Borscht is not considered a native Russian dish because the origin of borscht is unknown; assumingly it was first cooked in the Kievan Rus territories. It is the common dish for Eastern Slavs, especially South-Eastern ones, the Ukrainians. Many Russian people agree that the best borscht is the Ukranian one which is rich with garlic, greens, and eaten with gorilka and salo.
Borscht in its natural habitat tastes sweet and heavy. The color is carmine red because of the beetroot and sweet thanks to it. Garlic almost dissolves in the sweetness of the beetroot and the greasiness of fat beef broth. Some of the cooks like to make borscht thick with vegetables so if you stick a spoon into it, it will stand vertically still.
Borscht is unleavened; it only tastes with sweetness, meat broth, and dill. Cabbage and carrots added to it dissolve in beetroot flavor which abruptly steals the show. All you need to know about borscht is that it is of steaming hot beetroot and beef, and has the haunting aftertaste of dill which is a heavy, plain dish to have for winter.
That is why borscht is eaten with Smetana, creamy sour yogurt which freshens up the taste. Sweet and milky sour is a common Slavic combination because of Smetana used in various dishes for the same cause.
DIY Russian Borscht’s Recipe
The classic Russian borscht recipe is usually nutritious, healthy, and comforting for winter. Traditional Russian borscht is made with beef, cabbage, and many other vegetables. The beets give the borscht a beautiful red color as well as a beautiful flavor.
The primary ingredients that always go into Russian borscht recipe are beets, cabbage, and beef. However, you still be able to variate some other vegetables into it. Potatoes and mushrooms could be put aside if you want to make the borscht healthier. You may also try adding leek and parsnips to it.
There are plenty of other variations of Russian borscht. One of the most popular versions of Borscht is one that is made with no beets. In this article, we will learn about 3 delicious recipes to make DIY Russian Borscht you can try at home. Keep on reading!
- Russian Creamy Beet Borscht Recipe
Ingredients: 5 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 large beet, 2 medium carrots, ¼ head of medium cabbage, 1 large red bell pepper, ½ medium onions, 4 qt. of water, 3 medium potatoes sliced into bite-sized pieces, 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup of dill or parsley diced, and salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions: First, you need to cut the red bell pepper and onions into tiny cubes, shred the cabbage, grate both carrots and beets, and then set them aside. Second, you need to sautée the carrots and onions in a large skillet with 5 tablespoons of olive oil and cook until it turns golden brown.
Next step is to put beets and red bell peppers to it and cook until all vegetables turn soft. After that, you can fill up a pot with water, boil it, and put the cooked vegetables into the pot. You can also add dill or parsley to add a great flavor to the borscht.
The last step is to add potatoes and cabbage to the borscht and season it with salt and pepper. Stir in sour cream and let it simmer until all ingredients are well-cooked. Do not worry; it takes only 20 minutes.
- Russian Red Borscht Recipe
Ingredients: 3 medium potatoes sliced into bite-sized pieces, 1 large grated beet, ½ large finely chopped onions, 2 medium grated carrots, ¼ head of thinly chopped medium cabbage, 16 oz canned Kidney Beans which has been rinsed and drained. 4 tablespoons of oil, ¼ tablespoons of ground pepper, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of ketchup.
Instructions: First, you need to fill a pot with 3 quarts of water, add the grated beet and sliced potatoes into the water, and boil it for 15 – 20 minutes. Do not forget to add a can of beans. After the potatoes are about to be cooked, add sliced cabbage to the pot, ground pepper, salt to taste, vinegar, and ketchup to it.
While you are at it, you can sautée carrots and onions with 4 tablespoons of cooking oil. Sautée until the vegetables turn soft which takes you 7 – 10 minutes. After that, add them to the pot and cook for another 5 – 10 minutes until the cabbage is well-cooked. You can serve it with a dollop of real mayo or sour cream.
- Chilled Russian Borscht Recipe
Ingredients: 2 pounds of peeled and quartered medium beets, 11 cups of water, ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon of sugar, ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar, salt and freshly ground pepper, 1 medium peeled and cut Yukon Gold potato,1 pound peeled, seeded, and cut Kirby cucumbers, 1 cup finely diced radishes, 4 thinly sliced scallions, 3 large peeled and coarsely chopped hard-cooked eggs, ¼ cup of coarsely chopped dill, ¼ cup of coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley, and sour cream or crème fraiche for serving.
Instructions: In a large pot, drown the quartered beets in the water and bring it to a boil. You can simmer over moderately low heat until the beets turn soft when pierced with a fork. It only takes you about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, you can move the beets to a plate.
Put the beets in a food processor and coarsely shred it. Place them back to the pot and add the sugar, lemon juice, and cider vinegar to it. Do not forget to season it with salt and pepper. After that, refrigerate the soup until chilled for at least 4 hours.
The next step is to boil a small saucepan of salted water. You can start to add the potato cubes and cook it until tender. Drain and cool it under cold water, pat dry, and move it to a medium bowl. Put the cucumbers, radishes, scallions, eggs, dill, and parsley to it.
The last step is to ladle the chilled borscht into bowls, garnish with the vegetable and chopped egg mixture, and top it with a generous dollop of sour cream.
So, those are 3 delicious recipes to make DIY Russian Borscht. Feel free to try.