borsch recipe history culture origin

Borsch: The Slavic Signature Soup

Published: December 13, 2019

Borsch (ะ‘ะพั€ั‰)ย is one of the most popular soups in Central and Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is sweet and sour, healthy and can be eaten at any time of year.

It has a complicated and very long history, with the soup changing over time within various geographic regions. Today, the broadly recognized โ€œstandardโ€ borsch is made with beetroot and meat stock and is of Ukrainian origin. However, there are so many types of borsch that one canโ€™t really point to any truly defining elements. It always contains vegetables and is optimally served as a thick meal, brimming with ingredients. However, nearly everything else can be changed without losing the name.

Today borschย is found in kitchens, restaurants, and store shelves across Eurasia. It is perhaps best understood as a delicious example of the vast diversity and rich history of that landmass.

How Borsch Got Its Name

(ะŸะพั‡ะตะผัƒ ั‚ะฐะบ ะฝะฐะทั‹ะฒะฐะตั‚ัั?)

The name โ€œborschโ€ is an East Slavic term and derives from the proto-Slavic name for hogweed. That vegetableโ€™s pickled stems, leaves, and umbels (flowering canopies) were the soupโ€™s original key ingredient.

Hogweed is most likely called hogweed because it smells of pigs. However, it is valued among foragers and still used by food connoisseurs for its distinct and slightly sweet taste. In addition, in some areas of Eastern Europe, it is still believed to be an aphrodisiac and fertility aid, which might help explain why the dish became such a staple of local culture and why the name was kept even as its namesake was used as an ingredient increasingly rarely.

borsch recipe history culture origin
Hogweed is a plant related to carrots. It can be found in North Africa, Central Asia, throughout Europe, and in Canada and the US. Picture from Peter Oโ€™Connor

Many regions and ethnic groups claim some version of borsch as a local traditional dish. Ukraine is regarded as the origin point and its beet-based borschย is generally considered the standard.

Other versions include the rye-based โ€œbiaล‚y barszczโ€ (white borscht) of Poland, where it is also known as zurek. There is sorrel-based โ€œะทะตะปะตะฝั‹ะน ะฑะพั€ั‰โ€ (green borscht), which is regarded as Ukrainian and sometimes called sorrel soup (ั‰ะฐะฒะตะปะตะฒั‹ะน ััƒะฟ in Russian and ั‰ะฐะฒะปะตะฒะธะน ััƒะฟ in Ukrainian). โ€œะ‘ะพั€ั‰ ะธะท ะบะฐะฟัƒัั‚ั‹โ€ (cabbage borscht) is often attributed to Minnonites living in Ukraine.

โ€œะกะฒะตะบะพะปัŒะฝะธะบ,โ€ which literally means โ€œthe beet oneโ€ in Russian, is a cold borsht generally regarded as Lithuanian in origin. It is beet-based but much creamier and served cold, usually over or with boiled potatoes as a sort of extraordinary sauce. In Lithuanian, itโ€™s called โ€œลกaltibarลกฤiaiโ€ (pronounced shalt-eh-barsh-chay), which literally means โ€œcold borsht.โ€ Enjoyed across the Baltic coast, Russian generally prefers the name โ€œัะฒะตะบะพะปัŒะฝะธะบโ€ but also uses โ€œะปะตั‚ะฝะธะน ะฑะพั€ั‰โ€ (summer borsch), or โ€œั…ะพะปะพะดะฝะธะบโ€ (literally โ€œthe cold oneโ€). โ€œะฅะพะปะพะดะฝะธะบโ€ may have been borrowed from Belarusian or Polish.

Within Russia and Ukraine especially, regional versions of borsch exist. These are, usually variations of the Ukrainian beet-based version, but will differ in what meat, vegetables, and seasonings are used. For instance, โ€œะฑะพั€ั‰ ั‡ะตั€ะฝะธะณะพะฒัะบะธะนโ€ (Chernogovsky borscht) is named for a region north of Kyiv, on the Ukraine-Belarus border. The soup features a broth made from meat and bones and adds zucchini and beans to the lineup of vegetables. You can find these regional soups on restaurant menus, internet recipe sites, and store shelves.

Various nuances of language are also revealed in the names for borschย in Russia. For instance, cabbage borsch (ะ‘ะพั€ั‰ ะธะท ะบะฐะฟัƒัั‚ั‹) is generally the Ukrainian Mennonite recipe mentioned above but โ€œะฑะพั€ั‰ ั ะบะฐะฟัƒัั‚ะพะนโ€ (borsch with cabbage) is a beet-based borschย with cabbage added.

There is also some confusion as to how borschย should be spelled in English. โ€œBorschtโ€ is most common, but is actually a transliteration from the Yiddish โ€œื‘ืึธืจืฉื˜โ€œโ€Ž (borscht). This came about because Yiddish-speaking Jews from Eastern Europe first introduced the soup to North America. โ€œBorschโ€ is also used and is a good approximation of the Russian pronunciation. However, Ukrainian pronounces the final โ€œั‰โ€ in borschย as a much more distinct sh-ch, meaning that perhaps the best transliteration would be โ€œborshch.โ€ That variant can be found, but is rare.

How and When Borsch is Eaten

(ะšะฐะบ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะตัั‚ัŒ ะฑะพั€ั‰?)

Borsch is a staple food in many countries such as Ukraine and Russia and frequently eaten as a regular meal, especially for lunch.

Borsch is typically presented with additional ingredients or side dishes. The eater then finishes the dish preparation before eating or eats the ingredients together as a meal. Similar to many other Eastern European soups, borschย can come with an array of toppings and side dishes.

In Ukraine, borsch is traditionally served with sour cream, fresh greens, and โ€œะฟะฐะผะฟัƒัˆะบะธโ€œย (pampushki), which are soft garlic rolls. The sour cream is mixed into the soup to taste and the pampushkiย are dipped in the soup or eaten with the soup and fresh greens. In Russia, pampushkiย are typically replaced with slices of rye bread which, in turn, are sometimes fried into what then become โ€œะณั€ะตะฝะบะธ.โ€ The bread might be crumbled like croutons, dipped in the soup, or eaten in alternation with the soup and, again, fresh greens.

Borsch also appears in some religious traditions in Eastern Europe. โ€œMemorial borscht,โ€ is traditionally served as the first course at a post-funeral Orthodox wake. The soul of the dead is metaphorically carried to heaven by the steam rising from this and other hot dishes.

In Poland and Ukraine, beet borsch is served on Christmas Eve. Meatless white borsch in Poland is associated with Lent and white borsch made with sausage is for Easter dinner. Eastern European Ashkenazi Jews eat a vegetarian version of borsch during Passover and the Orthodox will make vegetarian beet borschย for Lent.

borsch recipe history culture origin
Easter ลปurek (white borsch) in a bread bowl (with typical Polish handle). Click here for original image. Click here for full recipe.

Preparing Traditional Borsch

(ะšะฐะบ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฑะพั€ั‰?)

Obviously, with so much variation, there is no one way to cook borsch. The recipes below will focus largely on beet versions of the dish.

If you are feeling lazy, supermarkets across Eurasia and especially in Ukraine and Russia will have a range of products to help: fully-prepared, frozen or chilled borsch; pre-made borschย starter or concentrate; and frozen or chilled pre-packaged sets of pre-boiled vegetables. Finding borschย when eating out in most of the former Soviet bloc is also easy. In Russia, for instance, it may be found everywhere from fast food places like Teremok to the gourmet White Rabbit.

borsch recipe history culture origin
Commercially produced borsch โ€œdressing.โ€ It is used as a starter for the soup.

If cooking borsch for yourself, one of the most important steps is to make a good stock. To do this, you start by boiling something. Beef, pork, fish, poultry, or vegetable stock can be used. Sometimes borschย stock is made with a mixture of ingredients. If using meat, make sure to strain off the thick, fatty bubbles as they come to the top. If vegetable broth is preferred, strain the liquid after boiling and before use. This will give a clear, consistent broth.

Many Slavic soups will julienne the vegetables and fry them separately. In Russian, these fried vegetables become what is known as a โ€œะทะฐะฟั€ะฐะฒะบะฐ,โ€ or โ€œdressing.โ€ They are added to the soup as it cooks. The process caramelizes the sugars in the vegetables and adds flavor. The most typical vegetables to use are cabbage, carrots, onions, and tomatoes.

Borsch also often contains potatoes, but these are usually diced and boiled either in the broth or separately. The beetroot is sometimes boiled and can be used as the stock base. However, sometimes the beetroot is fried, and sometimes rarely) even fermented. Although the beetroot will need time to ferment, usually several days at least, the overall cooking time of the soup can then be decreased significantly. Further, so long as the fermented beet is added to warm soup (and not boiling soup), the soup will be not only extra tart, but also full of probiotics.

Letโ€™s Cook!

(ะ”ะฐะฒะฐะน ะฟั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธะผ!)

The below recipes are from The Book of Tasty and Healthy Food, which was published by the Soviet Government and which recorded, standardized, and popularized many traditional foods across the Soviet space. Although the book also changed several of the recipes, mostly to use ingredients then being mass produced in the USSR for the first time, many Russians now recognize the versions of the food as presented in this book as โ€œstandard.โ€

*Note that the recipes below use a general term โ€œะบะพั€ะตะฝัŒะตะฒโ€ (root vegetables). It is assumed that any mix of root vegetables may be used here. This includes carrots, which are today the most popular, but also parsnip root, celery root, or others.

ะ‘ะพั€ั‰ ัƒะบั€ะฐะธะฝัะบะธะน
(ยซะšะฝะธะณะฐ ะพ ะฒะบัƒัะฝะพะน ะธ ะทะดะพั€ะพะฒะพะน ะฟะธั‰ะตยป (1952 ะณ.))
Ukrainian borsch
(from The Book of Tasty and Healthy Food, 1952 ed.)
ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹:

ะะฐ 500 ะณ ะผััะฐ:

  • ะšะฐะฟัƒัั‚ั‹ โ€“ 400 ะณ
  • ะšะฐั€ั‚ะพั„ะตะปั โ€“ 400 ะณ
  • ะกะฒะตะบะปั‹ โ€“ 250 ะณ
  • ะขะพะผะฐั‚ะฐ-ะฟัŽั€ะต ะธ ัะผะตั‚ะฐะฝั‹, ะฟะพ 1/2 ัั‚ะฐะบะฐะฝะฐ
  • ะšะพั€ะตะฝัŒะตะฒ ะธ ะปัƒะบะฐ, ะฟะพ 1 ัˆั‚.
  • ะกะฒะธะฝะพะณะพ ัะฐะปะฐ โ€“ 20 ะณ
  • ะกะปะธะฒะพั‡ะฝะพะณะพ ะผะฐัะปะฐ โ€“ 1 ัั‚. ะปะพะถะบัƒ

ย 

ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะต:

1. ะกะฒะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ ะผััะฝะพะน ะฑัƒะปัŒะพะฝ ะธ ะฟั€ะพั†ะตะดะธั‚ัŒ.

2. ะžั‡ะธั‰ะตะฝะฝั‹ะต ะบะพั€ะตะฝัŒั ะธ ัะฒะตะบะปัƒ ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐั‚ัŒ ัะพะปะพะผะบะพะน. ะกะฒะตะบะปัƒ ั‚ัƒัˆะธั‚ัŒ 20โ€“30 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธะฒ ะฟั€ะธ ัั‚ะพะผ ะถะธั€, ั‚ะพะผะฐั‚-ะฟัŽั€ะต, ัƒะบััƒั ะธ ะฑัƒะปัŒะพะฝ (ะผะพะถะฝะพ ะฒะปะธั‚ัŒ ั‚ะฐะบะถะต ั…ะปะตะฑะฝั‹ะน ะธะปะธ ัะฒะตะบะพะปัŒะฝั‹ะน ะบะฒะฐั).

3. ะะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝั‹ะต ะบะพั€ะตะฝัŒั ะธ ะปัƒะบ ัะปะตะณะบะฐ ะฟะพะดะถะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ ั ะผะฐัะปะพะผ, ัะผะตัˆะฐั‚ัŒ ั ะฟะพะดะถะฐั€ะตะฝะฝะพะน ะผัƒะบะพะน, ั€ะฐะทะฒะตัั‚ะธ ะฑัƒะปัŒะพะฝะพะผ ะธ ะดะพะฒะตัั‚ะธ ะดะพ ะบะธะฟะตะฝะธั.

4. ะ’ ะฟั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะฝั‹ะน ะดะปั ะฑะพั€ั‰ะฐ ะฑัƒะปัŒะพะฝ ะฟะพะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะบะฐั€ั‚ะพั„ะตะปัŒ, ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝั‹ะน ะบั€ัƒะฟะฝั‹ะผะธ ะบัƒะฑะธะบะฐะผะธ, ะบั€ัƒะฟะฝะพ ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝัƒัŽ ะบะฐะฟัƒัั‚ัƒ, ั‚ัƒัˆะตะฝัƒัŽ ัะฒะตะบะปัƒ, ัะพะปัŒ ะธ ะฒะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ 10โ€“15 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚, ะฟะพั‚ะพะผ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฟะพะดะถะฐั€ะตะฝะฝั‹ะต ั ะผัƒะบะพะน ะบะพั€ะตะฝัŒั, ะปะฐะฒั€ะพะฒั‹ะน ะปะธัั‚, ะดัƒัˆะธัั‚ั‹ะน ะธ ะณะพั€ัŒะบะธะน ะฟะตั€ะตั† ะธ ะฒะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ ะดะพ ั‚ะตั… ะฟะพั€, ะฟะพะบะฐ ะบะฐั€ั‚ะพั„ะตะปัŒ ะธ ะบะฐะฟัƒัั‚ะฐ ะฝะต ะฑัƒะดัƒั‚ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒั‹.

5. ะ“ะพั‚ะพะฒั‹ะน ะฑะพั€ั‰ ะทะฐะฟั€ะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ัะฐะปะพะผ, ั€ะฐัั‚ะตั€ั‚ั‹ะผ ั ั‡ะตัะฝะพะบะพะผ, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฟะพะผะธะดะพั€ั‹, ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝั‹ะต ะดะพะปัŒะบะฐะผะธ, ะฑั‹ัั‚ั€ะพ ะดะพะฒะตัั‚ะธ ะดะพ ะบะธะฟะตะฝะธั, ะฟะพัะปะต ั‡ะตะณะพ ะดะฐั‚ัŒ ะฑะพั€ั‰ัƒ ะฝะฐัั‚ะพัั‚ัŒัั ะฒ ั‚ะตั‡ะตะฝะธะต 15โ€“20 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚.

6. ะ ะฐะทะปะธะฒะฐั ะฒ ั‚ะฐั€ะตะปะบะธ, ะฟะพะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะฑะพั€ั‰ ัะผะตั‚ะฐะฝัƒ ะธ ะฟะพัั‹ะฟะฐั‚ัŒ ะผะตะปะบะพ ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝะพะน ะทะตะปะตะฝัŒัŽ ะฟะตั‚ั€ัƒัˆะบะธ.

Ingredients:

For every 500g of meat:

  • Cabbage โ€“ 400 g
  • Potato โ€“ 400 g
  • Beets โ€“ 250 g
  • Tomato puree and sour cream โ€“ 1/2 cup each
  • Root vegetables* and onion โ€“ one each
  • Pork fat โ€“ 20 g
  • Butter โ€“ 1 tablespoon

Preparation:

1. Cook the meat broth and strain it.

2. Chop peeled root vegetables* and beets into small strips. Braise the beets 20-30 minutes, adding fat from the broth, the tomato puree, vinegar, and broth (or bread or beet kvass).

3. Lightly fry the chopped root vegetables* and onion in butter. Add toasted flour to the mix, then dilute it with some of the broth and bring to a boil.

4. To the broth, add potatoes, chopped into large cubes, with coarsely chopped cabbage, the braised beets, and salt. Boil for 10-15 minutes and then add the flour-parsley mixture, bay leaves, all spice, and red pepper. Boil together until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.

5. Season the prepared borsht with the pork fat after mashing it with garlic. Add tomatoes, cut into wedges. Quickly bring to a boil, and then let the borsht set for 15-20 minutes.

6. When pouring the soup onto plates, add sour cream and sprinkle with finely chopped green parsley.

ย 

ย 

ะ‘ะพั€ั‰ ะผััะฝะพะน
(ยซะšะฝะธะณะฐ ะพ ะฒะบัƒัะฝะพะน ะธ ะทะดะพั€ะพะฒะพะน ะฟะธั‰ะตยป (1952 ะณ.))
Meat borsch
(from The Book of Tasty and Healthy Food, 1952 ed.)
ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹:

ะะฐ 500 ะณ ะผััะฐ:

  • ะกะฒะตะบะปั‹ โ€“ 300 ะณ
  • ะกะฒะตะถะตะน ะบะฐะฟัƒัั‚ั‹ โ€“ 200 ะณ
  • ะšะพั€ะตะฝัŒะตะฒ ะธ ะปัƒะบะฐ โ€“ 200 ะณ
  • ะขะพะผะฐั‚ะฐ-ะฟัŽั€ะต โ€“ 2 ัั‚. ะป. ะธะปะธ 100 ะณ ะฟะพะผะธะดะพั€ะพะฒ
  • ะฃะบััƒัะฐ ะธ ัะฐั…ะฐั€ะฐ โ€“ ะฟะพ 1 ัั‚. ะปะพะถะบะต

ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะต:

1. ะกะฒะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ ะผััะฝะพะน ะฑัƒะปัŒะพะฝ.

2. ะกะฒะตะบะปัƒ, ะผะพั€ะบะพะฒัŒ, ะฟะตั‚ั€ัƒัˆะบัƒ ะธ ะปัƒะบ ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐั‚ัŒ ัะพะปะพะผะบะพะน, ะฟะพะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ััƒะฟะพะฒัƒัŽ ะบะฐัั‚ั€ัŽะปัŽ, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฟะพะผะธะดะพั€ั‹ ะธะปะธ ั‚ะพะผะฐั‚-ะฟัŽั€ะต, ัƒะบััƒั, ัะฐั…ะฐั€ ะธ ะฝะตะผะฝะพะณะพ ะฑัƒะปัŒะพะฝะฐ ั ะถะธั€ะพะผ (ะธะปะธ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ 1-2 ัั‚. ะปะพะถะบะธ ะผะฐัะปะฐ), ะทะฐะบั€ั‹ั‚ัŒ ะบั€ั‹ัˆะบะพะน ะธ ะฟะพัั‚ะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะพะฒะพั‰ะธ ั‚ัƒัˆะธั‚ัŒ. ะžะฒะพั‰ะธ ะฟะตั€ะตะผะตัˆะธะฒะฐั‚ัŒ, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะฝะต ะฟั€ะธะณะพั€ะตะปะธ, ะฟั€ะธะฑะฐะฒะปัั, ะตัะปะธ ะฝัƒะถะฝะพ, ะฝะตะผะฝะพะณะพ ะฑัƒะปัŒะพะฝะฐ ะธะปะธ ะฒะพะดั‹.

3. ะงะตั€ะตะท 15-20 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐัˆะธะฝะบะพะฒะฐะฝะฝัƒัŽ ะบะฐะฟัƒัั‚ัƒ, ะฒัะต ะฟะตั€ะตะผะตัˆะฐั‚ัŒ ะธ ั‚ัƒัˆะธั‚ัŒ ะตั‰ะต 20 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚.

5. ะžะฒะพั‰ะธ ะทะฐะปะธั‚ัŒ ะฟะพะดะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะฝั‹ะผ ะผััะฝั‹ะผ ะฑัƒะปัŒะพะฝะพะผ, ะฟะพะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฟะตั€ะตั†, ะปะฐะฒั€ะพะฒั‹ะน ะปะธัั‚, ัะพะปัŒ, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ ะฝะตะผะฝะพะณะพ ัƒะบััƒัะฐ ะธ ะฒะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ ะดะพ ะฟะพะปะฝะพะน ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะฝะพัั‚ะธ ะพะฒะพั‰ะตะน. ะŸั€ะธ ะฟะพะดะฐั‡ะต ะฝะฐ ัั‚ะพะป ะฒ ะฑะพั€ั‰ ะฟะพะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ัะผะตั‚ะฐะฝัƒ.

6. ะ’ ะฑะพั€ั‰ ะฟั€ะธ ะฒะฐั€ะบะต ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะปััŽั‚ ะบะฐั€ั‚ะพั„ะตะปัŒ ะฒ ั†ะตะปะพะผ ะฒะธะดะต ะธะปะธ ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝั‹ะน ะดะพะปัŒะบะฐะผะธ, ะฐ ั‚ะฐะบะถะต ัะฒะตะถะธะต ะฟะพะผะธะดะพั€ั‹. ะ˜ั… ั‚ะฐะบะถะต ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐัŽั‚ ะดะพะปัŒะบะฐะผะธ ะธ ะบะปะฐะดัƒั‚ ะฒ ะฑะพั€ั‰ ะทะฐ 5-10 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚ ะดะพ ะพะบะพะฝั‡ะฐะฝะธั ะฒะฐั€ะบะธ. ะ’ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒั‹ะน ะฑะพั€ั‰ ะบั€ะพะผะต ะผััะฐ ะผะพะถะฝะพ ะฟะพะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฒะฐั€ะตะฝัƒัŽ ะฒะตั‚ั‡ะธะฝัƒ, ัะพัะธัะบะธ ะธะปะธ ะบะพะปะฑะฐััƒ.

7. ะ”ะปั ะฟะพะดะบั€ะฐัˆะธะฒะฐะฝะธั ะฑะพั€ั‰ะฐ ะผะพะถะฝะพ ัะดะตะปะฐั‚ัŒ ัะฒะตะบะพะปัŒะฝั‹ะน ะฝะฐัั‚ะพะน. ะ”ะปั ัั‚ะพะณะพ ะพะดะฝัƒ ัะฒะตะบะปัƒ ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐั‚ัŒ ะปะพะผั‚ะธะบะฐะผะธ, ะทะฐะปะธั‚ัŒ ัั‚ะฐะบะฐะฝะพะผ ะณะพั€ัั‡ะตะณะพ ะฑัƒะปัŒะพะฝะฐ, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ั‡ะฐะนะฝัƒัŽ ะปะพะถะบัƒ ัƒะบััƒัะฐ ะธ ะฟะพัั‚ะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ 10-15 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚ ะฝะฐ ัะปะฐะฑั‹ะน ะพะณะพะฝัŒ ะธ ะดะพะฒะตัั‚ะธ ะดะพ ะบะธะฟะตะฝะธั. ะŸะพัะปะต ัั‚ะพะณะพ ะฝะฐัั‚ะพะน ะฟั€ะพั†ะตะดะธั‚ัŒ ะธ ะฒะปะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะฑะพั€ั‰ ะฟะตั€ะตะด ะฟะพะดะฐั‡ะตะน ะฝะฐ ัั‚ะพะป.

Ingredients:

For every 500g of meat:

  • Beet โ€“ 300 g
  • Cabbage โ€“ 200 g
  • Root vegetables* and onions โ€“ 200 g
  • Tomato puree โ€“ 2 tablespoons or 100 grams fresh tomatoes
  • Vinegar and Sugar โ€“ 1 tablespoon each

Preparation:

1. Cook the meat broth.

2. Slice beets, carrots, parsley roots,* and onions into strips. Put in a soup pot. Add tomatoes or tomato puree, vinegar, sugar, and a little broth with the fat (or add 1-2 tablespoons of oil). Close the lid and set the vegetables to braise. Stir the vegetables so as not to burn them. ะdd, if necessary, a little broth or water.

3. After 15-20 minutes, add the shredded cabbage. ะœix everything and braise for another 20 minutes.

5. Pour the meat broth over the vegetables. Add pepper, bay leaf, salt, and a little vinegar to taste. Boil until the vegetables are fully cooked. Add sour cream to the borscht as it is served.

6. While the borscht boils, potatoes may be added, either whole or in wedges. Fresh tomatoes may be similarly added. They are cut into wedges and added 5-10 minutes before the cooking finishes. To the finished borscht, in addition to meat, you may add steamed ham, and boiled or smoked sausage.

7. To improve the borscht coloration, you may make a beet extract. To do this, slice the beet, pour a glass of hot broth, add a teaspoon of vinegar, and put it on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Bring to a boil. After that, strain the extract and pour it into the soup before serving.

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ะกะฒะตะบะพะปัŒะฝะธะบ
(ยซะšะฝะธะณะฐ ะพ ะฒะบัƒัะฝะพะน ะธ ะทะดะพั€ะพะฒะพะน ะฟะธั‰ะตยป (1952 ะณ.))
Svekolnik โ€“ Vegetarian Cold Borsch (from The Book of Tasty and Healthy Food, 1952 ed.)
ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹:
  • ะกะฒะตะบะปั‹ โ€” 150 ะณ,
  • ะกะผะตั‚ะฐะฝั‹ โ€” 50 ะณ
  • ะกะฐั…ะฐั€ะฐ โ€” 10 ะณ
  • 1 ัะธั‡ะฝั‹ะน ะฑะตะปะพะบ,
  • ะžะณัƒั€ั†ะพะฒ ัะฒะตะถะธั… โ€” 75 ะณ
  • ะกะฐะปะฐั‚ะฐ ะปะธัั‚ะฒะตะฝะฝะพะณะพ โ€” 10 ะณ
  • ะ›ัƒะบะฐ ะทะตะปะตะฝะพะณะพ โ€” 15 ะณ,
  • ะŸะตั‚ั€ัƒัˆะบะธ, ัƒะบั€ะพะฟะฐ โ€” 5 ะณ,
  • ะ›ะธะผะพะฝะฝะพะน ะบะธัะปะพั‚ั‹ โ€” ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ,
  • ะžั‚ะฒะฐั€ะฐ ัะฒะตะบะปั‹ โ€” 300 ะณ

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ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะต:

1. ะ’ั‹ะผั‹ั‚ัŒ ัะฒะตะบะปัƒ, ัะฒะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ ะดะพ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะฝะพัั‚ะธ ะฒ ะฒะพะดะต, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธะฒ ะปะธะผะพะฝะฝะพะน ะบะธัะปะพั‚ั‹, ะทะฐั‚ะตะผ ะพั…ะปะฐะดะธั‚ัŒ, ะพั‡ะธัั‚ะธั‚ัŒ ัะฒะตะบะปัƒ ะธ ะฟั€ะพั†ะตะดะธั‚ัŒ ะพั‚ะฒะฐั€.

2. ะกะฒะตะบะปัƒ ะฝะฐัˆะธะฝะบะพะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ะธ ัะพะตะดะธะฝะธั‚ัŒ ั ะพั‚ะฒะฐั€ะพะผ, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ัะฐั…ะฐั€, ั€ัƒะฑะปะตะฝั‹ะน ะฒะฐั€ะตะฝั‹ะน ะฑะตะปะพะบ, ะฝะฐัˆะธะฝะบะพะฒะฐะฝะฝั‹ะต ัะฐะปะฐั‚ ะธ ะปัƒะบ, ะฐ ั‚ะฐะบะถะต ะผะตะปะบะพ ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝั‹ะต ะพะณัƒั€ั†ั‹ ะธ ะทะฐะฟั€ะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ัะผะตั‚ะฐะฝะพะน. ะŸะตั€ะตะด ะฟะพะดะฐั‡ะตะน ะบ ัั‚ะพะปัƒ ะฟะพัั‹ะฟะฐั‚ัŒ ัะฒะตะบะพะปัŒะฝะธะบ ั€ัƒะฑะปะตะฝะพะน ะทะตะปะตะฝัŒัŽ.

3. ะ’ ัะฒะตะบะพะปัŒะฝะธะบ ะผะพะถะฝะพ ั‚ะฐะบะถะต ะฟะพะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฒะฐั€ะตะฝั‹ะน ะบะฐั€ั‚ะพั„ะตะปัŒ, ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝั‹ะน ะบัƒะฑะธะบะฐะผะธ, ะธ ะพั‡ะธั‰ะตะฝะฝั‹ะต ัะฒะตะถะธะต ัะฑะปะพะบะธ.

Ingredients:
  • Beet โ€“ 150 g
  • Sour cream โ€“ 50 g
  • Sugar โ€“ 10 g
  • Egg white โ€“ 1
  • Cucumbers โ€“ 75 g
  • Leaf lettuce โ€“ 10 g
  • Green onion โ€“ 15 g
  • Dill and parsley โ€“ 5 g
  • Citric acid โ€“ to taste
  • Beet bouillon โ€“ 300 g

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Preparation:

1. Wash the beets and boil until tender, having added the citric acid, then chill. Peel the beets and strain the bouillon.

2. Shred the beets and add them back to the bouillon with the sugar. Add chopped, cooked egg white, shredded lettuce, green onion, and finally grated cucumber. Add the sour cream. Before serving, top with chopped greens.

3. Boiled, cubed potato may also be added to the svekolnik, as may be peeled, fresh apple.

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Our Favorite Borsch Videos

This video is made by a Ukrainian-American YouTuber Natasha who runs a channel and a blog called Natashaโ€™s Kitchen. In this video, she shows how to make borsch step by step in English, while giving many useful tricks and tips throughout the video.

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Here Russian teacher Veta Chitnev has made a full video as an actual language lesson!

ย 

In this video, the host from a Russian YouTube channel called โ€œะšัƒั…ะฝั ะฝะฐะธะทะฝะฐะฝะบัƒโ€ or โ€œKitchen Inside Outโ€ shows how to make three kinds of borsch. She serves them with pampushki. The video has English subtitles available.

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About the author

Tanya Tanyarattinan

Tanya Tanyarattinan

Tanya Tanyarattinan is a third-year Thai international student at the University of Denver, double majoring in International Studies and Economics with minors in Russian and Japanese. She is currently studying Society, Business, and the Arts in St. Petersburg with SRASโ€™s Home and Abroad Scholarship. With an interest in pursuing a career in politics, she travels to see how the world works from different perspectives. Her next stop is Berlin where she will complete her study abroad year. In her free time, she likes to play games and try new food.

Program attended: Home and Abroad Scholar

View all posts by: Tanya Tanyarattinan