Classic Borscht

Pour water over the meat, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until tender: beef — 2–2.5 hours; chicken — about 30 minutes.

Remove the cooked meat from the broth.

Salt the broth.

Cut the potatoes into cubes, add to the pot, and cook for 10–12 minutes.

At the same time, finely chop the onion and grate the carrot.

Sauté the onion and carrot in vegetable oil until soft.

Shred the cabbage.

Add the cabbage, as well as the sautéed onion and carrot, to the broth.

Grate the beetroot.

Sauté it in oil for about 2 minutes, then add the tomato paste and simmer over low heat for another 5 minutes.

Cut the meat and return it to the broth.

Add the beetroot, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Cook for about 7 more minutes, until the potatoes are fully cooked.

If you want a richer color, you can squeeze juice from raw beetroot and pour it into the finished borscht.

Let the borscht steep for 15–20 minutes.

Serve with sour cream, fresh herbs, and bread.