Rhubarb-Strawberry kisel

Recipe, Raparperi-Mansikkakiisseli

Kiisseli is a very common Finnish dessert that can be made with berries, either with one type of berry, mixed of several kinds, or even with rhubarb. Rhubarb is a good source of vitamins, fibers, and antioxidants. Finns love to grow rhubarbs in their backyard, but you can also buy frozen rhubarbs in the shops.

In Finland, kiisseli is eaten as a dessert. But you can also eat it with porridge, muesli, and even ice cream.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped rhubarb (about 200 grams) fresh or frozen

1 cup strawberries (about 200 gram) fresh or frozen

3 cups water (about 5 dl)

1 dl sugar (about 5 tablespoons sugar)

3 tablespoons potato flour/starch

Instructions:

1. Transfer the strawberries and rhubarb, water, and sugar to a pot, then bring to boil.

2. Mix potato flour and 2-3 tablespoons cold water well in a small bowl with a fork until smooth with no lumps, and while stirring, add it into the berry-rhubarb mixture.

3. Let the soup come to a bubble but not boil for a long time, then take it away from the heat immediately. The consistency should be like a thick soup but not watery or loose. Adjust the sweetness; if rhubarbs are very sour, you might need to add more sugar.

4. Let it cool, and transfer it to a serving dish. The leftover could be placed in a glass jar and moved to the fridge for several days.

Tips:

*For a healthier sugar-free option, you can add sweet, dry fruits, i.e., soft dates, cut them into small pieces, and then add them into the pot. Stir well so that the kiisseli gets uniformly sweet.

*To make the dish more appealing and colorful for Mother's Day, you can add some nuts on top of kiisseli, such as almond flakes/pecan nuts, some granola/muesli, or some ice cream.

*If you want to make your kiisseli more special and flavorful, use strawberry juice in place of water to cook the kiisseli.