A little background info: borscht is a beet soup which originates from Ukraine, but is popular in other Eastern and Central European countries. "The soup began its existence from trimmings of cellared vegetables consumed throughout the winter months. Most families had a container, usually a kettle or stove pot, kept outside to store those trimmings. Around the first spring thaw that pot was placed on the fire and cooked into a soup-like meal. One of the primary vegetables of the Slavic diet consumed during the winter months was beets. Hence the recipe morphed into what is traditionally known as a beet soup." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borscht).
There are two types of borscht: hot and cold. The hot variety is the most popular made with beets and other starchy vegetables and may include carrot or even meat. The cold variety is more similar to a gazpacho. There are many variations the recipe, so feel free to check around for one you like best! Check out wikipedia to see what the different cultures do to make it their own.
After that little information session, we can now move onto my experience cooking borscht. The recipe was very simple and the actual cooking time took 30 minutes. It can basically be understood as three 10-minute steps. Lots of times when I have recipes, if I don't have the exact ingredients, I improvise. Though this recipe called for thyme, I had none, and used my own seasonings, and it tasted great. I also used chicken stock instead of vegetable. And I rarely make homemade stock (I just feel it takes a lot of time to make and I like my meals to be quick and simple to make most of the time). Also beets can be quite messy, if you've never worked with them, they stain. To save my clothes and some time, I actually used canned beets. This is an easy way to save yourself time (and money), and not compromise taste. These are just a few tips to show how making homemade food does not have to be complicated, 100% from scratch, or expensive.
Now, back to borscht.... After cooking up my soup I pureed it, and then I served it with natural yogurt and some fresh dill. I, personally, also like to put some vinegar in my soup. Others, like my husband, do not. It's up to you! It simply makes it a bit sour. :)
Well I hope you enjoyed learning about borscht and my experience cooking it. I know that this is not asian food, but I haven't had a lot of opportunity to create bento lately, so I wanted to update you with something interesting. I will try to keep updating you with some food experiences and I will provide a bento post soon!
Until next time, Happy Munching!
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