A gift to the state, a dish that became Bosnia and Herzegovina's intangible heritage

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Puračka ćaska is the first traditional dish to be declared an intangible cultural treasure of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This flattering status was awarded to Ćaska thanks primarily to the efforts of the Cultural and Artistic Society from Puračić. The official promotion of the recognition was also a congratulation to the homeland on the occasion of Independence Day.

It is a simple dish that does not require many ingredients. It requires veal, red and white onions, salt, pepper, bay leaf and cloves. However, precise instructions are needed for its preparation, and the dish is cooked for about four hours in an earthenware pot. The practice is to place the pot cold on a hot stove so that both the pot and the ingredients heat up together. This way, as the women from the KUD Puračić claim, the spices permeate the meat.

In addition to a book, the KUD Puračić has also dedicated an international gastronomic event, Puračko ćaskanje, to this traditional dish, which they have been successfully organizing since 2014.

“At the same time, we were conducting parallel research, collecting recipes, formulations, specifics regarding its preparation, serving, and so in 2018 we essentially initiated the procedure for including Ćaska on the list of intangible cultural heritage,” said Hazim Osmanović, president of KUD Puračić.

After this dish was declared an intangible treasure of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it also found its place on UNESCO's preliminary list of world intangible cultural heritage.