I’ve enjoyed Kefir since I was a young girl, and this is one of my favorite recipes to make with it because it is light and healthy.
It’s funny how our environment and circumstances affect our perspective. When I was growing up under communism in the former Soviet Union, I never really drank milk. Instead, my mom used to give me a glass of kefir before bed–sometimes plain, sometimes with a spoonful of sugar. Because of that, I still enjoy kefir and only drink milk in my coffee, but I always associated kefir with being poor. So it has been amusing to me over the past few years to see it become popular among the relatively wealth, health conscious crowd here in America. Maybe my mother knew something after all. In addition to its health benefits, kefir is actually very versatile, as this recipe shows, and over the course of our journey here at Cross-Cultural Kitchen, I’ll be sharing even more ways to incorporate kefir into your cooking.
Ingredients
- 1 32 oz. bottle (or 4 cups) of kefir
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 eggs
- 1 potato
- 1 green onion
- 1/2 an English cucumber
- 1 cup spinach
- 1/4 cup dill
In Russia, okroshka is often used as a way to empty leftovers out of your refrigerator, and people put everything from mashed potatoes to bologna in it. This recipe is for a healthier version, but you can always experiment by emptying your refrigerator into the soup.
Step One: Cook the Eggs
I like to do steps one and two the day before to save time. You just need to make sure you refrigerate the eggs and potato after they are cooked until you need them.
Place the eggs in a pot, cover with cold water, and heat on the stove until the water comes to a boil. Let the water boil for about a minute, then turn the stove off, cover the pot with a lid, and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Run cold water over the eggs.
Step Two: Cook the Potato
Place the potato in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the flame and let it simmer for 25-35 minutes (depending on the size of the potato). Salt the water about 1/2 way through (if you salt it too early, the potato will fall apart before it cooks through). When the potato is cooked through, you can run it under cold water to cool it down.
Step Three: Assemble the Soup
Pour kefir, water, and vinegar into a big bowl and whisk.
Chop the dill and green onions. Shred the eggs, cucumber, and potato using a box grater.
Add vegetables to the liquid and mix well. Serve chilled.
Serves 4-6 people
Приятного аппетита! (Priyatnova appetita! Russian for ‘Bon Appetit!’)
I am a follower of Christ, wife of a pastor, mother of a strong-willed little boy, and native of Russia. In addition to cooking and baking, I enjoy drinking coffee and relaxing on the beach.