Kasha

Lore & Background

The word kasha was borrowed from Russian kásha and first appears in English-language sources in 1808. The English usage, referring primarily to buckwheat, probably originated with Jewish immigrants, as did the form קאַשי kashi (literally 'porridges'). The word is used in Belarus, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Moldova, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.

In Ashkenazi Jewish culture, kasha is often served with onions and brown gravy on top of farfalle, known as kasha varnishkes. It is a popular filling for knishes and is sometimes included in matzah-ball soup. In Poland, cooked buckwheat groats are called kasza gryczana, and kasza can apply to many kinds of groats including millet, barley, pearl barley, oats, and farina. Polish blood sausage made with buckwheat, barley, or rice is called kaszanka.

In Russia, buckwheat is referred to formally as гречиха (grechi(k)ha) or colloquially as гречка (grechka), which gave rise to Yiddish words gretshkes/greytshkelach and retshkes/reytshkelach. Kasha is one of the Russian traditional dishes, and together with shchi it used to constitute staple foods for poorer people, commemorated in the saying 'щи да каша – пища наша' (shchi da kasha – pishcha nasha). Butter is often eaten with most kasha recipes, leading to the saying 'кашу маслом не испортишь' (kashu maslom ne isportish).

Reader's Guide

Kasha holds significance as a traditional staple across Central and Eastern Europe and in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. Its legacy is rooted in its role as a simple, nourishing food for poorer populations, as reflected in Russian proverbs. The dish's versatility is shown by its many forms: as a porridge, a filling for knishes, an ingredient in matzah-ball soup, or as kasha varnishkes with onions and gravy. In Poland, kasza encompasses a range of groats, and buckwheat consumption is notable, with annual per capita consumption of groats at approximately 1.56 kg in 2013. Russia has the largest gross buckwheat consumption per capita at 15 kg per year, with buckwheat comprising 20% of all cereal consumption. The word itself, borrowed from Russian in 1808, reflects cultural exchange, and its use in multiple Slavic languages underscores its widespread importance. The dish's enduring presence in comfort food and traditional sayings highlights its cultural resonance.

Did You Know?

• The word kasha first appears in English-language sources in 1808.
• In Polish, kasza can apply to millet, barley, pearl barley, oats, and farina, as well as buckwheat.
• Annual per capita consumption of groats in Poland was approximately 1.56 kg per year in 2013.
• Typical annual per capita buckwheat consumption in Russia is around 3–4 kg, not 15 kg as sometimes claimed.