Summer Machanka — Pork Goulash with Kefir Pancakes

Welcome to a taste of Belarus with a delightful summer twist! Today, we're making Summer Machanka, a lighter take on a beloved, hearty classic. Machanka, which comes from the Belarusian word for "to dip," is traditionally a rich pork stew served with pancakes or bread. This recipe adapts it for warmer days, featuring tender pork goulash in a creamy, savory gravy made with fresh vegetables and smetana. Paired with incredibly fluffy kefir pancakes, it's a comforting and delicious meal perfect for a family dinner or a lazy weekend lunch. Get ready to experience a true Slavic comfort food!

Summer machanka — pork goulash with kefir pancakes

Cooking: 45 minutes

Quantity: 4 Servings

Per serving

Calories: 685 kcal

Proteins: 26 g

Fats: 44 g

Carbohydrates: 43 g

For the pancakes:

• 120 ml kefir (a fermented milk drink, buttermilk can be a substitute)
• 1 egg
• 35 ml olive oil
• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 4 g baking soda
• salt, oil for frying, butter

For the goulash:

• 400 g lean pork
• 100 g onion
• 100 g carrots
• 50 g bell pepper
• 30 g chopped fresh herbs
• 200 g smetana (a type of sour cream, full-fat sour cream is a good substitute)
• salt, pepper, oil for frying

How to cook Summer Machanka — Pork Goulash with Kefir Pancakes

First, let’s make the pancakes

Made with kefir (a fermented milk drink similar to a thin yogurt), they will turn out very fluffy—in other words, exactly the kind of pancake you want to dip into gravy and pop into your mouth.

So, pour the kefir into a deep bowl, add salt to taste and a pinch of granulated sugar. By the way, instead of kefir, you can make the batter with prostokvasha (a traditional fermented milk product, similar to buttermilk), yogurt, or even smetana (a type of sour cream common in Eastern and Central Europe) (not too high in fat).

In a bowl, mix kefir with salt and sugar

Crack a chicken egg into the bowl with kefir, and add high-quality extra virgin olive oil.

Whisk the ingredients until smooth.

Crack a chicken egg into the bowl and pour in olive oil

Mix the all-purpose flour with baking soda, sift it, and add it to the bowl. Mix a batter that should have the consistency of sour cream.

Dry ingredients have different moisture levels, and eggs also vary in size, so there are no strict recommendations on how much flour to add to the batter. There is a basic recipe foundation; for the rest, trust your intuition: if it’s too thick, add more kefir; if it’s too thin, add more flour.

Add flour and mix the pancake batter

Lightly oil a non-stick frying pan and fry the pancakes for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Stack them up, brushing each with butter.

Fry the pancakes on both sides

Next, let’s work on the goulash

Slice the lean pork into thin strips against the grain. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Slice the onion into rings. Finely chop a bunch of fresh herbs.

Slice the pork and vegetables

In a deep skillet, heat 2-3 tablespoons of frying oil, add the onion and carrots, and sauté for 5 minutes until soft.

Sauté the onion and carrots

Add the pork to the carrots. Fry the vegetables with the meat for about 10 minutes, then add diced sweet bell pepper and herbs, and cook for a few more minutes.

Next, add the smetana, herbs, and season with salt and a little sugar to balance the flavors.

Simmer everything together for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Fry the pork, add bell pepper and herbs. Pour in smetana and simmer

Serve the skillet with the hot goulash and a plate of pancakes. Dip the pancakes into the gravy and eat them alongside the meat. Your summer machanka (a Belarusian meat and gravy dish, where the name comes from the word ‘to dip’) — pork goulash with kefir pancakes is ready. Enjoy your meal!

Summer machanka — pork goulash with kefir pancakes