Shchi (Щи)
Overview
Shchi is Russia's traditional cabbage soup, made with fresh cabbage in summer and sauerkraut in winter, when it is called sour shchi. The soup is usually based on a beef broth, with potatoes, carrot, onion and sometimes mushrooms, and is flavoured with bay leaf and plenty of dill. It is served with sour cream and dark rye bread. Like borscht, it is said to taste even better the next day, and in the past it was sometimes frozen and taken on long winter journeys.
History
Cabbage soups have been eaten in Russia for many centuries, and shchi was so central to everyday meals that an old Russian saying pairs it with porridge as the basic food of the people. Peasant families cooked it slowly in the wood-fired Russian stove. Different regions and seasons produced many versions, from meatless fasting soups to rich festive ones.
Main ingredients
Cabbage or sauerkraut, beef, potato, carrot, onion, dill. The soup is built on beef broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Beef soups · Potato soups · Cabbage soups · More soups from Russia
Recipe
Method
- 1
Simmer the beef in 2.5 l water for about an hour; remove and cut up.
- 2
Add potatoes to the broth, then fried onion, carrot and tomato paste.
- 320 min
Add the cabbage and simmer for 20 minutes.
- 4
Return the meat, season and serve with dill and sour cream.
- ✓
Serve. About 1h 50m from start to bowl.
Pictures
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
