
Šaltibarščiai
A vibrant cold Lithuanian soup with beetroot, kefir, crisp cucumber and herbs, traditionally served with hot potatoes.
Ingredients
- beet3 pcs
- water2000 ml
- egg3 pcs
- cucumber1 pcs
- green onion2 stalks
- dill8 stalks
- kefir1000 ml
- salt1 to taste
- black pepper1 to taste
- potato800 g
Instructions
Wash the beetroot thoroughly, place in a pot, cover with water and cook for 30–60 minutes, depending on size, until tender. Let cool, peel and grate coarsely.
Hard-boil the eggs for 9–10 minutes, cool in cold water, peel and dice.
Dice the cucumber finely, and finely chop the spring onion and dill.
In a large bowl, combine the beetroot, cucumber, spring onion, dill and eggs, pour in cold kefir and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Stir the soup and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so it chills through and the flavors meld.
Peel the potatoes, boil in salted water for 20–25 minutes until tender, and serve hot alongside the cold soup.
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