Pasulj (from ''

phaseolus ''Phaseolus'' (bean, wild bean) is a genus of herbaceous to woody annual and perennial vines in the family Fabaceae containing about 70 plant species, all native to the Americas, primarily Mesoamerica. It is one of the most economically importan ...

''; ), grah () or grav () is a bean stew made of usually white,

cranberry Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus ''Oxycoccus'' of the genus ''Vaccinium''. Cranberries are low, creeping shrubs or vines up to long and in height; they have slender stems that are not th ...

or pinto beans, and kidney beans, which is a popular dish in

Balkan cuisine Balkan cuisine encompasses a collection of national cuisines that combine characteristics of European cuisine with some of those from West Asia. It is found in the Balkans, a region without clear boundaries but which in its broadest sense includes ...

. It is normally prepared with meat, particularly

smoked meat Smoked meat is the result of a method of preparing red meat, white meat, and seafood which originated in the Paleolithic, Paleolithic Era. Smoking adds Flavor (taste), flavor, improves the appearance of meat through the Maillard reaction, and ...

such as smoked

bacon Bacon is a type of Curing (food preservation), salt-cured pork made from various cuts of meat, cuts, typically the pork belly, belly or less fatty parts of the back. It is eaten as a side dish (particularly in breakfasts), used as a central in ...

sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs, may be included as fillers or extenders. ...

, and ham hock, and is a dish typically eaten in the winter months, especially around the Christmas period. Other commonly used ingredients include carrots and onions. Another version of the dish using baked beans is known as prebranac.The dish can be served both hot or cold, and it is typically served with a side of sour cream or

ajvar Ajvar ( ; sr-Cyrl, Ajвар, ) is a condiment made principally from sweet bell peppers and eggplants. The relish became a popular side dish throughout Yugoslavia after World War II and remains popular in Southeast Europe. Homemade ajvar is ma ...

, and bread. It is sometimes known in English as Serbian bean soup, or Serbian baked beans and in German-speaking countries as ''Serbische Bohnensuppe'' ("Serbian bean soup"). Most Balkan countries have a variation of the dish. In

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

it is known as "bob" or "bob chorba", which literally means "beans" or "bean soup". It can be in the form of a soup or with less liquid and baked. In

North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...

, a spicy and thicker variant is known as tavče gravče (; beans on a skillet), and greens such as celery and cabbage are often added. In

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

, and

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

kajmak Kaymak, sarshir, or qashta/ashta ( ; or ; ) is a creamy dairy product, dairy food similar to clotted cream, made from the milk of water buffalo, cows, sheep, or goats in Central Asian cuisine, Central Asia, some Balkan cuisine, Balkan countr ...

, a type of thick clotted cream is often added. The dish is believed to have roots in the Ottoman Empire, with the Turks believed to have brought beans to the Balkans. The

idiom An idiom is a phrase or expression that largely or exclusively carries a Literal and figurative language, figurative or non-literal meaning (linguistic), meaning, rather than making any literal sense. Categorized as formulaic speech, formulaic ...

' ("simple as pasulj"), equates to English '' as easy as pie'' and French ''simple comme chou''.

References

{{Serbian cuisine Balkan cuisine Albanian cuisine Montenegrin cuisine Serbian cuisine Legume dishes Sausage dishes Bean soups National dishes Kosovan cuisine

See also

References