Borscht (no meat)

Borscht is one of those dishes I make when I have been thinking about it for a while, and somehow D echoes my thoughts, and we finally decide it is time to have some.

It is just a simple hearty vegetable beet soup, and I make variations of this soup on and off. But, this recipe here is my version of borscht that happens to satisfy both D's and my tastes, and has a bit of a kick to it with the spices.

While there are several regional and cultural variations of it, I stick to this basic version most of the time, leaving out the sour cream, and usually serving it hot. Cold beet soup has not appealed to me so far, but that can change ;)


Ingredients
1 medium potato, peeled and finely diced or julienned or grated
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced or julienned or grated
1 medium beetroot, peeled and grated finely
2 to 3 cups finely chopped red cabbage
1 medium onion, diced finely
1-2 garlic cloves, minced finely
3-4 cups vegetable stock^†
salt to taste
1 Tbsp canola oil
^†Or, chicken stock or vegetable stock; or just 3-4 bullion cubes dissolved in 3-4 cups of water

spices:
1 Tbsp paprika powder
2 Tbsp cayenne pepper powder
1 Tbsp dried dill

Preparation

1. heat oil in a pot, add the onions and garlic, a pinch of salt and sauté till translucent
2. add the rest of the vegetables and the stock, cover and simmer on medium low for about 15-20 minutes till vegetables are done
3. stir in the spices and simmer 10 minutes longer, adjust salt to taste