Borscht

A deep red beetroot soup simmered with cabbage, potato and often beef, finished with a swirl of sour cream and fresh dill.

Borscht has been made in Ukraine for centuries and is considered by Ukrainians to be a defining national dish, so much so that in 2022 Ukraine successfully petitioned UNESCO to inscribe "the culture of Ukrainian borscht cooking" on its list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding, a move made partly in response to Russian claims over the dish's origin. Nearly every region and even individual family in Ukraine has its own version, varying in whether it includes beans, mushrooms, or meat, and whether it is served hot or, in summer, cold. Its bright red color from beetroot and its balance of sweet and sour flavors, often from a splash of vinegar, are its defining features.

Real borscht gets its color and earthy sweetness from beetroot cooked into the broth, not just added as garnish, balanced with a splash of vinegar or fermented beet juice for acidity. It is finished with sour cream and fresh dill at the table, not stirred in during cooking.