soup
Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot – though it is sometimes served chilled – made by cooking or otherwise combining meat or vegetables with Stock (food), stock, milk, or water. According to ''The Oxford Compan ...
of Russian origin, which probably originated in the
Volga
The Volga (, ) is the longest river in Europe and the longest endorheic basin river in the world. Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Caspian Sea. The Volga has a length of , and a catchment ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
.
The classic soup is a mix of mostly raw vegetables (like
cucumbers
The cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated creeping vine plant in the family Cucurbitaceae that bears cylindrical to spherical fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables.spring onions), boiled potatoes, eggs, cooked meat such as beef, veal, sausages or ham and
kvass
Kvass is a fermented, cereal-based, low-alcoholic beverage of cloudy appearance and sweet-sour taste.
Kvass originates from northeastern Europe, where grain production was considered insufficient for beer to become a daily drink. The first wr ...
, which is a low-alcoholic (1.5% or less) beverage made from fermented black or rye bread. Okroshka is usually garnished with
sour cream
Sour cream (sometimes known as soured cream in British English) is a dairy product obtained by fermenting regular cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, which is introduced either deliberately or naturall ...
( smetana). Later versions that first appeared in Soviet times use light or diluted
kefir
Kefir ( ; alternative spellings: kephir or kefier; ; ; ) is a Fermented milk products, fermented milk drink similar to a thin yogurt or ayran that is made from kefir grains, a specific type of mesophilic SCOBY, symbiotic culture. It is prep ...
,
whey
Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a byproduct of the manufacturing of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is a byproduct resulting from the manufacture of rennet types of hard c ...
,
ayran
Ayran ( ) is a cold savory yogurt-based beverage that is consumed across Central Asia, and the Balkans, in Turkey and Iran. The principal ingredients are yogurt, water and salt. Herbs such as mint may be optionally added. Some varieties are ...
, or carbonated water instead of kvass.
The ingredients are diced and then mixed with kvass just before eating; the ratio of chopped food to kvass is similar to that of cereal to milk. This allows the vegetables to retain their texture. For that same reason, even though the ingredients are similar to those in a Russian salad, the taste of okroshka is quite different from that of the salad.
Okroshka is mostly served in summer because the soup combines the refreshing taste of kvass and the lightness of a salad. Salt and sugar can be added according to taste. In the recipes with carbonated water, there is one more addition to the ingredients of okroshka: freshly squeezed lemon juice; this is to replace the flavor in the absence of kvass.
Okroshka is always served cold. Sometimes ice cubes are added to served portions to keep the soup cold in hot weather.
Gallery
Image:Kefir-okroshka.jpg, Okroshka made with
kefir
Kefir ( ; alternative spellings: kephir or kefier; ; ; ) is a Fermented milk products, fermented milk drink similar to a thin yogurt or ayran that is made from kefir grains, a specific type of mesophilic SCOBY, symbiotic culture. It is prep ...
File:Окрошка1.JPG, Classic okroshka with beef. Nearby are plates of smetana, a special dressing (made from pounding yolks, Russian mustard, horse radish, green onion, and salt), and a cup of
kvass
Kvass is a fermented, cereal-based, low-alcoholic beverage of cloudy appearance and sweet-sour taste.
Kvass originates from northeastern Europe, where grain production was considered insufficient for beer to become a daily drink. The first wr ...
.
File:Окрошка2.JPG, Okroshka with the dressing added
File:Окрошка3.jpg, Kvass is added to the mixture.
File:Окрошка4.jpg, The soup is mixed and smetana is added.
File:Okroshka, Russian okroshka, Rostov-on-Don, Russia.jpg, Okroshka mixed with kefir, kvass and whey
* Solley, P. (2004). ''An Exaltation of Soups: The Soul-Satisfying Story of Soup, as Told in More Than 100 Recipes''. New York: Three Rivers Press. .
* Mobile Reference (ed.) (2007). ''Travel Saint Petersburg, Russia: City Guide, Phrasebook, and Maps''. Boston: Sound Tells, LLC. .
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