Lithuanian Beet Cooler Soup (Chlodnik Litewski)

Lithuanian Beet Cooler Soup is made of beet stocks, beets, dill, scallions, cucumbers, plain yoghurt or sour cream. It looks very pretty and is delicious. The soup is served cold and originally was made with river crayfish. As the soup becomes famous and popular, new cooks start to put anything inside thinking they have created a new masterpiece, as long as the characteristic pink color of the soup is preserved.

• Beets with stalks, 3
• Plain yoghurt, buttermilk or sour cream, 500 ml
• Dill, 1/2 sprig
• Fresh cucumbers, 2
• Scallion, 1/2 bunch
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• Eggs, 2

Materials.

The soup.

1. Wash and separate beets from stalks. Peel beets and dice finely. Chop stalks with leaves into ¼ inch pieces. Use of leaves is optional, often people take only half of them.
2. Place chopped beets and stems in pot, add lemon juice, add water just over the beets level. Cook overlow heat for 15 minutes. Let it cool.
3. Peel cucumbers and dice finely. Place into a mixing bowl. Finely cut scallions and dill. Add to cucumbers. Add yoghurt and mix together.
4. Add cooked beets and mix everything together.
5. Pour into serving bowls and garnish with sliced hard boiled eggs.

NOTE Ukrainian borscht is another known beet soup.

Lithuanian Beet Cooler Soup can be made from Fermented Borscht.

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