Bosnian cuisine is balanced between Western and Eastern influences. The food is closely related to former Yugoslav, Middle Eastern, and other Balkan cuisines.
Bosnian cuisine uses many spices, but usually in moderate quantities. Most dishes are light, as they are cooked in lots of water; the sauces are fully natural, consisting of little more than the natural juices of the vegetables in the dish. Typical ingredients include tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, spinach, courgette, dried and fresh beans, plums, milk, paprika and cream called pavlaka and kajmak. Typical meat dishes include primarily beef and lamb. Some local specialties are ćevapi, burek, dolma, sarma, pilav (pilaf), gulaš (goulash), ajvar and a whole range of Eastern sweets. The best local wines come from Herzegovina where the climate is suitable for growing grapes. Plum or apple rakija, is produced in Bosnia.
Đuveč – vegetable stew, similar to the Romanian ghiveci, the Bulgarian gjuvec, and the Hungarian lecsoGrašak – pea stewKačamak – a traditional Bosnian dish made of cornmeal and potatoesKljukuša – grated potatoes mixed with flour and water and baked in an oven; a traditional dish in the region of Bosanska KrajinaSataraš – a dish made with bell peppers, eggplants, onions and tomatoesTuršija – pickled vegetablesBuranija - green bean stewBamijaLivno cheese (Livanjski sir) - a dry yellow cheese from the west Bosnian town of Livno and surrounding villagesTešanjski– made from the nettle and milk, originates in the Tešanj district in northern central Bosnia and HerzegovinaTravnički – a white feta-like cheese from the Travnik district in central Bosnia and HerzegovinaVlašićki – a highland cheese similar in its salty taste to Travnički, originates in the villages on Vlašić Mountain in central Bosnia and HerzegovinaSuhi SIr – a smoked cheese derived from posni sir.Kajmak - a Turkish creamy dairy product, similar to clotted creamPavlaka - a soured cream product like crème fraîcheAjvarRamadan pitaVegetaSomun and Ramadan somun (with Ćurokot seeds).PogačaDjevrekLepinjaUštipciMezeWines are produced mainly in Herzegovina, in the regions of Mostar, Čitluk, Ljubuški, Stolac, Domanovići, and Međugorje.
MedovinaKruškovacPelinkovacRakijaBlatinaŽilavkaLocal spirits are distilled from plums, pears, or grapes, with alcohol content of 45% and higher.Šljivovica (plum brandy)BozaSalepAjranBosnian coffeeŠerbeElder juiceSač
