Saltibarsciai

 

This soup is very popular in Lithuania, representing for the locals the equivalent of gazpacho for the Spaniards. 

You will find many recipes from Saltibarsciai. In some they include cooked potatoes, so the result is closer to a puree than a soup. 

In other recipes they use sour milk while others opt for liquid yogurt or kefir. 

INGREDIENTS (4 people):

• Half a kilo (1.1 pound) of canned beet
• 4 small cucumbers (or two large)
• 1 spring onion
• 2 1/2 cups (1/2 liter) of liquid yogurt (or 2 1/2 cups of kefir)
• 2 1/2 cups (1/2 liter) of ice water or skim milk
• A tablespoon of chopped dill
• A pinch of salt

In a bowl, pour the beetroot, the peeled cucumbers, the chopped onion, the chopped dill and the pinch of salt. We then add the unsweetened liquid yogurt or kefir. To avoid being too sour,  add ice water or cold skim milk. Grind until a very fine soup is left and if the ingredients were already very cold it is eaten directly or it is left to rest in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Lithuanians often add boiled potatoes and also decorate the surface with boiled egg segments, stick dill or parsley as well as using sour milk (not to be confused with sour cream) instead of yogurt or kefir.

The truth is that it is very refreshing and if you like beets, you will surely love it.