Recipe for Shchi - the Russian cabbage soup

Shchi (russ.: щи) is one of the most typical dishes of the Russian cuisine. It can be cooked in different ways. There are three main variations of shchi: ‘green shchi’ with fresh cabbage (russ.: щи свежие), ‘sour shchi’ with sauerkraut (russ.: щи кислые) and vegetarian shchi (russ.: щи постные).

This is a recipe for shchi with fresh cabbage. Vegetarians can use water instead of meat stock.

Meat stock

(can be cooked in advance)

Place meat in a pan and add cold water to cover it. Bring to boil, removing scam as it gathers. Pour the water away and clean off any scam. Place meat in the pan, fill it with boiling water and bring everything to slow boil. Add one whole onion and bay leaves and let it simmer in the covered pan on low heat for about 2 hours.

Remove cooked onion and bay leaves. Strip meat off bones and finely chop it.

Shchi

1. Remove outer leaves and core of the cabbage head. Shred the cabbage.
2. Chop 2 onions and garlic cloves. Cut potatoes into thick chips. Grate the carrot.
3. Put everything in the pan with boiling meat stock (or water) and let it simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.
4. Wash and chop the tomato (or use tomato paste). Put tomato, pepper corns and caraway into the pan and simmer for another 10 minutes.
5. Add cooked meat and cook for about 5 minutes.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Serve with lots of chopped parsley, dill and sour cream (2 tbsp per portion.)

Russian recipes

• Salads and Appetizers
  Recipes for Russian salads, Mushroom Caviar, Russian eggs, etc.
• Soups and stews
  Borsch, Solyanka, Shchi and more recipes.
• Main Dishes
  Recipes for Russian pancakes (bliny), pelmeni, fish and meat recipes.
• Grilling and BBQ
  Shashlik recipes for Caucasian style barbecue.
• Baking
  Recipes for Russian pierogi, Vatrushki, an apple pie and cakes
• Drinks
  Recipes for Kwaß and Cranberry Water with Honey

Russian cuisine

• Cabbage - cooking tipps and recipes.
• Russian Easter Feast - Russian Easter recipes