RUSSIAN BORSCH
I usually cook it in a large pot (about 1.5 - 2 gallons) as it is so delicious.
So for 1.5 gallons of water here is the proportion:
6-7 medium size potatoes
1 large carrot
2-3 beets
1 large onion
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 small head of cabbage
oil for cooking
salt, pepper to taste
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Bring water to boil. Peel the potatoes and dice them into small pieces. Add potatoes to boiling water.
You can grate carrots and beets or chop finely. Chop onions finely. Add some oil to a frying pan and saute the onion-carrot-beet mixture for about 5 min. Add diced tomato and some water from potatoes. Reduce the heat and cover with lead. Simmer for about 10 min or so. Add the tomato mixture to potatoes, bring to boil. Then add thinly shredded cabbage and again allow to boil for a few minutes. You can garnish it with fresh chopped parsley and garlic and serve with sour cream. It is traditionally served hot and is very good for digestion.
So for 1.5 gallons of water here is the proportion:
6-7 medium size potatoes
1 large carrot
2-3 beets
1 large onion
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 small head of cabbage
oil for cooking
salt, pepper to taste
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Bring water to boil. Peel the potatoes and dice them into small pieces. Add potatoes to boiling water.
You can grate carrots and beets or chop finely. Chop onions finely. Add some oil to a frying pan and saute the onion-carrot-beet mixture for about 5 min. Add diced tomato and some water from potatoes. Reduce the heat and cover with lead. Simmer for about 10 min or so. Add the tomato mixture to potatoes, bring to boil. Then add thinly shredded cabbage and again allow to boil for a few minutes. You can garnish it with fresh chopped parsley and garlic and serve with sour cream. It is traditionally served hot and is very good for digestion.
OKROSHKA
1 L kefir
2 QT water
1 bunch of scallions
1 bunch parsley
1 lb radishes
1 English cucumber
4-5 pickles
5 eggs (optional)
6-7 medium potatoes (better red or Yukon gold)
1/3 bunch fresh dill
lemon juice (1 wedge per serving, optional)
salt to taste
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Chop parsley finely. Add some salt to it and muddle it for a while till it is somewhat mushy with lots of juice. Then chop the scallions, sprincle some salt and add to parsley mixture, do the same - muddle it. Shred radishes (faster in a food processor) and add to the mixture. Shred the cucumber and add to the mixture. Finely chop pickles and add to the mixture. Add boiled potatoes - either chopped or shredded. Add hard boiled eggs chopped. The sequence is very important for this soup. Now that you have it all done, you can keep it separately from the liquid part and only mix it when serving. Or you can add kefir and water (boiled and chilled).
Serve cold garnished with some chopped dill. Squeeze some lemon juice into individual bowls if you like.
This cold soup is great and refreshing during hot summer days and is also a fabulous digestion aid.
2 QT water
1 bunch of scallions
1 bunch parsley
1 lb radishes
1 English cucumber
4-5 pickles
5 eggs (optional)
6-7 medium potatoes (better red or Yukon gold)
1/3 bunch fresh dill
lemon juice (1 wedge per serving, optional)
salt to taste
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Chop parsley finely. Add some salt to it and muddle it for a while till it is somewhat mushy with lots of juice. Then chop the scallions, sprincle some salt and add to parsley mixture, do the same - muddle it. Shred radishes (faster in a food processor) and add to the mixture. Shred the cucumber and add to the mixture. Finely chop pickles and add to the mixture. Add boiled potatoes - either chopped or shredded. Add hard boiled eggs chopped. The sequence is very important for this soup. Now that you have it all done, you can keep it separately from the liquid part and only mix it when serving. Or you can add kefir and water (boiled and chilled).
Serve cold garnished with some chopped dill. Squeeze some lemon juice into individual bowls if you like.
This cold soup is great and refreshing during hot summer days and is also a fabulous digestion aid.
Svekolnik
There are many variations of this soup. Here is one of them:
about 1.5 QT kefir (you can use beet broth to make it dairy free)
about 1.5 QT sparkling mineral water
1 large beet
4 medium potatoes
1 bunch scallions
3-4 cucumbers
1/3 lb radishes
1/2 bunch dill
4 eggs (optional)
1 wedge of lemon juice per serving bowl salt, pepper to taste
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Boil potatoes, skin on. Mince scallions. Shred cucumbers and radishes. Peel the potatoes and chop them fenely. Mince dill. Chop the beet into very small cubes or shred it. Mix all together. Add chopped hard boiled eggs (optional) or you can garnish every bowl individually when serving. Mix all with chilled kefir and sparkling water. Add salt, let it sit for a few minutes and serve chilled.
Enjoy!
about 1.5 QT kefir (you can use beet broth to make it dairy free)
about 1.5 QT sparkling mineral water
1 large beet
4 medium potatoes
1 bunch scallions
3-4 cucumbers
1/3 lb radishes
1/2 bunch dill
4 eggs (optional)
1 wedge of lemon juice per serving bowl salt, pepper to taste
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Boil potatoes, skin on. Mince scallions. Shred cucumbers and radishes. Peel the potatoes and chop them fenely. Mince dill. Chop the beet into very small cubes or shred it. Mix all together. Add chopped hard boiled eggs (optional) or you can garnish every bowl individually when serving. Mix all with chilled kefir and sparkling water. Add salt, let it sit for a few minutes and serve chilled.
Enjoy!