Traditional Montenegrin Meals

Kacamak

This mushy dish is a meal by itself and is made from wheat, barley, cornflour or buck wheat and is served with cheese and sour milk. When cheese is added to this dish it is called ‘wet kacamak' or simply ‘kajmak'. This dish has to be stirred for a long time with a wooden spoon. This makes the dish taste even better. Kacamak is very popular with people living in the villages as it is a good source of energy for the hard labour they put in. Another variation to this dish is made out of potato. This dish will be found on the menu of most restaurants in Montenegro.

Cicvara

This dish is made from cooking crumbled cheese pieces, and when the grease or fat is released, wheat flour is added to it. By constantly stirring the mixture you get a porridge-like dish and this can be eaten with cooked potato and sour milk. This dish also provides high energy and is pleasant tasting as it seems to melt in the mouth.

Popara

This is a dish made from mixing bread with milk and cheese. It is an inexpensive dish which is deeply rooted in the culture and cuisine of Montenegro.

Cooked Potato

This is a fairly simple preparation which requires cooking the potato for half an hour. It is accompanied with cheese and sour cabbage.

Thick Soups

The Montenegrin thick soups are made from noodles, vegetables or potato. An interesting variation involves the use of nettle. Almost all thick soups include the use of fresh meat, so that they are rich and nutritious.

Rastan

This is a typical Montenegrin dish which makes use of a local vegetable belonging to the cabbage family. To this white potato and a number of spices are added during cooking.

Japraci

This dish is another rich and nutritious dish in Montenegrin cuisine. This is made by first making a kilo of Rastan and then to it is added young cow's meat, rice and pepper. Sometimes dry meat is also added. While cooking, the grease gets released to give the meal its distinct flavour.

Montenegrin lamb in milk

This dish is a speciality in Montenegro. To serve eight people you need two kilograms of meat, which is then cooked in milk. While cooking, potato and various spices such as pepper and laurel are also added. This dish is also served on solemn occasions.

Sausage

This is made by using a special drying technique. This is usually made in the village of Njegusi and is very strong flavoured, yet tasty.

Prsuta (smoked ham)

This also comes from the village of Njegusi and is better in quality than what the Italians produce. It is dried on beech logs for several months. People like to eat this along with some domestic grape brandy and dry cheese from Njegusi.

Lamb made under iron pan

This meal is unique because of the vessel it is made in. The pan is made from cast iron. These meals - made under the pan - are very tasty as the ingredients are placed under the pan and the pan is then covered with ember and ashes. This way the aroma of the food is retained and the meal is also cooked naturally. Lamb cooked in this manner, in particular, is very tasty. All the Montenegrin national restaurants to date prepare lamb this way.

Popeci from Podgorica

There are many meals that are specific to Podgorica, but Popeci is by far the favourite amongst locals. This is a meal made from pork fillets and is interestingly arranged. What is done is that a piece of cheese or old ‘kajmak' and a piece of ‘prsut' are rolled into a steak made from veal's meat. This is then deep fried in oil and you get a dish which has a rich and juicy interior and a crunchy and tasty exterior.

The food from the grill

Montenegrins also like their food made on the grill. For instance, the luscious Cevapi or kebab and the grilled meat patty that combines excellently with onions are quite a favourite with everyone. These two meals are popular with the young people and can also be found on the menu of fast food restaurants in Montenegro.

Dishes such as sarma, stew, pilaf, and stuffed peppers which are found in Montenegro restaurants can also be found in other Balkan countries. Each of the meals mentioned above are a major part of Montenegrin cuisine and it is recommended that a visitor tries all of them.

Drinks

The production of quality wines coming from Montenegrin vineyards is a tradition which is mainly confined to coastal and southern wine makers. The northern and continental regions are inclined to produce aromatic fruit flavoured brandy such as sljivovica - a plum brandy, and apple brandy. Grape brandy varieties, such as Kruna, Prvijenac, Montenegrin loza, and also home made grape brandy, such as lozova rakija and lozovaca, are all must tries.

The well-known Montenegrin wines are the premium Vranac, Krstac, Pro Corde, Chardonnay, Cabernet and the home made Crmnicko red wine. Also not to be missed is the Niksicko beer, which is sold either as bottled or as draught beer. It is available as either ‘Nik Gold' or the lighter ‘Nik Cool' variety. The darker variety called ‘Nik tamno' is a favourite with beer lovers.