Barščiai – beetroot soup with beans

Ingredients (serves 4)

• Beetroot500 g
• White cabbage300 g
• Potatoes (raw)300 g
• Carrot100 g
• Onion100 g
• Red kidney beans, cooked / tinned240 g
• Rapeseed / sunflower oil15 g
• Lemon20 g

Also: 1.5 l water, bay leaf, garlic, dill, salt

Method

1. Get ready: peel the beetroot (500 g) and grate it coarsely, and do the same with the carrot (100 g). Finely chop the onion (100 g), dice the potatoes (300 g) and cut the cabbage (300 g) into thin shreds.
2. Heat 1.5 tbsp oil (15 g) in a large pan over medium heat. Fry the onion and carrot for 4–5 min until the onion softens.
3. Add the beetroot and pour in about 100 ml water (out of the 1.5 l). Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 min.
4. Add the potatoes, cabbage, the rest of the water, the bay leaf and 1–2 chopped garlic cloves. Bring to the boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 25 min until the potatoes are soft.
5. Drain and rinse the beans (240 g). Add them to the soup and cook over low heat for another 2–3 min until warmed through.
6. Squeeze in the lemon juice (20 g), season lightly with salt and take out the bay leaf. Serve sprinkled with dill.
7. Cool any leftovers within 2 hours and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in portions.