kisel sometimes spelt kissel, a Russian fruit dessert, is a type of fruit soup which has been thickened with arrowroot, cornflour, or potato flour. The dish is an ancient one, and the original thickening was obtained by a process of souring and pounding cereals. The word kisel means sour. It is still made with oats in Belorussia, where it goes under the name zhur, i.e. sour.
Any fruit may be used to make kisel, e.g. plums, gooseberries, rhubarb, raspberries, etc., but kisel is at its best when cranberries or other tart berries or currants (red, white, black) are used.
