Borscht

£8p Eastern European life-saving soup: Don't be afraid to boil it into pot water

Listen, mate. Don't row away yet. I know what you're thinking, "It's the big voice of East London shouting again." That's right, it's me, Luca. Today we won't talk about those fancy dishes that are plated with tweezers, they are all tricks for the rich. Let's talk about the real thing, about something that will drag you back from a frozen weekend morning.

Let's talk about it first. Just last week, I messed up borscht in the makeshift kitchen of this dilapidated rental house. Really, it's horrible. Beetroot? My hands were shaking too much, and the whole pot of soup was purple like a disinfectant, which made people feel hairy when they looked at it. Cabbage? If you overcook it, it will rot into a puddle of green mud, and you can't even pick it up. The most terrible thing is the soup base, which is as thin as the water I used to wash the pot in the morning, and when I took a sip, it was so sour that my teeth were about to fall out, and the beef was still stuffed between my teeth and couldn't be picked out. The roommate took a bite, that expression, and said tactfully: "Luca, this soup...... It's quite healthy, really. "I wanted to throw the spoon away. Frustration? It's just a burst. I feel like a fool who only wastes food.

But life still has to pass, mate. Winter came, and the old bastard landlord raised the rent by another fifty pounds, and my wallet was cleaner than my face. I remember, borscht was originally used by people in Eastern Europe to deal with the cold winter. It shouldn't be the delicate red foam in a restaurant, it should be a rough, hot, hodgepodge that feeds a room.

Many people dare not make borscht, what are they afraid of? I am afraid that it will be tasteless like "vegetable bath water", I am afraid that the ratio of beetroot and tomatoes will be so sour, I am afraid that the beef stew will not rot and stuff my teeth, and finally waste a large pot of ingredients, so it is better to go to a convenience store to buy a cold sandwich. To be honest, I was afraid too. But then I figured it out, don't talk to me about authentic or not, borscht is a hodgepodge of leftovers, just delicious, whoever uses it cheaply.

After that mess, I made a call to a Polish buddy I used to know when I was working in the kitchen, named Jan. He was laughing out of breath on the other end of the phone, listening to me describe the pot of "purple potion", he said, "Luca, you idiot, where does the sweetness come from if the vegetables are not fried softly?" How do you thicken potatoes without pressing the puree? ”

Yes, why didn't I expect that.

The next day, I went to the discount supermarket again. This time I learned well. Don't have a special soup pot? It's okay, my big wok full of fireworks can still stew. Don't have a grater? I cut slowly with a kitchen knife, my fingers were red, and the juice was stained everywhere, like I was injured, and I couldn't wash it off, but that's what cooking feels like, isn't it?

Come, look, this is the guy I used this time, it's all bargains, and some are even substitutes. Don't dislike it, being able to eat is king.

You see, it's that simple. Don't be intimidated by those bells and whistles recipes.

I started to do it. First, chop the onion and carrot and throw them into the pan and stir-fry. Just fried twice, wait - the landlord is knocking on the door again! said that the electricity bill was owed, let me pay it quickly. I was furious, yelled at him twice through the door, and looked back, damn it, the onion was burnt! A mushy smell. It's okay, scrape off the burnt part and continue to fry. This is life, mate, there are always unexpected bad things to step in.

This time I remembered Jan's words. Vegetables must be fried soft and the sugar is stir-fried, so that the soup base is sweet and suppresses the sourness. Cut the beetroot into small pieces, don't cut it like a stone like I did last time. Pour the canned tomatoes into it, sizzle, and the sour aroma explodes instantly, this time it's not so much, the ratio is right.

Add water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Time, only time can solve everything. The beef goes from hard to soft and falls apart with chopsticks. Here comes the most crucial step: thickening. I don't have a food processor and I don't want to wash that thing. I took out a few pieces of boiled soft potatoes, put them in a bowl, pressed them hard with the bottom of an old teacup, pressed them into a puree, and poured them back into the pot.

Something magical happened. The soup, which was originally clear and lacking water, instantly became thick and hung spoon. That texture is not the fake smoothness of thickening, but the heaviness brought by real starch.

Simmer for another twenty minutes. Sprinkle with salt and add some black pepper (if you have it, it's not in the way). Before taking it out of the pot, I took a bite.

Wow.

Sour, but the kind of soft acidity with the natural sweetness of vegetables. The beef melts in the mouth, and the heat flows down the throat all the way to the stomach. The color is a deep reddish-purple, no longer a terrible potion color, but like the evening sunset, looking at it makes people want to plunge into it.

If you're like me, a novice in the kitchen, or a poor kid on a tight budget, remember these two things can save your life:

• Thickening Tips:
• Common Failure Salvation Methods:

The cost of this pot is only £80p per pound. It's much cheaper than the dry sandwich at the convenience store, and it keeps me eating for three days. Served with black bread and dipped in soup, my roommate and I sat on the floor, sweating profusely, and the previous frustration had long since disappeared.

It turns out that as long as the cheap ingredients are in the right order and have enough time, they are really more fragrant than those dishes that cost tens of pounds in the restaurant. This is not some culinary miracle, this is the principle of life. If you fool it, it fools you; If you treat it with your heart, even if you press the potatoes with a rotten spoon, it will return you with warmth.

Finally, I know you definitely have problems. Don't be embarrassed to ask, I'm a chef, not a food critic.

Q: What happens if I don't have beetroot?
A: Use canned beetroot or add some tomato sauce to color it, the taste is almost right but the color is right, don't go to buy it, mate, save money first.

Q: How to save soup if it is too sour?
A: Add some sugar or add more potatoes, boiled can neutralize the sourness, don't throw it away, it is shameful to waste ingredients.

Okay, there is still a layer of burnt things under the pot, let's brush it tomorrow. The roommate shouted over there, "Luca, is there anything else?" Another bowl! ”

I'll give it to him."

Okay mate, hurry up and cook, don't be lazy.