Greeks and Turks are waging a "diplomatic war" to appropriate a Galician dish? What is known

It is about tripe, which is considered a traditional part of the local cuisine in Galicia.

Львівські флячки авторства Пані Стефи

22 May, 17:02

Greeks and Turks are arguing over a tripe dish, which each side is trying to establish as an element of its own national heritage. Restaurant consultant and writer Vsevolod Polishchuk drew attention to this. He stated, that in reality it is about a dish well-known in our region - flaki, which belongs to Galician cuisine.

"Flaki, also known as tripe, also the pride of Galicia - a thick soup made from boiled white stomachs. A full meal or a hangover cure," "5 Polishchuk noted in a social media post.

According to him, a kind of culinary "diplomatic war" is currently unfolding in the public space. In Greece, they are trying to register a similar dish called "pats" as part of their national tradition, even citing possible mentions from ancient texts, particularly "The Odyssey."

At the same time, in Turkey, they are promoting "ishkembe" - a tripe soup, which has a long history in Ottoman cuisine and was widely popular in Istanbul in the Middle Ages.

Polishchuk ironically notes that both sides are actively building historical arguments, trying to prove the primary origin of their version of the dish, although it is about a culinary phenomenon that exists in various variations in many peoples of the region.

In this context, the researcher appeals to Ukrainian gastronomy enthusiasts with a call not to lose their own layer of traditional cuisine.

"Doesn't it seem to you that it's time to intervene and look for mentions of how Lviv flaki were enjoyed, if not by Trypillian matrons, then at least by Scythians and Sarmatians?" - Polishchuk ironically remarks.

Flaki in Galicia remain a classic - a thick, hearty dish, traditionally served as a full meal or "restorative" food. The recipe for this soup made from veal tripe can be found in the book "First Ukrainian General Practical Cuisine 1929" by the famous culinary expert Olha Franko.

This is how they remember this dish by the descendants of the renowned hostess: "Everyone in our house loved 'Lviv flaki'. My sister and I never saw them being prepared, we came when the dish was ready, and we enjoyed it very much."

We remind you that according to the recipe for flaki from Olha Franko , for the dish, cleaned veal tripe is used, which is boiled several times, draining the water each time. Then the tripe is boiled with a set of vegetables (carrots, celery, parsley, onions, cabbage), after which it is cut into strips.

Separately, a "za-przhka" (roux) is prepared from butter and flour, which is added to the broth for thickness. Carrots, spices, and seasonings are also added to the dish, after which everything is cooked for some more time. Sour cream is added before serving.