I havent been home for more than a year…i mean in Hungary… and happened sooo many things with me since then. I have to say, it was truly the best part of my whole year (i started in Thailand and i will finish in Chile but it doesnt make any difference). I loved to be home. As more time i spend far away as more i am able to see the magic which keeps pushing me back.

I promised not to work on my holiday – i mean cooking actually. Was a lot to do – helped my family around the house and in (my) little garden (whats luckily full of all kinds of amazing, fresh and bio vegetables, fruits and nuts). However… i did cooked once when i invited my childhood friends for a garden party. And i am grateful for that – because finally I found the reason to be proud of being Hungarian.

Kovászosuborka-leves to start

Basically its a cold cucumber soup (cucumber is uborka). BUT the story would be supereasy like this… i need to tell u more about an absolut hungarian thing – what is the “kovász”? Well… in this case it means fementation with bread. In Hungary we do this “homemade pickle” cucumber in every summer – because u need pure sun to start the fermentation – some people say that heat is enough but they are cheating. No flavour can be compared to the one which have been left on the sun approx.  for a week. It does the job alone – u can easily try yourself.

U need a clean big bottle (get a glass, no plastic) – we always use a 2 l one.

 Wash your cucumbers – we usually use smaller ones (gherkins) but u can try with the snake as well – cut them from one top almost thru – then do the same from the other side just turn the cucumber 90*so u almost cut into 4 but it still stays together.

Put a garlic clove on the bottom (if u do like garlic, its up to u) with some fresh dill and arrange your little greens first next, then on the top of each other.

Mix approx. 2-3 tbsp salt in 2 litres of water and fill up the bottle carefully leaving no air between the cucumbers.

Finally get a piece of old bread and put on the top of the bottle pushing in the liquid.

Nothing left but cover the top – let it breath – no need for lid, a paper or a towel will do the job perfectly (just make sure to fix it – its more for flies and bugs).

Good job, well done. If u have luck and sunny days – u can check the cucumber in a week. Usually getting ready when its color turns from green to brownish, like the olives, bitter green…

Well…. lets go with the most refreshing soup u can ever enjoy in 40degrees… :)

Play bravely with the ingredients (blend all together and season), i just show u a way….:

• 600ml strong veg stock (i found pretty good with more fennel, garlic and sweet carrots)
• 600ml yoghurt
• 300ml sour cream
• 800ml liquid of the cucumber (be careful how salty u made before)
• 12 pickled cucumber
• crust of dry rustic bread

Best way to serve with fresh dill, crispy smoked bacon crust and brown nutty bread. Hmmmmmmm. An absolut chill out starter in a boiling hot hungarian summer.

Jó étvágyat!!!