Asta Armalyte, from Lithuania, shows how to make saltibarsciai (cold beet soup).
Asta Armalyté, her italian husband Roberto and their children came to New Zealand about a year ago. They wanted to learn about new countries and the best way is to live there, she says.
They were also looking for somewhere with a slower pace than Europe, to escape the traffic and hectic lifestyle, so they chose Dunedin. Roberto is a software engineer and sports scientist.
Lithuanians eat soup every day, and it's often the main dinner or supper dish. This refreshing cold beet soup with its shocking pink colour is popular in the short, mild summers, both in cafes and at home.
While Lithuania was under Soviet rule, there was little imported food available so cooking was very traditional and seasonal, using local produce, and people pickled and preserved vegetables and fruit for winter. However, when the country opened and imported foods became available, people started to explore new cuisines, she said.
INGREDIENTS
2 red beetroot, cooked,
2 fresh cucumbers, finely chopped
2 hard-boiled eggs (boiled for 12 minutes)
1 litre sour milk, buttermilk or plain, unsweetened yoghurt
1 cup boiled then cooled water (more if you use yoghurt)
8 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
1 cup spring onions or chives, finely chopped
salt to taste.
METHOD
Peel the beetroot and grate coarsely. Chop or grate the cucumbers (no need to peel unless the skins are bitter).
Peel the hard-boiled eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Crush the yolks with a fork and a little salt. Put them in a large pot or bowl with the grated beetroot and chopped cucumber.
Add chopped egg whites, spring onions or chives, yoghurt and water. Mix until well combined and a bright pink colour. Add salt to taste.
Serve with hot boiled then peeled potatoes sprinkled with dill on the side. Decorate with a slice of hard-boiled egg.
Tips
• People in a hurry often use pickled beetroot instead of freshly cooked ones. This adds a vinegary taste to the soup.
• For a richer version, add 100g sour cream.
• In Lithuania this soup would be made with sour milk, but this is not available here, so Asta uses plain yoghurt thinned with water.
• This cold soup will keep in the fridge for a day or so.
