Šaltibarščiai - Chilled Beetroot Soup

Ingredients

• 2 medium beets
• 4 cups kefir
• 1 medium cucumbers
• 1 bunch dill
• 3 stalks green onions
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 large hard-boiled eggs
• 4 cups water

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash the beets thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt.

2. 2

   Place the beets in a pot, cover with 4 cups of water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the beets are tender when pierced with a fork.

3. 3

   Once cooked, remove the beets from the pot and let them cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel the skins off using your hands or a vegetable peeler.

4. 4

   Grate the peeled beets into a large mixing bowl.

5. 5

   In the same bowl, add 4 cups of kefir, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Mix well to combine.

6. 6

   Chop the cucumbers, dill, and green onions. Add them to the beet mixture and stir to combine.

7. 7

   Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If the soup is too thick, you can add a little more kefir or water to reach your desired consistency.

8. 8

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and the soup to chill.

9. 9

   While the soup is chilling, prepare the hard-boiled eggs. Place eggs in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let sit for 9-12 minutes, then transfer the eggs to an ice bath to cool before peeling.

10. 10

    Once the soup is chilled, serve in bowls and garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs on top.