Cut the lard and put it on the bottom of the pot. When the fat is melted, pour in the onion and garlic. Take out the onion and garlic in a separate container, and pour water into the pot. Boil water, put meat in it, cover with a lid and cook for an hour. Cut the potatoes, add to the broth and cook for another 10 minutes. Rinse the millet, add to the meat, cook for another 15 minutes under the lid. Add onion, garlic, mix and infuse for 10 minutes under the lid.
Detailed recipe
Products
Millet – 2 cups
Meat – 300 grams Fat
– 100 grams
Onions – 1 head
Garlic – 5 teeth
Potatoes (optional ingredient) – 3 pieces
How to cook May porridge
1. Light a fire and achieve a not strong fire.
2. Cut the lard into cubes and put on the bottom of the pot.
3. Set the pot over the fire, so that the bacon sizzles moderately.
4. Peel and chop the onion and garlic.
5. When the lard is melted, add onion and garlic to the pot.
6. Fry the onion and garlic for 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
7. Put the onion and garlic in a container, set aside.
8. Pour 2 liters of water into the pot and place it over the fire.
9. Boil water, adjust the fire so that the water boils moderately.
10. Put the meat in the pot, cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour.
11. Cut the potatoes, add to the meat and cook for another 10 minutes.
12. Rinse the millet and add to the meat, mix and cook for another 15 minutes under the lid.
13. Add onion and garlic, cook for another 3 minutes.
14. Salt the May porridge, mix and insist without fire for 10 minutes.
Tasty Facts
– Cooking May porridge on the night from the last day of April to May 1 is a purely pagan tradition. However, given how long and deep paganism was spread in the Slavs, the tradition has remained to this day. On the night of April 30 to May 1, Walpurgis Night (“May Eve”) is celebrated.
– They cook May porridge in a pot on a fire. First, garlic and onions are fried in lard, and only then they start cooking May porridge. Other attributes of the May night are the May tree, fire, songs and dances.
– It is in May that it becomes obvious that spring has come, and the holiday is dedicated to spring and the fertility that follows it. May night now is nothing more than a good tradition to drive away spirits. According to legend, the spirits call on the cattle and the harvest of the disease. In ancient times, the well-being of vast territories depended on the climate and the health of livestock, so the May Night holiday was given special attention. May porridge had a certain meaning: firstly, the importance of millet was emphasized (millet porridge is one of the most ancient in Russia); secondly, porridge should be satisfying: it is important that not expensive meat was used for May porridge, but a more affordable product – lard).
– If you decide to celebrate May night according to all the canons, you should bring products for May porridge and a bowler hat to the place of the holiday, select and decorate the May tree with ribbons, prepare music, sing for the harvest: “Lark, bring spring on your tail, on the plow, harrow, on a rye pile, on an oat sheaf. For fun, take turns reading Gogol’s work dedicated to the holiday, listening to Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera of the same name. For adrenaline, it is recommended to sing “Walpurgis Night” by the Gaza Strip group. Singing is supposed to be strictly in chorus in order to scare away the spirits as far as possible.
– May porridge must be salted at the very end, when the taste of salted fat is fully revealed.
– Mandatory products for May porridge are millet, lard and onions. The rest of the items are optional.
– Since May porridge with meat is cooked for a rather long time, it is necessary to choose and honor the cook, bring drinks to him and in no case leave him alone for a long time, because May porridge should be cooked in a noisy and cheerful atmosphere. It’s also best to bring snacks to keep you full throughout the May night.