Chechnya: the "chepalgash" of Rezida
Audio 03:03
After fleeing her country, Rezida, a medical student, arrived in France in 2002. © Sophia Khatsenkova / RFI
By: Sophia Khatsenkova Follow
10 mins
When war breaks out in Chechnya, Rezida, a medical student, has to flee her country.
Exile took her to France, where she arrived in 2002. After doing odd jobs, her cooking skills enabled her to get out of precariousness.
Rezida then discovers that she cooks like her grandmother without knowing it.
This is the fourth episode of our summer series “Diasporas: heritage cooking” by Sophia Khatsenkova.
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Rezida, 49, mother of 6 children, invites us on a trip to Chechnya. Today she is making
chepalgash
. It's a thin pancake filled with cheese and green onion, all covered with melted butter. The secret of
Rezida
's chepalgash: a very liquid dough, like pancakes, a rather rare preparation as the cook explains.
A family secret that was passed down from generation to generation, without Rezida even knowing it: “
One day I called my aunt and told her that everyone here adored my
chepalgash
. I tell her my secret and all of a sudden she starts to cry. She told me that one of the only people who prepared them this way was my grandmother, who died when I was 10 years old. I was so happy to know that I shared this bond with my grandmother that I cried a lot. I wonder if culinary know-how is passed on from generation to generation.
"
Cooking Chechen recipes is also her way of not forgetting her family back home. In 2002, Rezida, who fled the war in Chechnya, dropped her medical studies and her career. Despite the passing years, the trauma of the war is still very present in her and her children: “
When we arrived in France we were invited to celebrate July 14 with a neighbor. We were very happy with my children. When all of a sudden the fireworks started and I started to panic. I said to myself "you fled the war, France is a safe country". But I panicked, I cried, I took my children to take refuge inside. And since that day, I don't go out for July 14th.
"
Rezida's exile began in Paris, continued in Poitiers and today in Le Mans. Rézida does odd jobs there: cleaning lady or even a diver. “
Every job I was offered, I took it. Even though it was difficult, I had no choice. I had young children,
”she explains.
Until the day when, tired of precariousness, she decides to embark on what she knows best: “
I chose to train as a cook because everyone told me that I cooked very well. At 43 I went back to school. I passed all the exams and obtained my CAP. For me it was a great pride because I had always said to myself that if I obtained a diploma, I could go even further. So I opened my own restaurant in Le Mans.
"
For health reasons, Rezida had to close her restaurant a year and a half ago, much to her regret.
“
I can't even cook anymore because I risk hemorrhaging if I ever cut myself… I still feel a lot of sadness and regret when I walk past my old restaurant,
” she sighs.
But Rezida dreams of being in the kitchen again.
That of the future restaurant that she does not lose hope of opening one day.
Recipe
chepalgash
of Rezida:
Ingredients :
Dough :
800ml of kefir
500g of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
The garnish:
800g of cream cheese (or ricotta)
2 whole eggs
Chives (according to your taste)
400g melted butter
Preperation :
1. Sift the flour and pour it into a bowl.
Make a well and put the salt in the middle.
2. Heat the kefir so that it is lukewarm and pour the baking soda into it.
3. Pour the liquid into the bowl with the flour.
4. Mix and let stand 30 minutes, covering the bowl with a kitchen towel.
5.Meanwhile, mix the cheese with the eggs and salt.
6. Divide the dough into equal parts (150-200g each), roll it into balls.
Flatten each ball to 1cm thick.
7. In the middle of each ball, put 2 tablespoons of filling.
Pinch the edges with a knot to make a ball with the stuffing.
8. Roll the ball with a roller to make a stuffed pancake.
9. Place the patty in a hot pan without oil and fry on both sides over medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes.
10. Place the patties on a platter on top of each other and cover with a towel.
11. Once the last pancake is ready, wash the pan, add a little water and put it back on the heat.
When the water gets hot, each of the patties should be soaked in it on both sides.
12. Dip each patty in melted butter on both sides.
After that, the patties become tender.
Chepalgash is served hot, cut into small pieces like a cake.
The Chechens accompany this dish with tea.
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