Last week, I made Heidi Swanson’s Lime & Peanut Coleslaw. The other half of the cabbage I bought has been waiting in the refrigerator ever since, along with some carrots and a couple of potatoes…together forming the inspiration for this evening’s meal: cabbage soup and buckwheat kasha. I know, I know – it sounds a bit drab, but this Russian staple is a great meal for a cold evening.
Shchi, AKA cabbage soup, and buckwheat kasha have been core to the Russian diet for ages. The common saying Shchi da kasha, pisha nasha means “Shchi and Kasha are our staples”. They are so popular, in fact, that a woman was once judged a suitable wife if she could cook up a good pot of shchi.
In any case, while I don’t consider it a reflection on my womanhood or wifehood, I will offer up my own versions of these popular dishes.
Shchi (Cabbage Soup) Recipe
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup of carrots, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- ½ head of cabbage, shredded
- 1 can chopped stewed tomatoes
- 6 cups broth (your choice)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tsp celery seed
- 1 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
- dairy-free sour cream substitute (optional)
Instructions
- Heat soup pot over medium-high heat. Pour in olive oil, and then add onions. Stir for 2 minutes.
- Add potatoes, carrots, and garlic. Continue stirring for 5 minutes.
- Pour in broth and bring to a boil. For vegan version, use water or vegetable stock.
- Meanwhile, heat ¼ inch of water in a large pan. Add shredded cabbage and stir for 3-4 minutes. Drain and add cabbage to broth mixture.
- Drain stewed tomatoes and add them to the soup.
- Reduce heat and simmer soup for 25 minutes.
- Add bay leaf, celery seed, salt, and pepper, and let cook for 5 minutes longer.
Traditional Russian Buckwheat Kasha Recipe (naturally gluten-free)
- 1 cup buckwheat groats
- 1 egg (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- cracked pepper to taste
- 2 cups boiling water
Instructions
- Crack the egg into a bowl and beat for 20 seconds.
- Pour groats into a pot over medium heat, add egg, and stir well until egg is cooked thoroughly – about 5 minutes.
- Pour boiling water , salt and pepper over buckwheat, cover tightly, reduce heat to low. Simmer for about fifteen to twenty minutes or until buckwheat is tender.
- Let sit on the stove with the lid on for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Fluff and serve
- Garnish with parsley and DF sour cream substitute if you like.
Note: for vegan version, leave out egg; simply skip the first two steps and, instead, add the groats to the boiling water.