In this article we will talk about the meaning of the word "shanga", which many have probably heard, but few have an idea what it is. In addition, grammatical features of the word, forms of change in cases will be given, and its origin will be told. At the end of the article, you will read examples of the use of "shangi" in artistic speech.
Grammar first
Before starting the story about what "shanga" is, let's say that the word is a noun, inanimate, singular, feminine, first declension. The stress in this form and in all others falls on the first syllable.
In the singular, the word changes by case, taking the following forms:
- shanga - (named case, answers the question "what?")
- shangi (genus pad., what?)
- shange (dat. fall., why?)
- shangu (vin. pad., what?)
- shangoi (creative fall, what?)
- shange (prepositional falling, about what?)
In the plural it has the form "shangi", in the genitive caseplural - "shaneg", in the dative - "shangam".
The word could be used in diminutive forms. For example, shanezhka, shanechka. It had a numerous synonymous series: cake, juicy, cheesecake, unleavened bread, puff, pancake, pancakes (aladushki), kokurka, bread, kazulka.
Shanga - the meaning of the word
So called a special kind of bakery products - open round pies, cakes, cheesecakes.
Shangi were traditional for old Russian cuisine (mainly northern regions), as well as in the art of cooking of the Udmurt, Mari and Komi peoples. For Russia, the dish was most characteristic of the Arkhangelsk, Murmansk, Vologda, Vyatka regions, Karelia, the Urals (including the Trans-Urals and the Urals), Siberia.
What "shanga" means was little known in the western regions of Russia.
The origin of the word is unclear. The most convincing version is that Russian settlers borrowed the word "shanga" from the Komi language, in which it (šańga) meant "a round cake made from rye flour".
Cooking features and variations
Now let's talk about what shanga is. Shangi was baked, as a rule, from yeast dough. But not necessarily. In the cuisine of the Komi peoples, in particular in the Perm region, shangi were also baked from ordinary unleavened dough. They were called kuligges (or kuligi).
The flour used could be wheat, rye, or a mixture of both. Shaneg dough could be madeand from potatoes. In any case, it was kneaded using lamb or beef fat.
Since ancient times, the filling or just the spread used for this type of pastry has been varied: cottage cheese, porridge (pea, millet, barley), crushed boiled potatoes, sour cream, sometimes berries (for example, shangi with cloudberries were known). Initially, however, to fill the shaneg, a mass of porridge with onion and mutton fat was used, which was called "pea".
To understand what a shanga is, you need to take into account that one of their main features was considered to be the absence of a recess (as, for example, in a cheesecake). The most varied "stuffing" was placed on the cake, after which it was baked in the oven. That's all. After baking, shangi were smeared with sour cream or melted butter. They were consumed hot with cabbage soup, tea, curdled milk, beer.
Cheesecake and shanga
These words are often confused, sometimes they are even listed in dictionaries as synonyms. For example, the historian I. P. Kalinsky in his book "Church-People's Menologion in Russia" (1877) defines shanga as "cheesecake, juicy, simple cake." Let's try to figure out what are the similarities and differences between these dishes.
Vatrushka came to us from Old Slavic cuisine. It is still very popular throughout the country - both in catering establishments and in home menus.
The origin of this word is associated with the Ukrainian dialectism "vatra", whichmeans "fire", "bonfire".
Traditional cheesecake has a round shape and is made from yeast dough. For the filling, curd mass is taken, less often jam or jam. Served with tea or other drinks. The largest cheesecake, the so-called "royal", was baked about 20 cm in size (in diameter). The classic cheesecakes were smaller.
Shaneg size is more varied - from 15 to 30 cm. It should be borne in mind that initially shangi were savory, unlike cheesecakes. They were usually served with sour cream. Cheesecakes - no. It was also common to use shaneg with cabbage soup, fish or (less often) as independent dishes, and not for dessert, like cheesecakes.
However, these dishes also had a lot in common. Both shangi and round-shaped cheesecakes, they can be both small and larger, and one of the most common fillings for them, whatever one may say, is cottage cheese.
Examples of the use of the word in literature
What is shanga can also be understood from the following fragments of texts, which are taken from the works of Russian writers.
Yes, I don’t know if they ate shangi, there are such rolls with sour cream spread, but I love…
(Vs. Ivanov, "Fleeing Island").
Cut the bread, take out the potato shangi from the bag, put out two curds of curdled milk.
(V. Astafiev, "The Lastbow").
A servant brought a wooden bowl with Dvina shangs drenched in sour cream, broken cod in brine, messy porridge - hot, piping hot, thick dark beer in a jug.
(Yu. German, "Young Russia").
Currently shangi is cooked in the oven. Cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, various types of cereals are used as fillings. For example, buckwheat porridge with the addition of finely chopped onion and chopped boiled egg is popular.