C.and he did it! Borscht is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The famous beetroot soup has always been in the spotlight diatribe between Ukrainians and Russiansfighting for fatherhood. The war only sharpened this contradiction and The recipe has also become a subject of conflict. Suffice it to say that when Ukraine submitted its candidacy to UNESCO in 2019, Moscow immediately claimed “possession”., wrote on social media: “A timeless classic, Borscht is one of the most famous and beloved Russian dishes and a symbol of traditional cuisine.” It didn’t help…
Yes of the emergency committee
According to UNESCO’s Extraordinary Committee on the Intangible Cultural Heritage – Ansa – Borscht,l typical dish of Ukrainian cuisine based on beets, fresh cabbage, broth, beef and pork and sour creamOn the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The application was launched in 2019
The candidacy, which started in 2019, was supposed to be evaluated between 2023 and 2024. however, the UNESCO Committee, with the support of Italy, decided to move forward this year and continue as a matter of urgency.
Reactions were not long in coming. “Victory in the borscht war is ours – he wrote on the social network Minister of Culture of Kyiv Oleksandr Tkatchenko – We will share the recipe of this beetroot soup with all civilized countries, – he added – and also with uncivilized countries (apparently referring to Russia, ed), at least have light, tasty and Ukrainian dishes.
On the other side of the fence, as predicted, Russia did not go lightly. “This is the question of “nationalism” and “Ukrainization” of Ukraine. – the accused Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Maria Zakharova – I will bring a fact to show the world a culinary example of “the current nationalism of Kyiv”: hummus and pilaf are known as national dishes of different countries, but as I understand now, everything is subject to “Ukrainization”.
Ukrainian red borscht with pork ribs – recipe from chef Yevhen Klopotenko
Traditional herbs used in borscht are bay leaves, garlic, dill, allspice and black pepper., as well as salt and sugar: the latter helps to balance the taste. In Ukraine, borscht is traditionally served with salted lard and garlic, crusty brown bread, and mustard.
Composition
400-500 g of pork ribs
2 beets
2 tomatoes
¼ celery
¼ cabbage
3-4 potatoes
1-2 carrots
1 onion
1-2 dried smoked pears
2 bay leaves
3 allspice (allspice)
1 head of garlic
1 sweet pepper
200 ml of tomato sauce
30 g of butter
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
salt
Preparation
Heat the oven to 200°C. Bake the pork ribs in a baking dish for about 30 minutes. until the formation of a golden crust. In the meantime, wash and chop the celery without peeling it. Cut the carrot into cubes the same size as the celery pieces. Transfer the ribs to the oven in a large pot, add about 3 liters of water. Pour in pieces of celery and carrots, half unpeeled onion. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes.
Now prepare the sauteed vegetable base: this is what makes every borscht tastier. Chop the sweet pepper. Finely chop the tomatoes and the other half of the onion.
Heat the butter in a pan and cook the vegetables until soft. Add 200 ml of tomato sauce and about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste; cook for another 5-7 minutes. Grate one of the beets like a matchstick. Add to the sautéed vegetables and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Squeeze the juice from the other beet with an extractor. Add the beet juice or puree and vegetables to the pot along with the ribs and celery, allspice and bay leaf. Salt to taste. Wash and peel 3-4 potatoes. Cut them into coarse cubes and add to the pot with the stock from the ribs. Cut the head of garlic in half and add to the pot.
Chop the cabbage and keep it aside – you’ll add the borscht towards the end. If you want, you can add boiled white beans to the borscht. Add smoky dried pears, they will enhance the borscht with their wonderful smoky flavor.
When all the ingredients are cooked and soft, add the chopped cabbage to the pot. Cook for another five minutes and remove the borscht from the heat. Let sit for at least half an hour before serving with sour cream and finely chopped dill. Keep the borscht in the refrigerator and remember that it will be even tastier overnight.