Summer Cold Soup (Okroshka)
Ingredients:
- Cucumbers – 200 g (about 3 medium-sized), finely diced
- Radishes – 200 g (about 12), finely diced
- Ham/Cooked Chicken/Cooked Sausage – 200-300 g, diced
- Fresh herbs (dill, parsley, green onions) – to taste, chopped
- Eggs – 4-5, hard-boiled and chopped
- Mustard – 1 tsp
- Sour cream – 150 g
- Kefir – 700 g
- Mineral water or white kvass – 750 ml
- Vinegar (6-9%) – 1 tbsp, or a pinch of citric acid
- Salt/pepper – to taste
- Potatoes (optional) – boiled and diced
Instructions:
- Prep the Ingredients:
- Prepare all the vegetables, meats, and eggs by chopping them into bite-sized pieces.
- Combine Solid Ingredients:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced cucumbers, radishes, your choice of meat, and fresh herbs.
- Mix the Liquids:
- In another bowl or jug, mix together the kefir, mineral water/kvass, sour cream, and mustard. Whisk until smooth. Season with vinegar (or citric acid), salt, and pepper to taste.
- Combine:
- Pour the liquid mixture over the chopped ingredients in the bowl. Stir gently to combine.
- Add Eggs:
- Gently fold in the chopped hard-boiled eggs.
- Chill:
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the soup for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld together and the soup to chill thoroughly.
- Serve:
- Ladle the soup into bowls. If using, you can add diced potatoes to each bowl just before serving.
- Optionally, offer additional sour cream, mustard, or fresh herbs on the side for garnishing.
Enjoy this refreshing cold soup on a hot summer day, perfect for a light lunch or as a starter for a seasonal meal.