Monastery-Style Shchi with Mushrooms

Ingredients

Cabbage 300 g

Dried mushrooms 30 g

Potatoes 250 g

Pearl barley 1/2 cup

Carrots 2

Onions 1

Butter 50 g

Sour cream 100 g

Herbs to taste

Salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

Black peppercorns 5

Bay leaves 4

Soak the dried mushrooms and pearl barley in separate containers in warm boiled water. Pearl barley is usually soaked for an hour, mushrooms for 3-4 hours.

Drain the mushrooms, rinse them, place them in a saucepan, cover with water, lightly salt, and cook until tender. Then remove the mushrooms (don't throw away the broth!), chop finely, and return to the pan.

Wash, peel, and finely chop or grate the carrots and onions. Melt the butter in a frying pan and sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes. Then pour a glass of boiling water into the pan and simmer for another 10 minutes over medium heat. When the vegetables are done, return them to the pan with the broth.

Wash and dry the potatoes and cabbage. Peel and dice the potatoes; finely shred the cabbage. Boil the soaked pearl barley in lightly salted water until tender, then drain.

 Place the broth in a saucepan over medium heat, add the cooked pearl barley, potatoes, and cabbage. Season with salt, pepper, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Cook until the cabbage and potatoes are tender.

Before serving, ladle the shchi into bowls, top with sour cream, and sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Enjoy!