Okroshka

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Okroshka (Russian: окрошка) is Russian cold soup. The name originates from the Russian "kroshit" (крошить) which means to chop (into small pieces). The classic one is a mix of mostly raw vegetables (like cucumbers, spring onion, radish), boiled potatoes, eggs, ham with a very special bread beverage - kvass that can be used separately as a healthful drink. It is possible to replace kvass with kefir and lemon acid.

The ingredients are chopped into small squares and are mixed with kvass right before eating. The ratio of chopped food to kvas is similar to that of cereal to milk. This allows the vegetables to preserve "crunchiness." For that same reason, even though the ingredients are similar to those in the "Olivie" salad, the taste of okroshka is nothing like that of the Olivie.

Okroshka is a perfect soup for summer time since it combines the refreshing taste of kvas and lightness of a salad. Most people prefer to top it off with a spoon of sour cream and Russian (bitter) mustard. You could also add salt and/or sugar to taste.

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