Hearty Beef and Beet Borsch

Ingredients

• 150 g dried soy mince (TVP)
• 1 kg beetroots
• 400 g carrots
• 400 g onions
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 L vegetable stock
• 2 L water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 400 g potatoes
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• to taste salt
• 1 handful fresh dill
• to serve sour cream

Method

1. 1

   Put the dried soy mince in a bowl, pour over 600 ml of boiling water, and let it soak. While it rehydrates, grate the beets and carrots — keep them separate, they cook at different rates.

   Using: Mixing bowl, Grater / microplane, Cutting board

2. 2

   In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm 2 tbsp of the oil. Add the diced onions and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add the drained soy mince, press it flat against the pot, and let it sit undisturbed until it browns underneath, then stir. Continue until the mince has good colour and smells nutty.

   until the mince is deeply browned and smells nutty

   Using: Dutch oven, Wooden spoon

3. 3

   Push the mince to one side of the pot. Add the remaining 2 tbsp oil and the tomato paste to the empty space and cook, stirring, until the paste darkens from brick-red to deep rust. Stir it into the mince and onions.

   until the paste darkens from brick-red to deep rust

   Using: Dutch oven, Wooden spoon

4. 4

   Add the grated beets and carrots to the pot and stir to coat in the onion-mince mixture. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and the whole pot turns deep crimson. This step changes the flavour from raw sweetness to something mellow and jammy — do not rush it.

   15 min · until the pot turns deep crimson and the veg is soft and jammy

   Using: Dutch oven, Wooden spoon

5. 5

   Pour in the stock (or water), add the bay leaves and peppercorns, and bring to a boil. Lower to a gentle simmer.

   until bubbling hard

   Using: Dutch oven

6. 6

   Add the diced potatoes to the pot and simmer until tender. With the cabbage left out, the potatoes are the only solid bite left — let them take the full simmer until a knife slides through cleanly.

   30 min · until a knife slides cleanly through the potatoes

   Using: Dutch oven, Chef's knife, Cutting board

7. 7

   Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the white vinegar and sugar — the acid jolts the colour back to brilliant scarlet. Taste and adjust salt. Let the borsch sit off the heat for the flavours to marry.

   Using: Dutch oven, Wooden spoon

8. 8

   Ladle into deep bowls with a generous spoonful of sour cream (or a dairy-free yogurt) and a shower of chopped dill. The borsch only gets better overnight — refrigerate and reheat gently.

   Using: Ramen bowl, Chopsticks