This Czech soup Kulajda is super popular in our country. We are happy to show you a restaurant quality recipe (as Jan cooks this version at work, too). And it is also our first video recipe! Do not forget to turn on subtitles for English. Our Kulajda is also gluten free, we do not thicken it with flour, but with potatoes.
For 4 portions:
1 big onion
1 clove of garlic
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp caraway seeds
15g dried forest mushrooms
400g potatoes (we used marabel)
400ml chicken stock
300ml milk
60g ghee
30g butter
60g dill
200g mushrooms (champignons, oyster mushrooms or cepes when in season)
salt, pepper, olive oil
4 eggs
Separate the stalks from the dill and tie them with string. Heat up the onion, caraway seeds and chopped garlic with half of the dill. Soak the dried mushrooms full in about 200ml of hot water. After ten minutes, dry the mushrooms and add them to the onion and garlic. Add the sugar and let it melt, then add the vinegar and let it cook, until it feels like a syrup. It is better not to sniff at the saucepan at this point, as the smell is really aggressive.
Cut off the skin of the potatoes, so that you have just big cubes that you can dice for later. Put the rest (the small irregular pieces) to the soup, pour in the chicken stock, the water from dried mushrooms, add the dill stalks and bring to boil. Season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes soften. Pour in the milk and let it simmer. Blend until smooth (do not forget to take out the dill). Add the diced potatoes and cook until soft.
While you are cooking the potatoes, sauté the fresh mushrooms with some ghee and olive oil and season with pepper. Add them to the soup and season with freshly chopped dill, salt and pepper. If you want, you can also add some vinegar and sugar. A poached egg should not be missing, but that is up to you! Enjoy!
