Lithuanian Cold Borscht

Ingredients

• 2-3 fresh or pickled beets
• 1-2 potatoes per serving
• 1-2 normal sized cucumbers per serving
• Dill, parsley, chives
• Egg (1 per serving)
• Kefir (if not available - sour yoghurt or buttermilk) about 150-300 ml per serving
• Sour cream (1 tbsp per serving)
• Some radish (optional)
• 1 lemon (optional)

Method

1. Wash 2-3 beets and cook in 2-3 litres of water (do not drain), peel. Grate on a medium or coarse grater. Squeeze a little lemon juice into the liquid in which the beets have been cooked, mix, then add salt, sugar and pepper to taste. Cool in the fridge. Instead of boiled beets, you can grate pickled beets.
2. Thinly slice the fresh cucumber and mix with chopped dill and parsley. You can also add chopped radishes if you like.
3. Bake or boil the potatoes without peeling.
4. Boil an egg for each portion of soup.
5. Place a few large spoonfuls of cooled grated beetroot and vegetable mixture in a bowl. Pour in the cold kefir. Add the cooled beetroot decoction (50-150 ml). If the kefir is too thick, add a little more liquid (the ratio of kefir to beetroot liquid varies from region to region and is adjusted to taste).
6. Serve with potatoes and with a halved egg and spoonful of thick sour cream on top; sprinkle with chives. If you like, you can make it without the egg (as in the photo).