Shchi

Shchi is a Russian soup made from shredded cabbage simmered in stock, usually with meat, and seasoned with onion, carrot and herbs. It has been a staple of Russian home cooking for centuries.

What it really is

Shchi is built on cabbage, most often fresh white cabbage, sometimes with sauerkraut added for a sour note. The soup is cooked in a meat stock, traditionally beef or pork, with onion, carrot and sometimes potato. Root vegetables and a little tomato paste may be added, and the soup is finished with dill and parsley. Lean versions are made with mushroom stock or water during fasting periods.

Shchi differs from borscht, which gets its colour and main flavour from beetroot and is not built on cabbage. Shchi is also thinner and clearer than most versions of solyanka, which is a sour, meaty soup with pickles and olives. The cabbage-based soup is distinguished by the use of cabbage as its main vegetable.

How it's served

• Served hot in a bowl, usually as a first course at lunch or dinner.
• Sour cream is commonly offered on the side and stirred in at the table.
• Eaten with dark rye bread, which is part of the usual Russian meal.
• Fresh dill and parsley are often added just before serving.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the soup as shchi and state the stock: beef, pork or mushroom.
• State that the soup contains cabbage, carrot, onion and dill, and whether potato or sauerkraut is included.
• Flag celery and milk if the stock or garnish contains them, and state that sour cream is served on the side.
• Specify whether the version is a meat shchi or a fasting (mushroom) version.