Belarusian Borsh

My boyfriend Max was born in Belarus, a country surrounded by Russia, Ukraine and Poland. The culture is very much like Russia. The main language is Russian, and the food is primarily Russian-originated with influences from other neighboring countries. I have never dated someone or even had a friend from Russia or Eastern Europe, so when I started seeing Max, I was learning something new about that culture on a daily basis. The most "authentic" experience I have had is visiting Max's home in Boston where his mom lives. It was there that I started to see what Russian food entails.

I have had some traditional Russian dishes at Max's house ever since my first visit a year ago, especially on New Year's Eve, which is the biggest Russian holiday. We had an awesome Russian feast at Max's house (My contributions were a tofu lettuce wrap and an espresso chocolate pie. Not very Russian, I know, but they sure were delicious!). Every time I visit Max's house, Max's mom always, without fail, makes borsh, a tomato and/or beet-based vegetable soup.

[A quick disclaimer dedicated to Max, borsh is first of all supposed to be spelled as BORSH, and not borsch or borscht. BORSH is the direct translation from its original Russian name, so all those other ways of spelling that are so much more well-known in the U.S. are just another incidence of American's tendency to westernize and personalize other cultures. Second, there is a variety of traditional borsh. Some borsh are beet-based, some are tomato-based, some are made with beef stock, and others are totally vegetarian. The Belarusian and Ukraine variety is tomato-based and is typically vegetarian. Ok, there, Max. Hopefully I have done Belarus some justice.]

I love soups, so I always look forward to Max's mom's borsh whenever I visit. Finally, after the sixth time I had it at Max's house, I decided to give it a try myself. Max's mom gave me 2 beets and a packet of borsh soup base as symbols of encouragement and hope. "Can a Chinese girl properly make a Belarusian dish??" is what I'm sure was running through her head. Well, I did make it, and it tasted great. It was perfect for the winter weather. Of course, I made a tomato-based version (the Belarusian way) with chunks of beets because I love beets. I topped the soup with a dollop of home-made vegan sour cream, the way that borsh is traditionally eaten. This borsh comes with Max's Belarusian seal of approval :)

A perfect soup for the wintery weathers of the northeast


Loaded with fresh veggies