"Ogonёk," "khrenodёr," "gorlodёr"
In different regions of Russia, this condiment is referred to as "ogonёk," "khrenodёr," or "gorlodёr." In the Urals and Siberia, they call it "horseradish snack" or "khrinovka." If you want to put it simply, they say it’s something that makes your eyes tear up, and there’s a fire in your throat!
Chrenovina is served as a sauce with meat dishes, jellied meat, dumplings, and potatoes. Some enthusiasts even spread it on sandwiches with lard. Chrenovina is made from horseradish root, tomatoes, garlic, and salt. One of the most common additions to chrenovina is hot chili pepper. It adds extra taste and aroma, as well as an "alternate" spiciness to the sauce. Other ingredients that may be included in chrenovina are ground pepper, bell pepper, greens, vinegar, sugar, and even carrots and apples.
Chrenovina is a product that contains many beneficial substances that help strengthen the immune system. However, like any other spicy dish, its consumption should be moderate.
Health benefits
Chrenovina, like many other seasonings, has stood the test of time. Horseradish root has been used for centuries as a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory agent for ARVI. Horseradish acts on the body as a stimulating agent, affecting all systems and organs. With proper and moderate consumption, it improves appetite, increases the acidity of gastric juice, lowers blood sugar levels, and regulates blood pressure.
Time-tested recipes
This sauce can be bought at the store, or you can make it yourself. Kaspiyinform has gathered several tried-and-true delicious recipes.
The simplest classic recipe
Ingredients: To prepare chrenovina at home, you need 500 ml of water, 5 tablespoons of table vinegar, 4 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of salt, and 1 kg of horseradish root.
Method of preparation: The horseradish root, peeled, should be thoroughly washed and finely chopped. Add the other ingredients to the resulting mash. Distribute the prepared mixture into clean, dry jars and put them in the refrigerator. Let the sauce infuse for three days.
In Russia, chrenovina is most often made from horseradish root, tomatoes, garlic, and salt. Image by Racool_8photo on ru.freepik.com.
Chrenovina without cooking
Olga: "This recipe was passed to me by my grandmother. She was from Siberia. They called it goloedёr. This recipe does not require cooking, but it keeps perfectly all winter in the refrigerator."
Ingredients: tomatoes — 2 kg, horseradish root — 200 g, garlic — 200 g, salt — 2 tsp or to taste, sugar — 2 tsp.
Method of preparation: Cut the tomatoes into pieces and remove the stems. Then, pass them through a meat grinder or blender. Pour the resulting tomato mass into a clean container. Then, peel the garlic and horseradish and chop them separately. Mix them with the tomato mass, adding salt and sugar to taste. Allow the mixture to infuse for 2-3 hours. After that, you can pour it into jars.
Depending on the variety of apples, chrenovina will be more sour or sweeter. Image by Racool_studio on ru.freepik.com.
Chrenovina with apples
Ingredients: sour apples — 2 kg; garlic — 100 g; horseradish root — 100 g; vinegar essence — 1 tsp; sugar, salt — to taste.
Method of preparation: Grate the apples, and pass the horseradish and garlic through a meat grinder or chop them using any method convenient for you. Mix in a saucepan, adding salt, sugar, and vinegar. Heat slowly for about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Depending on the variety of apples, chrenovina will be more sour or sweeter.
Contraindications
It should be noted that even healthy people should not overconsume chrenovina to avoid unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms. Experts warn that horseradish, which is the main ingredient of chrenovina, should not be consumed with chronic gastrointestinal diseases and conditions accompanied by increased acidity.
It should also not be included in the diet for liver and kidney diseases. Additionally, horseradish is unsuitable for people prone to allergic reactions, as well as for pregnant and breastfeeding women. In the case of allergic reactions and individual intolerance, this product should be completely excluded from the diet.