater
- 400 gpotatoes
- 150 gonion
- 100 gcarrot
- 3 clovesgarlic
- 1 tbspdried marjoram
- 2 wholebay leaf
- 4 wholeallspice
- 4 wholehard-boiled eggs
- 4 tbspsour cream
- 1 tspsalt
- ½ tspblack pepper
Method
- Make the starter 4 to 5 days ahead: mix rye flour with warm water in a glass jar, drop in a crust of rye bread, cover with cloth, and leave at room temperature, stirring once a day, until it smells clearly sour.
- Put the smoked pork ribs in a pot with the water, bay leaves, and allspice, bring to a boil, and simmer 30 minutes. Lift out the ribs, pull off the meat, and return it to the pot.
- Add the cubed potatoes and simmer 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chop the onion and grate the carrot, and soften them in a little oil until golden; add to the pot.
- Stir the starter well, then pour it into the soup. Keep it at a gentle simmer (do not let it boil hard) for 5 minutes.
- Rub the marjoram between your palms and stir it in with the crushed garlic, salt, and black pepper. Remove the bay leaves.
- Serve hot with half a hard-boiled egg, a spoonful of sour cream, and extra potatoes if you like.
FAQ
It is fermented rye (or oat) flour: mix the flour with warm water in a glass jar, drop in a crust of rye bread, cover with cloth, and leave at room temperature 4 to 5 days, stirring once a day. It is ready when clearly sour and aromatic. Keep it in the fridge, or freeze in portions.
Both are traditional. Belarusian zhur is historically often oat-based (milder, paler); rye is richer and more sour. For a gluten-free version use a buckwheat starter (it ferments longer, about two weeks).
It was boiled hard. Add it at the end and keep the soup at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil.
Yes: zhur z malakom is the lean Belarusian version, whitened with milk and without smoked meat. It is also good on a vegetable broth.
Marjoram is the traditional aroma of this soup (rub it between your palms). A crust of rye bread in the starter speeds fermentation and deepens the flavour.
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