How to properly prepare uzvar from dried fruits. How to make uzvar from dried fruits, recipe

Uzvar - traditional Christmas drink

Uzvar is a traditional Christmas dish, just like kutia. This drink has special meaning for people who revere Orthodox traditions.

History and traditions associated with uzvar

The name of the drink “uzvar” takes its origin from the words “cook” and “brew.” The ancient Slavs called various herbal drinks, fruit compotes, berry decoctions and jelly uzvar. The dish also has other popular names: compote, var, yushka, kulaga, kiselitsa.

Uzvar is always present on the table at Christmas, Old New Year and Epiphany. The drink is served on Christmas Eve on January 6th, and the next day on the 7th. According to tradition, uzvar and kutya were placed together in a holy corner near the icons. Under them they laid ears of wheat or straw, which the head of the family brought into the house on Christmas Eve evening.

How our ancestors prepared uzvar

Previously, kulaga was prepared slightly differently. In addition to the required ingredients - water and dried fruits, sugar beets and medicinal herbs were used. Valerian, hawthorn, nettle, lemon balm, chicory, and plantain were added. This uzvar contained many amino acids, vitamins and microelements.

The symbolic meaning of the drink

Kulaga is a rich dried fruit compote. Dried fruits and berries were prepared in the fall in order to enjoy a tasty and healthy drink all winter.

Uzvar carries the same symbolic meaning as kutya - eternal life and rebirth. Birth and repose, seeing off the old year and welcoming the new, nature’s sleep in winter and its spring resurrection - this expresses the perception of time by our ancestors. Eternal life and the absence of an end as such - the possibility of an endless cyclical beginning and spring rebirth along with nature.

Rules for preparing uzvar

You can prepare dried fruit compote not only for religious holidays. Throughout autumn and winter, this warm drink will be very useful and will help cope with vitamin deficiency.

Unlike compote, which is boiled, uzvar is brewed like tea. That is, the fruits are steamed in boiling water and infused, but not boiled. Thus, the drink turns out to be more saturated and retains more of the beneficial substances contained in dried fruits.

Basics of preparing uzvar

The classic recipe for preparing uzvar for Christmas involves using a standard set of dried fruits: apple, pear, dried apricots and prunes. For a sweeter taste, cherries or dried grapes are added, and rose hips are added for benefits and a unique aroma.

There are no strict restrictions on cooking time, as well as rules on technique:

All components are dosed according to individual taste preferences;
For 1 liter of liquid it is recommended to use approximately 300 g of dried fruits and berries;
The ingredients are simmered over low heat until fully cooked;
It is recommended to remove apples and pears from the uzvar a little earlier, as they boil quickly;
After brewing, the drink must be infused for 2-3 hours.

The drink will turn out even tastier if you add honey, various berries, lemon juice and seasonings to it. The recipe for uzvar with orange zest, spices and yogurt will surprise you with its unusual taste and aroma.

Preparing ingredients and utensils

Dried fruits and berries must be washed well in running water before cooking. They can be soaked in hot water for a few minutes and then rinsed again in cold water.

For a richer taste of the drink, you can soak dried fruits overnight before cooking. If the amount of fruits and berries is not particularly important, then the spices must be carefully weighed. The same applies to lemon - it should be strictly dosed so as not to spoil the drink.

It is recommended to cook uzvar in an enamel pan. The finished drink is filtered through a colander and served in any container. Kulaga can also be prepared in a slow cooker using the “stew” mode. The recipe for uzvar-jelly with cinnamon and cloves is prepared with the addition of starch. This drink is served chilled at the Christmas table.

The benefits of uzvar for the body

Our ancestors also knew about the benefits and healing power of dried fruits. Thanks to preparation without digestion, they retain their qualities and make the drink incredibly beneficial for the body.

Contains vitamins: A, B, and C; and microelements: calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium;
Dried apricots saturate the body with carotene and help in the fight against excess weight;
Prunes are able to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and help cope with stress;
Pears ease bowel movements thanks to their insoluble fiber;
Dried grapes have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart and lungs.

Bottom line

Uzvar has been a traditional drink for a long time, served on Christmas and holy holidays. There are many recipes for its preparation, but there are no strict restrictions or rules. The main goal is to preserve the benefits of dried fruits and create a unique taste of the dish.

For a long time, uzvar, made from dried fruits, was exclusively part of the Christmas table. Today it can be made or bought at any time of the year. Moreover, in the summer it is healthier to drink this particular drink instead of compote or tea. It restores the water-salt balance faster, which is important in hot and sunny weather.

Benefits of the drink

The name of the drink comes from the word “brew”, because it needs to be prepared by infusing, not boiling.

It is based on dried fruits. They must be carefully selected. During an external inspection, it is necessary to exclude a product that has traces of rot, plaque and large creases. Not everyone has dried fruits that are prepared by themselves or by close relatives. It is better to buy individual berries and fruits in stores rather than mixtures. If possible, you should check with the seller whether fine salt was used during drying. In recent years, it has been used to normalize the humidity level at.

Uzvar should contain apples, pears, raisins, dried apricots or apricots. Additionally, you can use cherries, rose hips or hawthorn. Dried they contain more microelements than fresh.

The main beneficial properties of uzvar:

improvement of intestinal function;
relieving inflammation in internal organs;
normalization of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems;
increasing immunity;
removal of salts and toxins from the body;
improvement of brain activity.

All these properties are associated with the presence of large amounts of A, B, C, microelements and fiber in dried fruits. Apples traditionally can cause increased gas formation. Therefore, for people who have a tendency to painful flatulence, it is better to reduce their quantity or volume of drink consumed.

When consumed regularly, compote helps increase hemoglobin, so it is also indicated for pregnant women prone to anemia.

Preparing uzvar: features of the process

How to cook uzvar of dried fruits? The recipe is not that complicated. The taste and properties of compote directly depend on what ingredients are included in it. The inclusion of hawthorn makes a difference, such as adding heart-healthy substances. The uzvar must include raisins and dried apricots.

In order to prepare a delicious drink, you need:

50 g of dried fruits of different types and 80 g of pears and apples;
honey – 3 tablespoons;
water – 2 l.;
lemon - slice.

Honey should not be included in the composition if there is a possibility of an allergic reaction. You can replace it with orange zest.

You should first wash the dried fruits that will be used in the drink. For those who prefer to consume dried fruits themselves, you need to soak them for 2-3 hours before cooking.

The process will then look like this:

bring water to a boil;
put dried fruits in a separate pan;
pour boiling water over them;
add honey, sugar to taste and lemon;
let it brew for 2 hours.

You can drink the drink immediately after cooling, but its taste and color will be less intense.

If you want to speed up the cooking process, you can place dried fruits in cold water. Bring everything to a boil, then immediately remove from heat and leave the pan covered. After the drink has cooled, add lemon and honey. Uzvar created according to this recipe retains fewer nutrients, but is more familiar to housewives.

Grandma's recipes

Knowing the intricacies of preparing uzvar in the old days, you can make the same drink with different tastes. The best thing is to leave it for 2 days. It should be in a cool place so that it does not ferment.

You can make the drink healthier if you add dried bananas or dates instead of sugar. If you want to prepare uzvar according to an old recipe, then apples and pears must first be soaked and cooked first. When the water almost boils, add more delicate dried fruits - raisins and dried apricots.

The tart taste of uzvar is suitable for relieving toxicosis during pregnancy. To do this, just prepare a drink with a handful of rose hips.

You can increase your tone in case of overwork or low blood pressure by including uzvar or. For those who do not like the intense smell of these components, it is enough to lower them in a strainer into the finished drink for 10–15 minutes.

There are no restrictions on the volume of use. Therefore, you can safely prepare uzvar for several days in advance and drink it as the desire arises. This will bring benefits and energy to the body!

Hi all!

A little more and winter will come, a time when our body will need a lot of strength and energy in order not to “hibernate” and to always be in good shape.

Our ancestors knew a lot of ancient recipes for tasty and healthy drinks, which not only helped our body adapt to the onset of cold weather, but also protected it from various viruses and infections.

And one of these miracle remedies was uzvar made from dried fruits or vzvar (from the word “brew”), or simply a compote of dried fruits and berries, sometimes with the addition of honey.

On long winter evenings, such a drink will not only give you strength and energy, but also improve your mood, and will also appeal to both children and adults!

From this article you will learn:

Dried fruit uzvar - beneficial properties

If the uzvar is prepared correctly, it will definitely retain all the most useful components: vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, antioxidants, pectin and fiber, and minerals.

This drink will have the following healing properties:

removes free radicals - a powerful antioxidant
relieves inflammation in the body
improves immunity
improves gastrointestinal function
increases hemoglobin
tones
has cleansing and diuretic effects

Uzvar made from dried fruits is useful for those who often suffer from colds, have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, removes toxins and bad cholesterol, and perfectly cleanses blood vessels and blood of accumulated toxins.

Vzvar is the number one remedy for fighting colds and hangovers!!!

But in order for this drink to be truly useful, it must be prepared correctly.

Now I will share with you good recipes for making uzvar at home.

What dried fruits can be used for cooking?

The most common ingredients for infusion are:

dried apples
dried
dried pears
dry, cranberries, rowan berries, cherries, strawberries, dogwoods

Spices for uzvar

The broth may also contain spices, sugar and honey.

The main spices that can be added to prepare the drink are:

carnation
ginger
lemon or orange zest

How to properly prepare broth?

In order for the broth to retain all its beneficial properties, you need to remember one, the most important feature of its preparation.

A couple of minutes after the water with dried fruits boils, the uzvar is removed from the stove and the drink is infused until completely cooled, but at least four hours (ideally left overnight), and then sweetened with honey.

Preparation technology:

Sort dried fruits, rinse thoroughly under warm running water to remove sand and soak in water to swell. For about 3 hours.
The preparation proportions are approximately 1:5 (i.e. 200 grams of dried fruits per 1 liter of water). Per liter 1 tbsp honey
Pour water over dried fruits, bring to a boil, add spices and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove the compote from the heat, close the lid and leave for at least 4 hours; the longer it sits, the tastier and healthier it will become.
Strain the infused uzvar through a fine sieve or cheesecloth and add honey, stir until it is completely dissolved.

Usually the broth is prepared with sugar, but I think and will not add it to this drink and do not recommend it to you.

The berries that remain after straining are delicious! Children will really like them, just be careful, there may be bones in them.

Try making this ancient drink before the holidays, let it brew and you won’t need any overseas store-bought juices.

Uzvar will enhance digestion, cleanse the blood of toxins, lift your spirits and give you vigor!

Uzvar recipe - recipe

Contraindications for use

I hope you enjoy this healing, tasty, vitamin drink and share your feedback.

I will also be glad to receive any of your new interesting recipes for making broth, send them!!!

Alena Yasneva was with you, see you again!!!

About what uzvar- this is essentially a compote of dried fruits, does everyone know? Has everyone heard about its special usefulness, are you impressed? Do you know how to cook so that it is not like in kindergarten, but tasty and so that you want to drink and not stop? School and kindergarten canteens, and most catering establishments offer colored water with a faint taste of dried apples as uzvar - and, believe me, this liquid has nothing in common with real dried fruit compote. By the way, this is probably why uzvar is not very popular among the general mass of people - they drink it only when there is absolutely nothing left to drink. This is in schools and canteens. But as soon as someone has a chance to try real uzvar, cooked richly and sincerely, that’s it, the attitude dramatically changes its vector. In general, let's go without further ado and emotions, I know that my uzvar is beautiful, and therefore I’m ready to tell you so that your uzvar will also become beautiful.

Uzvar or dried fruit compote significantly improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, improves immunity, and increases hemoglobin. In addition, uzvar improves the functioning of the heart muscle, has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the respiratory system, and removes salts from the body. This is one of the first folk remedies to help children with an acetonic crisis.

So, answering the question, I want to first and foremost focus on the fact that to get an excellent result you just need to be... generous. It’s better that you then slightly dilute the uzvar with boiling water or light sweet syrup than look in bewilderment at a jug of a drink that you don’t want to drink at all.

Ingredients:

approximately 1 liter of dried fruits;

sugar to taste.

We get supplies of dried fruits and don’t be greedy. This time I found dried apples, pears, plums and grapes. Anything goes!

Mine if necessary. My dried fruits were prepared by me personally, everything was washed and dried beforehand, so at the stage of preparing dried fruit compote, I no longer bother with this issue, however, if you bought a dryer for uzvar somewhere on the market, wash it without fail.

Place in a large saucepan.

Fill with water.

Bring to a boil.

Turn off the fire. If desired, lightly flavor the uzvar with something citrusy and cover with a lid.

And let it sit for at least 12 hours. Only after a while the uzvar will acquire a bright taste, become very rich, multifaceted, and interesting. Strain, add honey or boiled sugar syrup if necessary, and enjoy.

To make the taste of the uzvar richer, you can add other fruits and not only fruits to the dried fruit compote, in addition to the standard dried apples and pears:

Prunes;

Hawthorn;

A piece of lemon or a couple of orange slices;

A stick of cinnamon or vanilla.

Traditional national Ukrainian drink. It is prepared from dried fruits. In the old days it was prepared exclusively for Christmas. Nowadays they drink it at any time of the year, even in summer, because it perfectly quenches thirst and has a very pleasant taste and aroma.

Useful properties of uzvar

Uzvar is prepared from dried fruits. There may be apples, pears, plums, cherries, and raisins. Sometimes dried apricots and hawthorn fruits are added. The benefits of uzvar are due precisely to the beneficial substances contained in berries and fruits. After all, it has long been known that the content of microelements in dried fruits is higher than in fresh fruits. When the drink is prepared correctly, it is possible to preserve all the vitamins (B 1, B 2, A, C).

Uzvar made from dried fruits is useful for many diseases. Doctors advise drinking it to strengthen the immune system, especially in the spring, for gastrointestinal diseases and problems with the cardiovascular system. It is also able to remove toxins from the body. It is for this reason that it is prescribed for poisoning or intestinal diseases. Naturally, in this case it is not recommended to put cherries and plums in compote. Uzvar is prepared using apples. This helps to hold the chair together and improve motor skills. Here's a drink.

How to properly prepare a drink like uzvar?

What is this - uzvar? Many will say that this is an ordinary compote, only made not from fresh fruits, but from dried ones. But this is not entirely true. An ordinary drink does not have as many beneficial properties as uzvar. You need to be able to cook it correctly in order to preserve all the most valuable things in it.

When preparing a regular compote, you boil it for some time after adding fruits and berries. You can’t do this with an uzvar. It must be removed from the heat immediately after the water and dried fruits boil.

In general, before cooking, berries and fruits need to be thoroughly washed, sometimes they are even soaked so that they swell. There are several opinions on this matter. You can soak dried fruits overnight, this is what our grandmothers did. Or you can put them in water just before cooking for literally 15-20 minutes.

Honey or sugar in uzvar?

In principle, when we cook uzvar, it is not necessary to observe any clear proportions. The more fruit you add, the richer the uzvar will be. Not everyone likes it. Some housewives prefer a light, unsaturated compote. It's a matter of your taste. As for sugar, it all depends on your preferences. We believe that uzvar must certainly be sweet, and you decide for yourself how much sugar to add.

If you are preparing uzvar for the first time (we have already explained what it is), then until you have decided on your personal preferences, you can maintain the following proportions of ingredients: you can put half a kilogram of fruit and 250 grams of sugar per two liters of water.

There is one more important nuance. Don't be surprised if the compote doesn't turn out as sweet as you wanted, even though you added enough sugar. The fact is that the dried fruits themselves absorb some of it. That is why we advise you to put a little more sugar than in an ordinary compote.

When the uzvar has cooled down a little, you can add a couple of tablespoons of honey to it.

Is it possible to prepare uzvar in another way?

What is this - uzvar? All cookbooks say that it is a soft drink made from dried berries and fruits, sometimes with the addition of a small amount of honey. Probably, the name itself comes from the word “brew”, because this drink cannot be boiled. There is a cooking recipe in which fruits and berries are poured with boiling water, then covered with a lid and infused. Of course, this method of preparation is considered more gentle, since it allows you to preserve all the nutritional properties and vitamins in this drink. However, you need to remember that in this case you must leave the uzvar for a long time, otherwise it may turn out to be too light and unsaturated. They say that the longer it infuses, the tastier and healthier it turns out.

The drink can only be seasoned with honey, and sugar should not be added at all. Sometimes cloves and cinnamon are added to it, even lemon and orange zest. Diabetics need to be careful with this product. It is better for them not to eat it because of its excessive sweetness.

Preparing uzvar for kutya

To prepare festive kutia, you definitely need uzvar. “What is this - kutya?” - you ask. This is a traditional Christmas dish. It is prepared from wheat, raisins, poppy seeds, and nuts. In the old days they said that the tastier the kutia, the richer the year would be. This kind of kutia was also called “rich”.

To prepare it you definitely need an uzvar. For kutya, the following ingredients are taken:

Peeled wheat - 1 cup.
Poppy - 130 g.
Water - 250-300 g.
Salt.
Raisins (preferably light) - 150-170 g.
Walnuts (lightly roasted) - 120 g.
Natural honey - 4-5 tablespoons.

For the uzvar you will need:

Dried fruits - 200 g.
Water - 2 glasses.

The wheat is thoroughly washed and boiled for at least two hours. However, before doing this, it should be soaked in water overnight. This will make the cooking process easier. The poppy seeds need to be steamed and left to brew for one hour. Then drain off the excess liquid and grind it in a mortar with sugar or using a blender until milk appears. Raisins are also poured with boiling water.

As a rule, Christmas kutia is a generous kutia. It is seasoned not only with honey, but also with uzvar, which is prepared very richly. After it has cooled, honey is added to it.

The finished wheat is mixed with raisins, poppy seeds, and nuts. You can add pieces of chopped dried fruits from the drink. And then season the kutya with uzvar and honey.

Instead of an afterword

Uzvar is a wonderful, healthy and vitamin drink. It is quite possible to cook it in the summer heat; it perfectly quenches thirst. In addition, it is used for medicinal purposes. Even in the old days, the drink began to be prepared in the second half of winter, when the body was exhausted and was in great need of vitamins and beneficial elements. Try this miracle drink and appreciate its taste.