"Shchi and kasha feed us"—this old saying shows how important these two dishes are in Russian cooking.
In former times shchi and various kinds of kasha (pudding-like dishes made of various cereals) were the basic diet. Shchi was often eaten with buckwheat kasha, and this is still one of the dishes on the menu at Moscow's Slavyansky Bazar restaurant.
How to make shchi:
1.)Making shchi has always been considered a great art. It is not for nothing that the proverb goes: 'A good housewife is one who makes good shchi, not one who makes nice conversation.'
2.)The basic ingredient of shchi is hard white cabbage, either fresh or as sauerkraut.
3.)For shchi made from fresh cabbage: you need several carrots, 20 grammes of parsley roots and one onion.
3.) Slice and saute them. Shred 600 grammes of cabbage (if the cabbage is one of the late varieties, first immerse it in boiling water for 2-3 minutes to remove the slightly bitter taste).
4.)Add the cabbage to the boiling meat, fish or mushroom stock, bring back to the boil, add the sauted vegetables and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Diced potatoes and fresh tomatoes can be added if desired. Five to ten minutes before the shchi is cooked, season it with salt, pepper and bay leaves.
For shchi made from sauerkraut:
4.) Rinse half a kilogramme of sauerkraut and press out the excess liquid. Put it in a saucepan with 50 grammes of butter and enough water or stock to prevent it from burning, cover and stew fast, then gently for one and a half hours, stirring occasionally.
5.)Slice 80 grammes of carrots, 20 grammes of parsley roots and 100 grammes of onions, add several spoonfuls of tomato puree, and saute. Add this to the cabbage 10-15 minutes before it is cooked.
6.)Put the cabbage and other vegetables into the boiling stock and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add salt, pepper and bay leaves, and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Garnish with sour cream and finely chopped dill, parsley and spring onions before serving.